the shadows with the penlight. “Who are you?”
“A friend of Abby’s.”
“No, you’re not. Abby doesn’t have any boyfriends. Who are you, and what are you doing in her place?”
“I was just going to ask you the same question.”
“Like hell.”
The intruder sprinted for the open slider. Sam was already moving. He managed to seize the man’s shoulder and succeeded in touching the crystal device to his arm. He sent energy into the fake cell phone. There was a small flash of paranormal lightning. The intruder grunted and started to crumple. He struggled to straighten and resume his flight to the balcony, but he fell slowly to his knees, arms wrapped around his midsection.
Sam yanked off the stocking cap, revealing platinum-blond hair cut in a short, crisp, vaguely military style.
“What the h–hell d–did you do to me?” the intruder got out, teeth chattering.
There was a sharp, excited yip. Newton charged into the room. He went straight to the intruder and started licking his face.
“Hell of a guard dog, all right,” Sam said.
Abby appeared. She had taken the time to pull on a robe. She had a large object clutched in her hands.
“Sam.” Her voice was tight and anxious. “Are you all right?”
“Yes,” he said. “Get the lights.”
She flipped a wall switch, illuminating the heavy lamp she carried. Her eyes widened, first in shock and then in outrage, when she saw the man shivering in the middle of her living room.
“Nick?” She put the lamp down on the coffee table. “What in the world are you doing here?”
Nick gave her a disgusted look and continued to shudder. “Your taste in boyfriends is going downhill, Abby. This one just tried to kill me.”
Abby glanced at Sam, frowning. “Whatever you’re doing to him, you can stop, at least until I decide whether or not to call the cops.”
“He’ll be all right in a few minutes,” Sam said. “Probably.” He pocketed the crystal device. “I just temporarily shocked his senses. You know this guy?”
“Nick Sawyer,” she said. She regarded Nick with seething irritation. “And yes, I know him. You could say we’re colleagues of a sort. We both work the book market, but Nick isn’t quite as selective as I am when it comes to clients. I was, however, under the impression, until tonight, that he was my friend.”
Nick muttered something unintelligible. Newton bounced around him, waiting for the new game to begin.
“Give him a minute,” Sam said.
Nick managed to get to his feet. He was still shaky. He was about the same age as Abby, a lean, athletically built man with the sort of clean, chiseled features that could have ensured him a successful career in modeling. His silver-white hair and artificially tanned face served to enhance the vivid blue of his eyes.
He shot a hooded look at Sam, did a quick assessment of the situation and evidently concluded that his best option lay in an appeal to Abby.
“Sorry about this, sweetie,” he said. “I thought you were out of town.”
“That’s supposed to excuse what you just did?” Abby waved a hand toward the open slider. “You just broke into my home. You’d better start talking, and fast, or I’m going to call the police, I swear it.”
Nick exhaled heavily and leaned over to scratch Newton behind the ears. “Take it easy, sweetie. I can explain everything. You know you’re not going to call the cops.”
“Before you say another word,” Abby warned, “if you call me sweetie one more time, I will use that lamp on your head.”
“It’s a little complicated, sweet—uh, Abby.”
“I think we can uncomplicate this thing real fast,” Sam said. “Tell us why you broke in here tonight.”
Nick scowled. “Who is this guy, Abby? I can’t believe he’s a new boyfriend. Definitely not your type.”
“Talk,” Sam said. “Fast.”
Nick shot
“A friend of Abby’s.”
“No, you’re not. Abby doesn’t have any boyfriends. Who are you, and what are you doing in her place?”
“I was just going to ask you the same question.”
“Like hell.”
The intruder sprinted for the open slider. Sam was already moving. He managed to seize the man’s shoulder and succeeded in touching the crystal device to his arm. He sent energy into the fake cell phone. There was a small flash of paranormal lightning. The intruder grunted and started to crumple. He struggled to straighten and resume his flight to the balcony, but he fell slowly to his knees, arms wrapped around his midsection.
Sam yanked off the stocking cap, revealing platinum-blond hair cut in a short, crisp, vaguely military style.
“What the h–hell d–did you do to me?” the intruder got out, teeth chattering.
There was a sharp, excited yip. Newton charged into the room. He went straight to the intruder and started licking his face.
“Hell of a guard dog, all right,” Sam said.
Abby appeared. She had taken the time to pull on a robe. She had a large object clutched in her hands.
“Sam.” Her voice was tight and anxious. “Are you all right?”
“Yes,” he said. “Get the lights.”
She flipped a wall switch, illuminating the heavy lamp she carried. Her eyes widened, first in shock and then in outrage, when she saw the man shivering in the middle of her living room.
“Nick?” She put the lamp down on the coffee table. “What in the world are you doing here?”
Nick gave her a disgusted look and continued to shudder. “Your taste in boyfriends is going downhill, Abby. This one just tried to kill me.”
Abby glanced at Sam, frowning. “Whatever you’re doing to him, you can stop, at least until I decide whether or not to call the cops.”
“He’ll be all right in a few minutes,” Sam said. “Probably.” He pocketed the crystal device. “I just temporarily shocked his senses. You know this guy?”
“Nick Sawyer,” she said. She regarded Nick with seething irritation. “And yes, I know him. You could say we’re colleagues of a sort. We both work the book market, but Nick isn’t quite as selective as I am when it comes to clients. I was, however, under the impression, until tonight, that he was my friend.”
Nick muttered something unintelligible. Newton bounced around him, waiting for the new game to begin.
“Give him a minute,” Sam said.
Nick managed to get to his feet. He was still shaky. He was about the same age as Abby, a lean, athletically built man with the sort of clean, chiseled features that could have ensured him a successful career in modeling. His silver-white hair and artificially tanned face served to enhance the vivid blue of his eyes.
He shot a hooded look at Sam, did a quick assessment of the situation and evidently concluded that his best option lay in an appeal to Abby.
“Sorry about this, sweetie,” he said. “I thought you were out of town.”
“That’s supposed to excuse what you just did?” Abby waved a hand toward the open slider. “You just broke into my home. You’d better start talking, and fast, or I’m going to call the police, I swear it.”
Nick exhaled heavily and leaned over to scratch Newton behind the ears. “Take it easy, sweetie. I can explain everything. You know you’re not going to call the cops.”
“Before you say another word,” Abby warned, “if you call me sweetie one more time, I will use that lamp on your head.”
“It’s a little complicated, sweet—uh, Abby.”
“I think we can uncomplicate this thing real fast,” Sam said. “Tell us why you broke in here tonight.”
Nick scowled. “Who is this guy, Abby? I can’t believe he’s a new boyfriend. Definitely not your type.”
“Talk,” Sam said. “Fast.”
Nick shot
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