A sharp report sounded from the hallway in the direction of the kitchen. A lone round punched Spider’s bicep, knocking him off balance. His brow furrowed, and his nose crinkled. A painful yell escaped his mouth as he stumbled backward.
Cindy jerked her head away from William’s lap, then gasped. She peered at the hall with her mouth open, eyes wide.
A low growl loomed from the hallway. Heavy footfalls charged forward. A mass of dark fur tackled Spider, knocking him to the floor. The canine thrashed its head, tugging on Spider’s forearm. He screamed and yelled, kicking his legs at the large dog.
I walked toward the hall with a firm hold around the grip of the piece, watching Shadow tug and wrench his arm.
“Get this damn mutt off me,” Spider said, his voice rising in volume.
Anna materialized past the doorway with her Glock up and at the ready. She slipped past Shadow, staring at Spider, then over to me. The Glock trained at my chest and a worried look washed over her face.
I lowered the piece, then threw my hand in the air. “Whoa. It’s me.”
Anna kept her weapon locked on my chest. “Lawson?”
I pulled the hood of the coat back, then removed the mask. “Yeah.”
“For Christ’s sake.” Anna breathed a sigh of relief, then lowered her weapon. “Why are you dressed like that, and what’s going on here?”
“I’ll tell you later, and I’m not really sure, to be honest,” I answered.
Anna pulled Shadow from Spider. The German shepherd remained on high alert, baring her fangs and hovering above him.
Spider cradled his wounded arm, then pointed at the canine. “That’s the last time you’ll ever bite me. Apparently, the punishment you’ve been dealt in the past hasn’t—”
Anna kicked Spider in the side of the face, knocking him out. “Shut up. You’re not going to touch her.”
“I’m glad to see you showed up,” I said. “I thought perhaps you might’ve ditched me or something.”
“No. Took me a few minutes to calm her down enough to head outside.” Anna craned her neck, peering at Cindy who crouched in front of her dead husband. “Who’s the lady and the guy tied to the chair?”
“Again, not sure, but we need to bounce while we can,” I said. “I got the keys to the SUV in the drive.”
Anna nodded at Cindy. “What about them?”
Shadow moved past Anna, trotted toward the staircase, and looked to the second floor.
Anna spun around with the Glock trained at the upstairs. “Is anyone else up there?”
“Yeah. That’s why we need to leave,” I replied. I turned and faced Cindy and her husband, then extended my hand to her. “Come on. Come with us.”
Cindy stayed glued to her husband.
Shadow barked from the landing, growling and baring her teeth.
“How many are up there?” Anna asked.
“One as far as I know.” I walked past William and touched Cindy’s shoulder. “He’s gone and we need to go now.” Cindy stood with tears streaming down her cheeks.
Stocky stirred on the floor, moaning and moving his arm. I pushed Cindy behind me and covered our retreat to the doorway.
“Move, now,” I said, forcing Cindy out the door and over Spider’s body. She nudged his arm, then stumbled over his motionless body.
Anna patted the side of her thigh, moved down the hall toward the kitchen, then said, “Shadow. Come on.”
The German shepherd refused to budge. Her focus was trained at the murk on the second floor.
I stepped over Spider. My knee gave some, but didn’t buckle. I grabbed the edge of the door to keep me from falling over.
Stocky pressed his hands to the dirty-wood floor, and pushed his thick, muscular frame up. He shook his head, sat on his knees, then leaned back.
Anna rushed past me to Shadow who continued to bark at the darkness. “Come—”
The second floor creaked.
Blondie lurched around the blind corner of the corridor, favoring his injured foot. I trained the piece at him.
“Get the dog and move,” I said, covering both the upstairs and the bottom floor room.
Anna grabbed a handful of Shadow’s coat and tugged. The German shepherd snapped at Blondie and reared on her hind legs. The canine didn’t care for any of the men and I understood why.
“Man. And I thought she disliked you,” Anna said.
“Yeah. At least I didn’t abuse her,” I replied.
Fire spat from the upstairs floor. The bullet split the gap between Anna and me, and punched the floor.
I returned fire, squeezing the trigger three times.
Anna rushed past me with Shadow at her side. They bolted down the hallway toward the kitchen.
Stocky looked my way with a scowl on his face. I limped down the hallway as fast as I could.
Blondie fired at the first floor. Multiple rounds punched the wood planks, missing me by mere inches.
I plowed through the back door, ramming it with my shoulder and knocking it all the way open. Anna, Cindy, and Shadow vanished, but the canine’s barking signaled they were close.
“Hurry it up, Lawson,” Anna shouted.
The screen door flew open, hitting the side of the house. Heavy footfalls stalked me, closing in fast from the kitchen.
I stumbled down the stairs, turned, and fired at the low light of the porch.
The horn blared twice. Idle threats loomed from the men inside the kitchen.
I dug my hand into the coat pocket and fished out the keys.
The interior light of the SUV illuminated Cindy’s worried face from the front passenger seat. Anna sat in the back, behind the driver’s seat. She stood on the railing with her Glock trained in my direction.
I limped past the brown truck.
Anna fired. I flinched, then ducked my
