Page 103 of The Deadly Shallows

Lucy’s rigid shoulders softened. “Thank you.”

“Please keep me posted,” Austin said, letting go of her hands.

“Will do.” Lucy hurried for the door but paused before opening it. “Oh, I almost forgot. There was a black four-door car parked across the street from my house when I left. I didn’t think much of it, but there’s one outside your next-door neighbor’s house too.”

FIFTY-ONE

Caleb grabbed his gun. “Where?” He’d scanned the perimeter when they arrived at Austin’s, so the car either followed them extremely well for him not to notice or waited until Austin was sure to be home before parking down the street.

Lucy stood beside him in the living room, dark so as not to draw attention. “Right there,” she whispered, pointing at the neighbor’s house.

“Did you happen to notice how many people were sitting in it?”

“The car was running, and I think there were two people up front.”

“That’s helpful. You should wait here until I check it out.”

“Okay.” Lucy nodded, her dark bob bouncing with the movement.

Austin set Dirk—who’d clamored to be in her arms when Jaxon arrived—down and reached for her gun.

“You should stay here,” he said.

“You aren’t seriously playing a man card?” she asked, her brows hiked as high as possible.

Yes and no, if he was being honest. He couldn’t help that he worried about the woman he’d fallen for, but he knew she was more than capable.

“If something goes awry, it would be best if one of us is with Lucy.”

Lucy’s eyes widened. “Am I in danger?”

He looked at Austin, and she gave one nod. “I’ll stay with Lucy.” She turned toward her vet. “It’ll be fine,” she said.

Surprised Austin didn’t argue more to be the one going while he stayed with Lucy, Caleb headed for her rear door. Though he supposed it wasn’t too surprising. Lucy knew Austin better than him, so her presence would be far more comforting.

“Be careful,” Austin whispered.

“You too.”

He stepped into the night—the temperature cold enough for him to see his breath. He hurried in a low crouch behind the row of bushes, then knelt at the edge of cover. He watched the car and finally spotted movement on the driver’s side as the person stretched back, then someone shifting position on the passenger side. Two men. That’s all he had to contend with.

Waiting until the driver’s head turned toward his passenger, Caleb made the run behind the neighbor’s house, moving around the far side, and then, once again, he knelt, assessing the situation.

The driver remained in a reclined position, hopefully giving Caleb an unseen approach. He moved along the neighbor’s car parked behind the black sedan, coming up to its rear passenger door. His Glock gripped and ready to aim, he took a steadying breath and opened the rear door. “Hands in the air,” he shouted.

The driver remained eerily still.

“Hands up,” he yelled.

Slowly the passenger lifted his left hand. A shot burst through the seat back, followed by another and another. Caleb dove behind the car’s trunk as the tires squealed, and the car pulled away.

Getting to his feet, Caleb returned fire, managing to bust the rear window before the car raced around the corner.

Caleb sprinted for his car.

Austin bolted out of the house. “Are you okay?”

“Just ticked off.” He put his cherry on the dash.