I cross to the nearest window and raise the corner of the blind, swallowing hard and trying to get hold of my panic.

The parking lot lights have been shot out. The only illumination comes from a car that looks abandoned.

All four doors are open, the wipers whipping from left to right despite the lack of rain.

A figure appears out of the darkness, looming up on the other side of the glass. I’m about to scream when I realize it’s Salvatore, his face covered in blood.

He motions toward the back door, putting a finger to his lips. Then he’s gone again.

I run through to the kitchen and then unlock the back door. He’s inside in an instant, pushing it shut behind him. “More will come,” he says. “We have to move fast.”

“Who are they?” I ask. “What’s going on?”

“No time to explain. Hold on.” He glances outside before ducking back in. “Anyone else here with you?”

“The night shift starts in an hour. Only me until then.”

“Good. Let’s go.”

“What do you mean, good? They’re my employees on the way in. I don’t want them getting shot by whoever the hell is out there.”

“I’ve called the cops. They’ll be swarming the place by then. You’re the only one in danger here, Keira.”

He presses a gun into my hand, ignoring my stammering protests. “If anything moves out there, shoot it.”

Before I can reply, he pulls the door open and drags me outside. The night air is still and warm, the heat of the summer sun yet to fade away.

The only sound is the wind rustling through the trees at the far side of the lot.

The wipers on the abandoned car have stopped. I can see men lying on the ground in four different places.

“They’re dead,” I whisper robotically as Salvatore walks me to the edge of the lot.

“Yep.”

“You killed them, didn’t you?”

“Yep.”

“What did they want?”

“You.”

We reach a sleek black car at the edge of the lot. He pulls open the passenger door, loading me inside before closing the door again.

I stare out at the bodies. I’ve never seen a dead person before, let alone four in one go.

In the distance, I can hear sirens getting closer.

He gets into the driver’s seat.

“What about the dogs?” I ask.

“They’ll survive without you for now.”

He starts the engine, and we pull away into the night.

“Where are we going?”