“And you?”
“I think Greg staged the wild scene and tried to run me over to make himself look less guilty. I don’t know who the mastermind is.”
“So he’s still a threat.”
“I’ll be very careful, okay? And I’ll stay off public sidewalks as much as possible.”
Baxter grumbled, but he didn’t say anything more.
Katherine poked his side with her toe. “I’m getting a medium-sized fluffy dog. I don’t expect you to clean up after it or walk it or anything. It will be my responsibility.”
He narrowed his eyes. “It can’t sleep in our bed.”
“That’s fine. We can close the door. It can sleep in the kitchen.”
“Nothing that lifts its leg.”
“I’ll look for a girl.”
He wasn’t smiling, but he wasn’t frowning. “Fine.”
Katherine grinned. “I’ll start looking at rescues this week.”
“That seems like the most ethical decision.”
“You’re going to love it.”
“It’s an animal living in our house. Much of human civilization has progressed specifically so we no longer have to live with animals in our houses.”
“I don’t know if that’s actually true.”
“Nevertheless.” He patted her ankle, and she put it down so he could stand up. “You shall have your dog, and I’m sure I will learn to live with it.”
“I’ll find one that doesn’t shed.”
“Excellent.” He bent down and gave her a kiss. “I have an evening lecture tonight. Toni and Megan will be at the house by the time you get home, correct?”
“Yes. I won’t be at the house by myself.”
“Good.”
“Will John be dropping you off later?”
“Yes, which means he’ll want to get a drink before we make it home. I could be late.”
“No problem. Have fun.” She raised her briefcase. “And I have much grading to do. Enjoy your lecture.”
“Always, my darling.” He hooked a messenger bag over his shoulder and turned to go.
“Professor Pang.”
He turned with a half smile on his face. “Professor Bassi.”
“I love you more than Star Wars.”
He put a hand over his heart and pretended to swoon. A smile lit up his face as he walked away.
Katherine had been fortunate to find a parking spot near the student center, so she walked to her car instead of calling the student security patrol in the little golf carts. Her department chair told her to make use of them since her ankle was hurt again, but she felt silly asking for help. She made it back to her car just as two-o’clock classes let out, which meant she sat in traffic for nearly twenty minutes just trying to make it out of the parking lot. At three thirty, she was heading home.
Megan called her on the way. “Hey, I’m running a little late. Maybe just wait in the parking lot at the coffee shop, okay?”
“I’m sure Toni will be there. No worries.”
“Are you sure? Baxter was really set on you not being alone.”
“I’ll be fine. See you soon.”
Katherine started to get excited about the dog. She already knew what rescue organization she wanted to adopt from. They specialized in poodles and poodle mixes. She wanted medium-sized. She wanted fluffy and smart. She didn’t much care if she got a puppy; she thought a grown dog would probably be better suited to her and Baxter. Maybe something two or three years old.
She pulled into the driveway and got her phone out, looking at profiles of the animals as she walked toward the house. She unlocked the door and walked inside, kicking the door closed as she set her bag on the table.
Her vision went black and white, time slowed down, and her senses went haywire. She felt the rope around her neck—
Katherine spun and threw her phone at Greg Hammond’s face, startling him as he reached for her with both hands.
“Bitch!” He sputtered and grabbed at her arm. “Get back here!”
She ran through the kitchen and down the short steps leading to the living room, heading for the back doors that led to the deck. Her vision had given her only seconds to react, but if she could make it out the back doors and scream for help—
Katherine’s neck jerked back, pain ripped along her scalp, and she fell hard. He’d yanked on her braid and dragged her back. Thankfully she had enough padding that she didn’t feel anything break, but her whole body was jolted.
“You think you can get away that easy?” he muttered. “Old bitch. Think you can ruin everything I’ve done. Think you’re so much smarter than me?”
Greg dragged her back to the kitchen by her braid, and Katherine couldn’t stop the cry that left her lips.
He chuckled. “You have no idea. This is going to be fun.”
“No?” She gasped, but she kept speaking. “Tell me about your brilliance, Mr. Hammond. Please. I’m sure I’ll be so impressed.” She made her voice as patronizing as she could while she was in so much pain.
Toni, where are you?
“You wouldn’t understand.” Greg shoved her into a corner by the sink. He stood over her with his hands on his hips and looked around, the rope still resting in his left hand. “Nice house. I noticed it in one of Abby’s Facebook pictures last year. She was such a bitch to me. Thought she was so much smarter. Her and her stupid boyfriend.”
“You knew Abby?”
“I made sure the random students assigned to me weren’t too random.” He poked her knee with his booted foot. “By the time they were finished in the lab, they all thought I was best friends with them again.”
“So you were… what?” She rubbed the back of her neck and looked for ways to escape. Greg had cornered her in their L-shaped kitchen and was blocking the exit. “You were just getting back at women who wouldn’t go out with you? What about Kaylee? Justin?”
“Justin was just a challenge.” Greg grinned. “I wanted to see if he’d do it. Kill all those people. He was so self-righteous about it, you know? And he had a thing for Sarah. He pretended he didn’t, but
