Simon did not return to the apothecary immediately after leaving.
The slim official had checked for anybody following him before entering the backyard. There was no reason to assume he would stop being cautious simply because he had left the bundle inside a locker.
Simon walked through four different streets before entering a public washroom attached to a small drinking house.
When he came out, the narrow-faced rat demon was gone.
In his place was a short, thick-necked demon with dull yellow skin, uneven teeth, and a face that looked permanently irritated. Simon changed his clothes, adjusted his walk, then spent another half hour confirming that nobody had followed him.
Only then did he return to the area around the apothecary.
He did not approach the backyard.
Instead, Simon walked around the building several times from different directions, learning as much as he could without stopping long enough to appear suspicious.
The apothecary occupied two floors.
