A squeak and the brush of the door from the garage opening came from the kitchen.
Panic crawled its way up her throat. That door couldn’t possibly squeak unless someone had pushed it open, and she knew she had left it closed.
She had to call 911, but she had left her phone on the stand by the door like she always did. If someone was there she would never make it. She would call from the landline.
Silvery light came in through the curtains from the full moon. It wasn’t much, but she could see well enough. Keri glanced over her shoulder.
Her breath stuck in her throat as she saw a shadowy figure pass from the kitchen toward the stairs.
Oh, my God. Someone was really in here.
She watched as the dark form moved up the stairs.
Keri remained frozen until she couldn’t see the figure anymore.
Heart pounding, she worked her way through the living room, cursing herself for the clutter that decorated the place, afraid she was going to knock something down.
The stair that she always avoided gave a loud squeak.
Whoever it was had reached the top of the stairs.
Fear tore through her like a jagged knife ripping her belly open from side to side. What was she going to do?
She had to hide. First she would call for help and then get to the cellar door.
When she picked up the phone, she started to press the number for emergency—the phone was dead.
She needed to run outside now.
She glanced over her shoulder again.
Someone rushed toward her.
Fear closed off her throat before she could scream.
“Down!” Adam said in a harsh whisper as he grabbed Keri’s arm and jerked her to the floor. “Don’t move.”
Keri’s heart thundered as her knees hit the hardwood. “How did you—”
He whispered, “I’ll explain everything later.”
Fred’s barking became more frantic.
Relief that it was Adam poured through her, but that relief was followed again by terror.
“There’s someone upstairs,” she said. “I saw him go up.” The words came out in a rush.
Adam didn’t answer. She realized he had drawn out a cell phone when he started talking to the police. He identified himself, asked for backup, gave the address of her home, then folded the phone and slipped it inside his jacket.
“It might be Carter or one of his men. We need to get out of here now.”
Fred hadn’t stopped barking. All of this time he had been trying to tell her something was desperately wrong and she hadn’t listened. All she had been worried about was the neighbors hearing him and complaining about it.
The silence inside the house was almost painful. Only Fred’s barking made it truly clear that something was wrong.
The stair squeaked again from above.
Keri’s heart launched into her throat.
“Someone’s at the top of the stairs,” she said in a strangled whisper.
Adam stayed in a crouch. “What does the back door lead to?”
She tried to control her breathing. “The courtyard. There’s a gate to the street from there.”
Keri glanced over her shoulder. Through the darkness she saw a shadow across the room, behind them.
Adam shoved her down flat.
Whoever it was had probably heard him make the call.
“Police!” Adam shouted as he turned and aimed in the direction of the intruder. “come downstairs with your hands up.”
The sound of a shot, and a vase exploded near where her head had been.
Keri nearly choked on a scream. Her shoulder hit the end table and she knocked the phone off. It clattered to the floor with a thump and rattle.
Another shot.
Adam lunged toward the door, her hand still in his, taking her with him.
He let go of her hand and twisted. He fired several shots in the direction the gunfire had come from.
The sound of Adam’s gunshots made her ears ring. She crawled through debris as bullets shattered more of her things and scattered pieces across the floor.
She reached the back door, next to floor-to-ceiling windows.
Adam had his back to it and was still firing off shots where the shooter had been.
Keri stumbled and fell against the door. With shaking hands she found the knob and turned it.
Pain pierced her arm and she cried out. The doorframe splintered beside her.
Adam yanked the door open and shoved her through it.
With a ferocious growl, Fred bounded past her and into the house.
“No!” she screamed as she heard more shots. “Fred!”
A loud snarl and more growls from Fred.
Shots.
Keri’s heart felt like it was going to explode like the vase had done so close to her head.
Faintly she heard sirens. The police. They had to get here before Adam or Fred was killed.
Something sticky trickled down her arm and pain burned it like fire.
“Come on!” Adam jerked her away from the doorway. “Run!”
Keri tried to get away from him. “But Fred—”
“Dammit, Keri.” Adam caught her by her T-shirt and dragged her toward the back gate.
Keri held back a cry as she barely avoided tripping over Adam. She had the bizarre thought that she had never been so clumsy in her life as she was tonight.
“We’ve got to get you out of here,” he was saying. “There’s nothing you can do for your dog.”
More barking, more snarls. A man’s cry.
More shots.
“Like hell—” she started, but Adam yanked her hard and forced her toward the gate. She felt and heard her T-shirt rip at the collar.
“Fred is giving us the distraction we need,” Adam said. Instead of taking her to the gate he brought her up to the wall. “Climb over this wall. If it is Carter, he may have someone watching the back. Go to your neighbors and wait there for me.”
“They’re not here,” she
