Page 19 of Shadow Burn

Jasper’s grip tightened on the wheel. “You need to be just as quiet, you hear me?”

“But the file is there. The pages I started reading this morning at the library and didn’t finish.” She was still whispering, but more frantically now. “Jasper, I can’t let him read those.”

“This isn’t the time to play hero, Katherine. Your life could be in danger.”

“But—”

“No buts. You stay where you are.”

She made a small sound.

“Katherine.”

“I heard you.” She didn’t sound happy about it.

“Don’t talk now. Just breathe. I’ll talk. I’m going to ask you some questions. Tap on the phone--one for yes, two for no.”

He told her how far out he was, what road he was on, what he could see from the truck. He asked if Priss had ever encountered an intruder before—two taps. No. Good, Katherine was still with him. Did she have an opinion on burglars? One tap. Did Katherine still have the phone in her hand? One tap.

Five minutes out, he heard her exhale longer than her previous breaths. “I think he’s leaving.”

His own shoulders dropped a fraction. “Stay where you are. Do not come out yet. I’m almost there. Don’t move until I tell you it’s safe.”

“Okay.”

A beat of silence. Then the sound came through the phone. A metallic scrape. Small. Sharp.

Katherine sucked in a hard breath. “Jasper?”

Jasper’s blood went cold. “What was that?”

The sound came again. “He’s at the bedroom door,” she panic-whispered.

The words hit him like a fist to the sternum.

“He tried the handle. I think he’s using that pick now.”

Every thought in Jasper’s head went silent except the ones that mattered. “How many windows in the room?”

“One.”

“Can you get to it?”

“Yes.”

“Go. Take the phone with you.”

He heard movement, a shuffle, the small, distressed chirp of Priss, then Katherine whispering something to the cat that he couldn’t catch.

The truck ate another curve. “Can you open it?” he asked.

Wood groaned. “It won’t move.”

“Unlock it.”

“I did.” A pause and a grunt. A shaking exhale. “It’s painted shut.”

Of course it was. His jaw clenched until pain radiated in all directions. “Is there an attached bathroom?”