Witness Pursuit

A few seconds of silence stretched between them. She thought she heard the echo of a police siren, but it was probably wishful thinking.

She glanced down at the vinyl flooring. Even in the darkness, the moonlight illuminated a mark on the floor Aiden’s football cleats had made years ago.

A mark she had fixated on when he’d been attacked and wounded last year.

“Hear that?” Harvey whispered.

Cassie took a deep, calming breath and focused.

Wooden boards creaked on the porch just outside the kitchen. Someone approached the back door.

Please, God, give me courage.

Creak, creak...

The door handle rattled.

Cassie took another deep breath and removed the pin on the extinguisher. A crash made her shoulders jerk. Mom really needed to replace the multipaned door.

Scratching echoed across the kitchen. The intruder was trying to unlock the door, but that wasn’t happening since it was the kind you locked with a key from the inside.

Another crash echoed through the kitchen. The guy had broken the window above the sink, probably in search of another way inside.

“I know you’re in there,” he said. “Tell me what you did with it and I’ll leave you alone.”

What she did with what?

Cursing under his breath, the intruder smashed all the kitchen windows. Was he going to climb into the house?

Right above Cassie’s hiding spot?

Harvey grabbed her, protectively shoving her behind him.

Shovel Man popped his head through the window.

Harvey aimed his weapon. “I wouldn’t.”

The shrill sound of sirens echoed in the distance.

The guy retreated. Footsteps pounded across the porch. She waited a good few minutes before speaking. “Think he’s gone?”

“Probably. But we’ll stay here until help arrives.”