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Though I would prefer for the lasses to stay inside, I know that won't make them safer, not after the way Holden announced himself a moment ago. Once both women have knives in their hands, I cautiously turn the doorknob, opening it only enough that I can peer through the crack with one eye.
"Mhac na galla," I hiss. "He thrashed those cars good."
Ava sidles up to me, trying to push me away from the door. "Whose car? Yours? Holden's?"
I shove her away. "Dinnae know yet. You stay behind me while we sneak out there to assess the situation. I'm counting on you both to watch out for me and shout if you see or hear anything unusual."
The lasses stun me by nodding their agreement. I'd expected that at least Ava would complain. She's been so bloody annoying overall.
I stay low as I carefully walk down the steps, which are intact. A quick glance backward confirms the lasses are moving just as cautiously. The pickup truck has been pushed forward just enough that the front bumper hovers above the bottom step of the porch. As I inch forward, I continue scanning the vicinity, though I don't see Holden yet. The rear bumper of my truck suffered moderate damage, but Ava's car didn't fare as well. The front has been crushed, though I'm sure it can be repaired. She should have chosen a tougher vehicle instead of the fashionable tin can she's been driving.
Holden's vehicle, a four-door model, suffered the most damage. The entire front end has collapsed into itself, and the remnants of the air bag are visible inside.
But where is Holden De Boer?
I hurry back to Ava's car and manage to open the door. The vehicle is so small that I need only lean across the center console to retrieve her weapon from the glove box. I've just extracted myself from the tin-can car when I hear Odin issuing his alarm call.
That tells me where Holden might be.
Ava and Rebecca approach me, and I give them the kitchen knife I'd been holding. "I have your Glock, Ava, so I don't need this anymore. Holden is somewhere in the vicinity of the fenced yard."
"How do you know that?"
Rebecca smirks. "He knows because Odin is announcing it with his alarm call."
"You mean that horrible noise the creature makes."
I hand Rebecca my mobile phone. "Drag Ava back inside the house with you and keep Errol's app open. If you think it's necessary, I want you to fire off a mine. You can see where they are on the screen. Just tap one, and boom. It will go off. That should give me an advantage over Holden."
Rebecca accepts the mobile. "I'll do that. Be careful, Thane."
The lass grabs hold of Ava's arm and hauls her into the house.
Now, it's time to confront Holden.
Chapter Thirty
Rebecca
I watch out the north windows, cracking one open so I can hear what's going on out there better and keep an eye on Thane. He treads cautiously around the side of the house in search of Holden. Odin makes that odd loud noise again. The chickens become upset too, squawking and flapping their wings loud enough that I can hear it.
A faint creaking sound draws my attention to the front door.
Where Ava is sneaking out.
Oh, that woman is ticking me off big time. I race after her, snagging her arm just as she jumps off the second step and onto the ground. She stumbles but catches herself. And then she glowers at me.
I give her a hard shake. "What is your problem? Are you trying to get Thane killed?"
She tries to wrench her arm free but can't do it. "Let me go."
"Not until you tell me what you're up to."
"I'm doing what you can't because you are too nice."
"And you're a jerk, that's what you mean. But it doesn't explain what in the world you're doing."
"Gah!" a male voice shouts with so much volume that it echoes off the house. "I won't let you do this to me again."
