Page 84 of Midnight Secrets

She backed up and shut the door without a word. As I moved away and toward Ellis and the man in the snow-covered grass, I heard the lock click.

“State police,” I said, getting closer. I wasn’t sure if it was the same person I chased off last week, but the falling snow made everything a bit fuzzy. “Sir, can we?—”

The man took off.

Cursing, I broke into a run. So did Ellis.

“Hey! Stop!” Snow muffled my footfalls as I dashed through the grass.

Suddenly, the man turned right, running between two houses.

“Ellis! Go!” I pointed to the right as we passed the neighbor’s.

Understanding my plan, he took off down the side yard. I needed eyes on him to make sure he didn’t cross to the beach and hide amongst the rocks, but I didn’t want him to cut back this way and lose him, either.

I ran up to the corner and turned, yelling before I passed the house, hoping I had made better time without the obstacle of fences, bushes, and random yard ornaments. “Ellis!”

“Here!” He yelled from my right.

I burst past the house, and with only seconds to react, I tackled a man to the ground. Snow sprayed up around us, landing down the collar of my coat. I ignored the chill and rolled the man to his stomach, keeping hold of one arm and bending it back so his fingers were near his shoulder blades.

Ellis reached us and dropped to his knees beside me. “You good?”

I nodded, keeping my attention on the man we caught. “Why were you lurking outside the house?”

The man groaned. “Let me up. This snow is cold.”

He turned his head, and I got my first look at his face in the dim glow of the corner streetlight.

I frowned, my eyes narrowing as recognition niggled my mind.

“Warren?”

CHAPTER 29

Claire

Snow swirled outside the window. Ozzie’s truck was covered, and the tracks he and Ellis left when they dashed off after the man in the side yard were rapidly disappearing.

I clutched Pebbles and wondered if I should call for help.

But Ozzie hadn’t asked me to, and I didn’t want to create a fuss if it was nothing. Maybe it was some teenager out walking. People did that around here.

Though they didn’t usually cut between houses. Everyone around here was armed—me included—and didn’t take kindly to trespassers.

I chewed on the inside of my cheek. If they weren’t back in another five or ten minutes, maybe I would call. Ozzie had his phone, though. So did Ellis. Surely, one of them would call for help if they needed it.

Right?

Exhaling a breath through my nose, I stepped away from the window. They wouldn’t magically appear while I stood there and wished for it. If anything, it would take longer. Like a watched pot.

I put Pebbles down and went into the kitchen. There were dishes in the sink. I had a load of laundry that needed moved to the dryer too.

Pebbles’s bark and subsequent skittering of her nails on the floor as she ran toward the front door made me jump. Hand on my chest, I followed her.

Spinning in circles by the door, the dog continued to bark. I went to the front windows and peered out. Three figures, obscured by the falling snow, came down the sidewalk.

I squinted. Two of them were large, and the other it was hard to tell. It looked like he was hunched over.

---