Dani sighed. “I think Kurt chose to become a cop because of the power trip. Respect was very important to him. And he liked it when people were afraid of him.”
Janessa frowned. “And Stuart?”
“He hated Kurt. I think their rivalry started out as a bid for attention from their parents. You know, whoever got the better grades got the most praise, whoever scored the most points in the basketball game or got the biggest trophy got the most attention.” She waved a hand. “I don’t know. But at some point, the childhood competition morphed into a rivalry that I was afraid might be deadly.”
“Really?”
“It didn’t have a chance to come to that, but I really think it could have. Kurt liked to play practical jokes on people. Mean ones. He would figure out your weakness, then turn it into a joke. Only it wasn’t ever really funny. Stuart was the brunt of Kurt’s jokes more than once.” She swallowed hard and picked up her mug. More to give her hands something to do than out of a desire for a sip.
Janessa sighed. “It’s a shame people feel like they have to do things like that to build themselves up or hurt others to fill an emptiness inside them. If they only understood they were created for greater things than those of this world. That they have a unique and special purpose for being put on this earth. It would make a world of difference if they knew that.”
Dani gave a soft smile. “I agree.”
Janessa pushed away from the table. “I’m just going to check in with Adam and scan the perimeter.”
Dani nodded. “Okay. I’ll check on Simon, then I think I’ll watch some television and try to unwind.”
“Sounds good. I’ll be back soon.”
Janessa left and Dani found Simon in his bed staring at the ceiling. She caught his attention. Her hands moved in the signs that had become second nature to her. “What are you thinking about?”
“I was wondering what it was like to live that normal life you’re always talking about.”
Her heart ached for him. For both of them. “I’m sorry. I know it’s hard right now, but it’ll get better, you’ll see.”
“That’s what you keep saying.”
“It will. Don’t lose faith, don’t lose hope. Not now. Not when we’re so close.” She sat next to him and stroked his hair. “I love you, Simon. Very much.”
He smiled and sat up to hug her. “I love you too, Mom.”
He leaned back and she made sure he could see her lips. “We’ll get through this together.”
“Just like we always do, right?”
Tears threatened to choke her. She cleared her throat. “Yeah, just like we always do. Now get some sleep.”
He flopped back onto the pillows and she pulled the covers up to his chin. She kissed his cheek and turned off the light.
Weariness invaded her, but the thought of crawling in bed made her restless. She walked downstairs and made her way to the couch. She picked up the remote and clicked the television on. Found an old rerun of Andy Griffith and closed her eyes. Oh Lord, keep your hand on us. Keep your protection around us. And Lord, give us a much needed break, please.
Adam drove toward the hotel downtown. Even as he scanned the streets and watched for pedestrians, he let his thoughts go to Dani Harding. Ever since she’d walked into the Operation Refuge headquarters, she’d stayed in his mind, her image refusing to leave him alone. Her story touched him, made him angry on her behalf.
He dialed her number.
“Hello?”
“Hi, it’s Adam.”
“I recognized the number.” He thought he could hear a smile in her voice.
“How is everything?”
“Quiet. Thank goodness.”
“Good. Good.”
An awkward silence fell between them and he cleared his throat. “Well, I really didn’t have anything to say, just wanted to make sure you had everything you needed. And that you felt safe.”
“I do feel safe. Thank you.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be there tonight. I have a … thing.”
“A thing?”
“A dinner. One of those black-tie deals that keep you uncomfortable until it’s all over.”
“Ah. I understand. That kind of thing.”
“Yeah.”
“Why are you going if you’re going to be so uncomfortable?”
Adam blew out a sigh. Did he want to get into that with her? He’d just met her a few hours ago. But he found himself wanting to explain a little. “My relationship with my parents has been on rocky ground for the past year. Going to this dinner will make them happy, so I’m doing it.” He paused. “At least my sister says it will. I’m not so sure, but a fellow can hope.”
“Then you’re right. It’s worth a try.”
“I suppose.”
Adam vaguely wondered what he was doing making small talk with her, but realized he liked it. He’d felt a connection with her that hadn’t happened to him in a long time. If ever. It made him wary, yet curious too.
“Do you mind me asking what happened with your parents?”
Okay, so maybe small talk was a bad idea. This kind of small talk anyway. “It’s not a pretty story.”
“And mine was?”
“Touché.” The hotel lights beckoned. “But it looks like my story will have to wait. I’m here.”
“Hm. How convenient.” She gave a small laugh. “All right. Have a good time.”
“That probably would take an act of God.”
Dani gave another small chuckle. “Then it could happen.”
Adam found himself smiling. “I suppose it could. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Goodbye, Adam.”
He hung up and let her melodic voice ring through his mind. He decided he really liked Danielle Harding.
Thwack, thwack.
Dani’s eyes popped open. A soft thud from upstairs reached her ears and she stilled, listening. Simon? Janessa?
Dani rose from the couch and padded on silent feet to the bottom of the stairs.
All was still.
Just as she started to relax and decide it was just the house settling, she heard another quiet hiss. A snick. Like a latch catching. Or a door closing?
What was Simon doing?
Where was Janessa?
Dani hurried up the stairs. At the top, she turned left, her bare feet silent on the hall-length carpet runner. The blackness pressed in on her and she thought about flipping the light switch, but hesitated.
She stepped into the first door on the right. Simon’s dark room greeted her. The faint nightlight provided enough of a glow to see his still form curled under the covers.
She frowned. Her pulse sped up a notch. Simon was asleep.
So who was making the noise? Janessa? What would she be doing?
Her stomach tightened. She backed out of his room and went for the guest room. Inside, she stopped. The open blinds allowed the moonlight to filter through. Janessa’s still form stretched across the bed, her head on the pillow, face turned away from the door.
Anger surged. Janessa was supposed to be making rounds, keeping her and Simon safe and she was sleeping? What kind of agency had she hired? Had she put her trust in the wrong people?
With a quick glance back down the hall, Dani stepped into the room and placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder. She shook her.
No response.
A coldness settled in the pit of her stomach. She trailed her fingers down the woman’s arm to her wrist. Felt for a pulse.
She thought she felt something, but wasn’t sure.
Terror swept through her. Janessa wasn’t sleeping, she was unconscious. Dani’s brain clicked with panic. She pulled in a deep breath and forced herself to think. She had to get Simon to safety and help for Janessa.
Another sound. A rustling in the hall, a light footstep.
Dani’s heartbeat sped up and her hands went clammy. She glanced back at the woman on the bed and knew she wasn’t going to be able to offer any help. Dani just prayed she
wasn’t dead.
She walked to the door and peered out. Trying to keep her panicked breaths silent, she noted the empty hallway and headed for her bedroom to get to the nearest telephone. She’d left her newly acquired cell phone downstairs. Her bare foot stepped in something warm. Slick.
Then she noticed the coppery metallic smell.
Blood. Most likely Janessa’s blood. She’d been taken by surprise in the hall and moved? Dani didn’t know what had happened and right now details didn’t matter.
Simon did. Nausea churned.
Simon. Think about his safety. Get help.
At the door to her bedroom, she froze. Movement sliced the air within. Soft, quiet. A dark figure near the bed. A low curse when he realized she wasn’t there.
She spun, and darted silently down the hall to Simon’s room.
Who was he? Why was he here?
Stuart? He’d come by earlier, apologizing profusely, trying to explain away his crazy actions, and she’d refused to talk to him. She just couldn’t. Not yet. She was still furious with him for scaring her like he had. Janessa had intervened and sent Stuart on his way, cursing them, but at least leaving.
Had he come back and slipped into the house?
Another whisper of sound from down the hall.
He was still in her bedroom. Probably checking out her bathroom.
She slipped into Simon’s room, touched his shoulder, and gave him a small shake. He stirred, blinked up at her. She made sure she stood in the glow of the nightlight and lifted a finger to her lips. Between the nightlight and the moonlight filtering through the blinds, she knew he could see her. She quickly signed, “Someone’s in the house. Come with me.”
His eyes flared with panic and she hated it. Her own fear threatened to consume her, but she had to keep Simon safe. He threw back the covers and grabbed his T-shirt from the floor. Dani gripped his hand and pulled him behind her. She walked to the door and glanced out into the hallway, then pulled back when the shadowy figure stepped out of her bedroom and headed toward them. Would he search the house until he found them? Was he even looking for them or something else? One thing for sure, he didn’t hesitate to remove anyone who got in his way. Her heart cramped at the thought of Janessa. She still felt the sticky substance on the bottom of her foot.
She didn’t need to be a genius to figure out the intruder had surprised Janessa and removed her from the equation. Guilt wanted to consume her, but she shoved it off for now.
Indecision warred within her as fear threatened to strangle her. What to do?
Simon stared at her, blinking fast, the big question in his eyes. How was she going to save him this time?
She bit her lip and peeked into the hall.
The figure was gone.
But where?
Did they dare make a run for it? Was he alone?
A floorboard squeaked and she pulled back, heart beating. She signed, “Get in the closet.”
Simon didn’t hesitate. His complete trust brought tears to her eyes.
She blinked them gone. She could cry later. She moved to his bed and arranged his pillows and cover to look as though he were still sleeping. She just prayed the person glanced in and kept going. If not—
She moved to the corner of the bedroom and removed Simon’s prize baseball bat from its perch on the wall. Sweat slicked her palms. She slipped into the closet beside Simon and pulled the door closed, leaving only a slight crack. She could feel Simon’s terrified shudders. Anger, swift and hot, burned through her. Kurt was dead. They shouldn’t still be scared to death.
Her grip tightened around the handle of the bat. Softball had been her game in high school and the years hadn’t dimmed her memory on how to swing. She just prayed she wouldn’t have to. Dani rested her left hand on Simon’s shoulder, trying to convey comfort with her touch.
Light footsteps sounded. Paused at the door.
Dani breathed through barely parted lips. Her heart beat so loud, she was sure the intruder could hear it.
Her ears strained to hear. Was he coming in? She didn’t dare push the closet door open farther to see. From her position directly across from the entrance to the room, he would come right into her line of sight if he moved two steps more. She prayed he didn’t take those two steps.
He did.
Simon gasped.
The figure froze.
12
Adam couldn’t raise Janessa on her earpiece. He frowned. That wasn’t like her. He’d finished up his family obligation and decided to ride over and check on Dani and Janessa.
His gut had hurt all evening as he’d tried to focus on the dinner and the conversation at the table. He’d hoped showing up would help speed up the process when it came to mending fences with his family.
Especially his mother. He hadn’t mentioned her illness and she hadn’t brought up the topic either. He wondered if she even knew Sarah had told him.
Unfortunately, the whole time he’d been eating prime rib and asparagus, he’d been itching to bolt to Dani’s house while wanting to hug his mother and apologize for his uncle’s death. Apologize that it had come to that, not necessarily for his part in exposing the man’s crimes.
“Are you all right, Adam?” his mother had asked. She sat to his left.
“Of course, Mom, I’m fine. Are you all right?”
She lifted a brow and her lips tightened. He’d thought she might say something. Instead, she simply nodded. “Good. Good. I’m fine.” She’d returned to her meal with a quick look at his father, as though expecting him to reprimand her for speaking to him.
Although Adam had to admit, when he’d first walked in, his mother had looked pleased to see him. For a brief moment, he let himself believe she’d forgiven him for being a part of his uncle’s—her brother’s—death.
Adam’s father had given him a tight smile and short nod. It was more than he’d expected and raised his hopes. Friends of his parents stopped by the table to chat and shake hands. Some of the well wishes were genuine, others not so much. Adam couldn’t stand the fakeness but was relieved no one seemed to want to point out his shortcomings.
It appeared his family had accepted him back into the fold. Not that he was terribly concerned about it for himself, but he was glad to see his parents smiling and relaxing.
He just wished he could have given the dinner and his family his full attention.
Instead, Dani and Simon took over his thoughts.
He couldn’t help the feeling that they just needed more security coverage than they’d been assigned. Someone had broken into a neighbor’s house and tried to shoot Dani. However, did that make her the target? Or just in the wrong place at the wrong time?
He’d been sitting in the car in front of Dani’s house since he’d pulled to the curb, thinking about the situation and the best way to handle it.
From his position in the car on the curb, the house looked peaceful. Still.
Maybe too still. Just thirty minutes ago, Janessa had checked in with him to let him know everything was fine.
“Janessa, come on, speak to me. If you can’t talk, tap the piece. Let me know you’re there.”
Still nothing. He tried Dani’s cell phone.
No answer.
And the landline just rang. No voice mail, nothing.
Adam checked his Glock and climbed from the vehicle.
Don’t move, Dani silently begged Simon. Please, don’t move. The nearest phone was in her bedroom. Her cell phone was in the bottom of her purse.
The figure stood in the doorway, listening. Dani shifted her gaze so she wasn’t looking directly at him. How many times had she overheard Kurt, once on the sniper team, talk about how he never looked directly at the enemy. “People can feel you looking at them, Dani.”
So now she used her peripheral vision to keep him in her sights. The ski mask hid his features, but she took note of his height, his build, the way he stood quietly and cocked his head. He took two more steps into the room and Dani’s bl
ood pressure ratcheted up to the point she felt like she might explode. Simon stood rigid just behind her to the left.
And then the figure turned and left the room. She didn’t bother relaxing. With her right hand, Dani kept a tight grip on the baseball bat and counted to thirty. When the intruder didn’t return, she pushed the closet door open. Slowly. So slowly.
The well-oiled hinges didn’t creak. She wrapped her hand around Simon’s sweaty one and gave him a gentle tug, silently telling him to follow her. Pulse pounding, blood rushing, she stepped out of the closet, Simon on her heels.
At the door, she stopped, listened.
Heard nothing.
She peeked around the corner.
Saw nothing.
Dani pulled Simon with her and made a beeline for the steps.
Together, they raced down.
She reached for the front doorknob.
A hard band wrapped around her throat from behind.
Dani cried out and Simon gave a harsh scream.
“Where is it?” the voice hissed in her ear.
She tried to swallow, but he held her too tight. He gave her a shake and she gasped, remembered the bat and swung it backhanded.
A sharp crack and a cry of pain greeted her. She broke loose from his hold and whirled to see Simon swinging the brass lamp from the dining room end table.
The figure ducked and knocked the lamp aside. He planted a fist in Simon’s chest and shoved. Simon screamed and fell back, crashing into the piano.
Discordant notes jangled and sheer desperation swept through her. A wild cry ripped from her throat and she swung the bat again, catching her intruder in the left shoulder. He gave a pained grunt, went to his knees, then recovered. She met his gaze as he came to his feet.
Dani backed up, kept her grip on the bat, and wished she could yell at Simon to run. Everything in her wanted to make sure her son was all right. And that meant keeping this attacker’s attention on her. Dark eyes glittered. “Where is it, Dani?”
She didn’t recognize the voice. Her heart pounded.
“What?” she gasped. “Where is what?”
The door crashed in and Adam, weapon in hand, yelled, “Freeze!”
The intruder moved fast. Before Dani could blink, he’d yanked the bat from her hand and shoved her aside with one hand while bringing the bat around with the other. The wood connected with Adam’s forearm and his gun flew from his fingers.
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