Witness Pursuit. Hope White

had triggered the alarm.

      It was a good thing the system was on a separate electrical circuit.

      “He’s...someone’s trying to get in,” her mom said in a terrified voice.

      Cassie put a comforting arm around her. “It’s okay. Police have been alerted and Harvey’s here. We need to stay calm.”

      “Do you have a fire extinguisher?” Harvey said.

      “Under the sink,” Mom said.

      “We can use it to stun him.”

      Cassie went to retrieve it. “Mom, get in the pantry.”

      “What about you?”

      Cassie had no intention of hiding while Harvey fought off the intruder by himself.

      “We both won’t fit in there,” she said. “I’ll find another place.” Gripping the extinguisher, she led Mom to the pantry.

      “There’s room for both of us,” her mom whispered.

      “Try to keep quiet,” Cassie whispered.

      “But—”

      “Mom, please, I know what I’m doing.” Cassie gently shoved her mom into the pantry, then shut and locked the door. She had to; she wouldn’t risk Mom popping out during a dangerous encounter. Her parents had put the lock on the outside of the door, out of reach of the kids so they couldn’t raid the cookie jar.

      Cassie dreaded the lecture she’d get when this was over, but Mom was safe. That’s what mattered.

      Harvey nodded at an antique oak credenza beside the door leading to the living room. “Help me push this into the doorway.”

      It was a good plan, Cassie thought. By blocking the door between the kitchen and living room, the intruder could get to them only through the back of the house.

      And they’d be ready.

      The credenza firmly in place, Harvey motioned for Cassie to get on the opposite side of the back door, out of view. She crouched beside the kitchen cabinets, clutching the extinguisher to her chest.

      “What if this is just a blown fuse?” she said.

      “That’d be okay with me,” Harvey answered. “But I don’t believe in coincidences. You sure you won’t go into the pantry with your mom?”

      “I’m sure.”

      “Trying to prove how tough you are, huh?”

      “Not proving anything. But I can take care of myself.”

      “I don’t doubt that.”

      “Then you’re the only one,” Cassie said, noticing how their voices had grown softer in pitch as they spoke.

      A few seconds of silence stretched between them. She thought she heard the echo of a police siren, but it was probably wishful thinking.

      She glanced down at the vinyl flooring. Even in the darkness, the moonlight illuminated a mark on the floor Aiden’s football cleats had made years ago.

      A mark she had fixated on when he’d been attacked and wounded last year.

      “Hear that?” Harvey whispered.

      Cassie took a deep, calming breath and focused.

      Wooden boards creaked on the porch just outside the kitchen. Someone approached the back door.

      Please, God, give me courage.

      Creak, creak...

      The door handle rattled.

      Cassie took another deep breath and removed the pin on the extinguisher. A crash made her shoulders jerk. Mom really needed to replace the multipaned door.

      Scratching echoed across the kitchen. The intruder was trying to unlock the door, but that wasn’t happening since it was the kind you locked with a key from the inside.

      Another crash echoed through the kitchen. The guy had broken the window above the sink, probably in search of another way inside.

      “I know you’re in there,” he said. “Tell me what you did with it and I’ll leave you alone.”

      What she did with what?

      Cursing under his breath, the intruder smashed all the kitchen windows. Was he going to climb into the house?

      Right above Cassie’s hiding spot?

      Harvey grabbed her, protectively shoving her behind him.

      Shovel Man popped his head through the window.

      Harvey aimed his weapon. “I wouldn’t.”

      The shrill sound of sirens echoed in the distance.

      The guy retreated. Footsteps pounded across the porch. She waited a good few minutes before speaking. “Think he’s gone?”

      “Probably. But we’ll stay here until help arrives.”