by Dale Mayer
“I know,” Ethan said quietly. “I can see him.”
“Where are you?” she cried out softly.
“I parked a little farther out and came in the back way. I want to make sure you don’t move, okay? Are you in the master bedroom?”
“Yes, I am,” she said.
“Good. Stay there. Make sure the door is locked. If somebody comes upstairs or even inside, let me know. Otherwise I only see one person, trying to get into your kitchen door.”
“I left your chair there.”
“Good,” he said, “but it looks like he just went in the window anyway.”
She gasped, her heart slamming against her chest. “You’ll take him out, right?” Her voice quavered, and she hated that. But the thought of fighting off an intruder terrified her. Already being injured made her feel more unprotected than ever.
“You’ll be fine,” he said, his voice soothing. “I’m almost there now. Like I said, stay in the bedroom. If you can stop him from coming in, do that. He might ram the door with a shoulder or kick it in with a foot, so don’t scream out in surprise.”
She glanced around, taking the chair from her small writing table and propped it underneath the bedroom doorknob. If nothing else, the intruder would make a hell of a racket trying to come through. Then she sank to the floor by the door. “Hurry,” she whispered. “I’ve propped a chair underneath the doorknob.”
“Good,” he said. “Keep thinking. The minute you stop thinking, and fear takes over, you become numb to opportunities you really can’t afford to be without.”
Her knees tight against her chest, avoiding her injured arm, and her good arm wrapped around her, she sat motionless, waiting. It seemed like forever as she sat curled in a ball, the dogs at her side. But the phone was against her ear just in case Ethan said something. She could hear his breathing. “You’ve still got the phone line open?”
“Of course,” he whispered. “But don’t talk if you don’t have to. I’m on the way.”
Even the dogs appeared frozen. Neither barked nor whimpered. Like her, they understood something was wrong.
She thought she heard something and froze, her breath catching in the back of her throat. Both her dogs were curled up at her side, only the large one bounded to the door, dropped his nose to the edge and sniffed. Instantly Cinn heard heavy sniffing on the other side. She lifted her head, tilted it sideways and wondered.
A knock came. “Cinn, it’s me. Ethan.”
She bounded to her feet, crying out in pain as her shoulder was wrenched in her quick movement.
“Are you okay?” he asked sharply.
“I’m fine,” she said, stumbling to unlock the door.
When she got it unlocked, she pulled it open. Bella jumped into the room, her nose to the ground, and she completely circled the room and came back. Sentry stood at the doorway as if on guard as she checked the place out. Then watched as she played with the other dogs happily.
Ethan wrapped Cinn in his arms and held her close, gently swaying back and forth.
“Did you see him?” she asked. “Did he get away?”
“Yes.” He turned and pointed up the highway.
She could see the vehicle was gone. She shook her head. “He was that fast?”
“Maybe he heard me coming,” Ethan said. “And he slipped out the front door and took off.”
“Really?”
“Or it could have been the dogs. Bella gave a sharp bark, as we came into the house. It might have been in warning, or it might have been in greeting. I don’t know.”
Cinn turned to look at Bella, who seemed to be happy lying on the floor. Senty still hadn’t relaxed. She shook her head. “They’re a marvel. But I sure wish we understood them better.”
He rubbed her good arm gently, his hand holding her shoulder carefully. “Can you sleep now?”
She shook her head. “No, not now. I’m too wired. When I heard noises inside, I thought it was him coming up the stairs.”
He nodded. “I didn’t want to give too much warning, just in case he circled back around the house. But he’s gone now.”
She gave him a wide smile. “Do me a favor? Can you search very, very thoroughly?”
He dropped a light kiss on her forehead and said, “Yes. And, just to make sure, you come with me, so you can see what I’m doing.”
They started with the other bedroom on the top floor. He went through the closets, checked under the bed, behind the door, then led her downstairs so she could check every room with him.
By the time he was done, she was laughing. “Okay, so I made too much out of it.”
He stopped in front of her. “Absolutely you did not. That asshat was climbing in the kitchen window. I saw him.”
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Right. I keep trying to forget that part.”
“Don’t,” he said, giving her a gentle shake. “Remember he was here. I saw him. It was real. We need to make sure he didn’t come with a partner.”
“Now that’s not a thought I want to contemplate.”
“That is definitely a consideration,” he said.
She nodded. “It’s a grim concept. But I don’t know what else to believe.”
“I’ll stay the rest of the night,” he said. “But I want you to get into bed, and I want you to sleep. That shoulder of yours needs to heal.”
She grimaced. “It’s got to be … What? … Five o’clock in the morning now?”
He checked his watch. “It’s not quite quarter to five yet.”
She was tired. She leaned against the kitchen counter and brushed the tendrils of hair off her face. Her body was achy and sore. “It feels like I need another painkiller,” she muttered.
“That’s why you should get into bed and rest. Even getting four hours is huge.”
She tried to assess how she felt, but the fatigue was definitely coming on now. “Are you sure you’ll stay?”
She hated the fear in her voice. But, after what had just happened, she wondered if she’d ever be comfortable alone again.
“Yes, absolutely I’m staying. Come on. Let’s get you back to bed.” He walked at her side as she slowly made her way up the stairs. In her room, he pulled back the bedcovers and motioned at her. “Get back in.”
She kicked off her slippers and slowly eased herself down.
He covered her up, leaned over, gave her a quick kiss and said, “Now four hours of sleep, nothing less. Do you hear me?”
“Why does it feel so good to finally lie down?”
“Because your body needs it,” he said sternly. “I know you can see that highway from where you are, but that’s not an issue now. My truck is not up there, and nobody else will be coming back tonight. Understand?”
She gave him a tired smile and waved at him. “Go. I’m fine. I’ll be asleep in a few minutes.” So saying, she rolled over onto her good side, tucked the pillow up underneath her head and closed her eyes.
He walked across the bedroom and whispered, “Good night.”
She listened to his footsteps as he headed down the stairs. She hadn’t even realized Bella was with him. But now it was like she was his ghost. Cinn could hear the light padding of Bella’s nails as she crossed the top hallway and skittered down the stairs followed by Sentry’s more sedate walk. Her own dogs appeared to have accepted Bella like none other. Although they were still wary of Sentry. But then they were used to rescues too. Cinn wondered if she had so easily accepted Ethan for the same reason. Was he a rescue as well? Bella was lost and homeless, a bit of a renegade. No, that was Sentry. Ethan, well, it was hard to find any description for him. But, in a way, he suited the dogs, and the dogs suited him.
The question that occupied her mind as she slowly drifted off to sleep was whether she suited Ethan and whether his whole gang suited hers.
They had something going on between them. She just didn’t know what.
As sleep finally overtook her, she realized it didn’t matter because she was wil
ling to take the journey and to find out how far they would go. If it entailed two people getting together with a messy load of dogs, well, there were worse ways to live. And, with that, sleep claimed her with a smile on her face.
Back downstairs, Ethan stretched out on the couch. He kept a wary eye on Sentry, but Bella just crashed on the floor beside him. She was happy to be with him. Cinn’s two dogs were in the bedroom with her. So far, all four animals were getting along, but no doubt the two smaller, happier dogs were giving the others clearance. They were happy to have them around, but they were a little wary. And he could understand that.
He stretched out, rolled over and tried to close his eyes. But his mind buzzed, wondering at the identity of the intruder and why he came here. Ethan should have checked for a license plate. And then he considered something else. Who would have surveillance of this area? Anyone?
He pulled up Google on his phone to see if anybody might have cameras. Farther down the road was Anna and Flynn’s rescue. Did they have anything? Even though it was really early, he sent Flynn a text, asking him. Letting him know an intruder had been on Cinn’s property. Following that, he said he chased him off, but he was looking for a black pickup truck, likely a half-ton that had been parked at the top of her driveway.
He fired that off and lay here, thinking about it. Was this connected to him? The only way it could be was if it was connected to the same drug lab they had taken down.
He didn’t know for sure, but it was too close a coincidence to ignore. Multiply that with a spy in the sky that could track things like that … But he didn’t have access to any of those anymore. That was military-grade surveillance, not something he would pull in on a favor. Cinn had no surveillance and no security to speak of. And that was something he aimed to fix. Soon.
As he lay here, his phone beeped. Surprised, he saw Flynn’s name. Flynn was pissed and said he was checking cameras right now.
Ethan responded. Sorry to wake you.
Never a better reason than to help a friend.
At that, Ethan settled back with a smile. He wasn’t sure if Flynn meant that Cinn was a friend or that Ethan was. Either way, it was good they had somebody on their side.
Suddenly Sentry bolted to his feet, his hackles rising as he stared at the kitchen. Ethan hopped to his feet and glided across the living room floor, pulling up against the wall just short of the doorway.
That had been the other concern he’d had, that there might have been two men—one who took off in the truck and the other sticking around. Ethan’s truck was parked farther up the highway, out of sight. But did anybody know he was still here? He could hear something rattling at the kitchen door. He sent Flynn another text, then pocketed his phone, crouching down low.
When people came in, they rarely looked down at floor height. Once again, Sentry growled deep in the back of his throat. Ethan studied the dog. That anger, the full fluffed-out tail and hunched shoulders. Ethan wasn’t sure if it was the man arriving who was setting off Sentry or the fact that it was any intruder at the house.
Sentry was obviously a guard dog, but was he guarding the house, or did he know the person coming toward him and hated him?
Both were possibilities, giving Ethan lots to work from. But he couldn’t count on the fact that Sentry would follow Ethan’s instructions. Bella, on the other hand, was now positioned right beside him, same height as he was, nudging him, her tail wagging. He studied her for a moment, as he heard the rattling at the door. Whoever it was trying to get in was shitty with a pick. And that was something he filed away.
He reached out a hand and placed it on Bella’s muzzle. She quieted, her tail stilled, and she lowered her head to her paws, ears forward. He smiled. You had to love a dog that could pick up the nuances like she did.
Suddenly the door popped open. For a moment there was nothing. Ethan watched from down low as a man dressed all in black with a hood over his head stepped into the kitchen. He glanced around, as if familiarizing himself with the layout, then quickly moved toward Ethan.
Ethan held back Bella, but Sentry wasn’t being held back at all. He snarled and growled audibly.
The man froze, reached out a hand. “Boris?”
Sentry froze, his nose wrinkling, but the deep growl resumed. Instead of running away, the intruder stopped, raised his hand in a stop command for Sentry and then, in a harsh whisper, ordered him to stand down.
Sentry slowly stood down, his training taking over at a voice he recognized. Ethan watched carefully because Sentry, although he was giving way, didn’t like it. He was looking for an opportunity to move on his own.
The intruder walked forward a few steps. “Good boy. I was hoping you would be around.” As he crept closer, talking calmly to Sentry, the dog growled again in the back of his throat. The man held up his hand. “What’s wrong with you, Boris? You know better than this.” He stopped a few feet away from the open doorway as his gaze caught sight of Bella. “Bella?”
Bella didn’t growl or bark. She stared at him, her ears back and her teeth showing.
That confirmed an awful lot for Ethan. They both knew him. Neither wanted anything to do with him.
The man slowly reached around behind him and pulled out a leash and a rope. He also had what appeared to be a police-issue baton. At the sight of the baton, Sentry growled louder. The man tucked it behind his back. Sentry calmed slightly but not enough.
So the baton was the intruder’s weapon of choice.
And the man had come prepared for these dogs.
Well, this asshole had had his last opportunity to beat up these dogs. Ethan waited for the man, leash in his hand, as he crept closer to Bella.
“Bella, you’re looking good. Can you sit up for me please?”
Bella stayed down, her head flat on her paws as Ethan had told her, her ears back. The man with the leash started to crouch, to get close, and her lips curled even higher, and in the back of her throat was her first warning sound.
The man stared at her. “What the fuck? Why are both of you being such pains in the ass right now? What the hell happened to you?”
Ethan wanted to punch him flat in the face and let the dogs have at him. But the man wasn’t quite close enough yet. Ethan couldn’t be sure another weapon wasn’t somewhere on the asshole. But, if Ethan got a chance to grab that baton, he’d take a few good wales on the asshole.
The man reached out a hand to Bella. She didn’t move, but she growled. He froze, then ordered her to obey. His voice rose, although still quiet enough not to wake anybody else in the house. His tone was sharp, getting angry.
At that, Sentry stood and approached. His ears flat, his teeth showing, he growled at the intruder.
The man froze. “What the fuck has happened to you, Boris?” He took one more step forward, and it was enough.
Ethan snapped around the corner, his right hand out, connecting hard with the man’s nose and jaw. He never even saw it coming. The blow was hard enough to send him backward several flailing steps before he went down on his back.
Sentry went after him.
The man cried out, again reaching for the baton, as Sentry grabbed the intruder’s arm and stood over him. He shook the man’s wrist, almost as if seeing the baton as an extension of the arm.
Bella still lay here at Ethan’s command.
Blood running down the intruder’s arm, he screamed at Sentry, but Sentry wasn’t listening. He shook the intruder’s arm harder, his jaws crunching on the man’s weak forearm. The baton flailed around as the man tried to use it to get at the dog.
Ethan stood, stepping on the man’s other arm, and said, “Drop the baton. If you don’t, I’ll let him take off your arm.”
The intruder stared up at him. “Who the fuck are you? If you’re the asshole who ruined our dogs, I’ll make you pay for that,” And then he screamed again as Sentry clenched down tighter.
“Apparently somebody the dogs prefer over you.” Ethan grabbed the baton carefully, so as not to let Sent
ry see it as an extension of his arm, and said, “Let go.”
The man really had no choice as Sentry once again shook hard. The intruder’s fingers opened, and the baton dropped to the man’s chest. Sentry saw it, released the man’s arm and lunged for the baton. Ethan let him have it. He let him take the baton away and start to destroy it.
Ethan crouched beside the injured man and said, “What the hell did you do to that poor dog?” He pulled off the man’s face mask, exposing the intruder. Ethan didn’t recognize him.
“Are you the one who ruined our dogs?” the man roared.
He tried to attack Ethan, but, with Ethan stepping on his good arm, and his injured arm bleeding profusely, there wasn’t a whole lot he could do except to kick his legs. As soon as one leg came up, Ethan grabbed it and pinned it down. The man screamed again.
Bella moved closer. Ethan looked at her and said, “Good, Bella.”
She looked up at him, then looked down at the intruder, but her stance didn’t release.
“The dogs really hate you,” Ethan said, “if even now, when they have an opportunity to turn on me, they don’t want to.”
“They will,” the man said. He snapped out commands at Bella to attack and kill.
Bella, confused, obviously upset at the sight, stared at Ethan.
He kept murmuring to her in a gentle voice, “Relax, Bella. Just guard. Nobody kills anymore.”
The man on the ground lost his temper, shouting and hurling epithets at her.
At this point she looked at Ethan and sat down on guard duty. He smiled. “You see? You can’t lose your temper with an animal. And you can never take it out on them with a weapon,” he said in a conversational voice. “You can’t rule by fear.”
“It’s the only way you do rule,” the intruder snapped. He groaned. “He broke my arm.”
“Yeah, he might have,” Ethan said. “But that’s not my fault. You were breaking and entering into this house.”
The man glared at him.
His arm bled badly enough that Ethan knew he had to put a stop to it. He noticed a tea towel tossed against the back of a kitchen chair. He looked at Bella, looked at the tea towel, pointed and said, “Bella, fetch.”
