Page 18 of Shadow Burn

“Don’t worry about her?” Panic cracked through her voice. “I’m not leaving her to⁠—”

Her voice cut off, and his heart dropped to his knees. “Katherine?”

A thump. A muffled curse. Then, breathless, “I’ve got her. We’re in the bedroom. Door’s closed and locked.”

He blew out a hard breath. “Push the dresser against the door.”

“It’s heavy.”

“You’re stronger than you think. Push.”

The phone clattered as she set it on something. He heard the scrape of wood against wood, then her breath coming in hard, fast gasps with the effort.

“Done,” she panted.

“Stay on the line. Don’t hang up, no matter what happens. I’m on my way. What’s the address?”

She rattled it off. He reached Vivi’s bedroom door and barely knocked as he called, “I have an emergency.”

He heard her swear, and then the door swung open. She was in pajamas, hair flattened on one side, eyes sharp. “What is it?”

“Katherine. There’s an intruder at her place. One of the rentals on Gold Rush Street.” He’d almost rented one of them before Vivi had offered him a permanent room at the compound. “I’m on the phone with her now. I need local Blackridge PD, and a callout on the comms for whoever’s closest to back me up.”

“Go,” Vivi said.

She was already turning, already reaching for the phone on her side table.

He was running before her door clicked shut. He pulled the phone back to his ear. “I’m ten minutes out. Tell me what you’re hearing.” He hit the gravel lot and raced to his truck.

“I think he’s inside now,” Katherine said. Her voice had dropped to a whisper. “I heard the door open.”

Damn it.

He jumped into the cab and roared through the gate and out onto the highway. “Find a weapon. Anything sharp or pointed.”

“Weapon?” Her voice broke on the word.

“Do you have a lamp you can hit him with? Any type of sharp knickknack? A can of hairspray?”

“Um…I didn’t bring many of my personal effects. I have a couple of books on my nightstand.”

Of course she did. Not a bat. Not pepper spray. Books.

“He’s not going to make it through that door,” Jasper said, even though he knew the lock and dresser wouldn’t stop the intruder for long. “But just in case, grab something.”

A pause. “He’s in the kitchen,” she whispered. “I can hear his shoes every other step, like one is scuffing on the tile. He’s stopped. No, wait, he’s moving again, but…”

“But what?”

“I think he’s circling the kitchen table.” She released a tight sigh. “Oh God, he’s going through the papers I left there. The 2001 file. I brought it home to finish tonight.”

Another mile marker flew by. The eyes of a nocturnal animal flashed in the ditch. “Okay, listen,” Jasper said. “He’s looking for something, not you. If he’d come for you, he would have moved straight to the bedroom. Stay where you are. Stay quiet.”

“I’ve got Priss in my arms. She’s not making a sound.”

“Good girl.” He pushed the truck to eighty. He knew every curve of this highway. He’d run it a hundred times. “What’s he doing now?”

“I don’t know. Everything is…” Her voice faded. “Quiet. Too quiet.”