to the living area.
Hunter sidestepped toward the noise. He’d heard it too.
The incident from the parking garage flashed through her mind, mingling with the fear she’d felt upon finding Devin’s body. Was there someone in her mother’s den? Had that person followed them? Or had he already been inside, lying in wait?
She wanted to grab Hunter, tell him to stop his slow move toward whatever lurked out of sight. She wanted to snatch her cell phone and dial 9-1-1.
Instead, she barely breathed as Hunter finally reached the door, edged to the side, and held his weapon ready. Again, he motioned her to move behind him.
She did.
His broad back blocked her view, shielding her from whatever lay before them. Heat radiated from him and she knew his adrenaline raced as fast as hers.
He moved, dropping to his knees. She did the same.
Hunter eased his head around the doorframe and pulled in a slow breath. “Clear in here,” he whispered in a voice so low she had to strain to hear him. But she understood what he meant. There was nothing in the den area.
But that was where the noise had come from.
Hunter rose and entered the den on silent feet. Once again, Alexia followed.
She glanced around, nerves tight, tension knotting the muscles in her shoulders. What had they heard?
Her gaze fell on the one thing out of place.
A book on the floor by the end table nearest the front door.
The front door that was now cracked. She knew for a fact Hunter had closed it behind him when he’d followed her into the house.
Hadn’t he?
Movement caught her eye and she sucked in a deep breath. “There,” she whispered.
Hunter whirled, gun pointed.
A cat.
Just a cat.
Adrenaline still pumped. He kept his voice low. “Does your mother have a cat?” He didn’t remember seeing any bowls or other evidence that would indicate a cat lived here, but that didn’t mean the stuff wasn’t upstairs. It also didn’t mean there still wasn’t someone in the house.
“Not that I know of,” she whispered.
“Stick close.”
He felt her behind him. His senses tuned in to react to any immediate threat, he still couldn’t help noticing her light perfume. With her on his heels, he methodically checked the downstairs part of the house. “It’s clear down here. Let’s go up.”
They started for the second floor. Two bathrooms and three bedrooms were upstairs. One by one, they checked and cleared each room until he was satisfied no one lurked, ready to pounce.
Hunter dropped his weapon to his side. “I’m going to have a look around outside real quick.”
She nodded, still looking around the room like she’d never seen it before. “I’m going with you.” He lifted a brow and she flushed, even as she offered a nonchalant shrug. “I don’t want to be alone in here.”
Together, they walked down to examine the front door. She hovered close by while he checked outside.
Nothing. He also noted he never heard a car drive up or drive away.
His gaze shot up the street then back down.
No one.
Hiding places abounded. There was no one to chase, nothing to indicate there’d been an intruder in the house only moments ago.
But his gut said there’d been someone there.
Retracing his steps, double-checking the lock on the front door, he turned and said, “I didn’t see anything or anyone outside.”
She followed him back up the stairs, quiet and subdued. Back in the room they’d just left, she finally found her voice.
“It’s so different,” she whispered.
He looked around. Pretty white curtains hung on the windows. A matching bedspread covered the twin bed against the far wall.
“This was my room.”
A simple statement. He wondered if he was supposed to respond. “Nice.”
“Yes, it is.” She sounded almost puzzled as she took in the decor. Then, “It didn’t look like this when I was growing up.” She shook her head. “Nothing’s out of place anywhere else in the house. I guess you didn’t close the door that well
Hunter sidestepped toward the noise. He’d heard it too.
The incident from the parking garage flashed through her mind, mingling with the fear she’d felt upon finding Devin’s body. Was there someone in her mother’s den? Had that person followed them? Or had he already been inside, lying in wait?
She wanted to grab Hunter, tell him to stop his slow move toward whatever lurked out of sight. She wanted to snatch her cell phone and dial 9-1-1.
Instead, she barely breathed as Hunter finally reached the door, edged to the side, and held his weapon ready. Again, he motioned her to move behind him.
She did.
His broad back blocked her view, shielding her from whatever lay before them. Heat radiated from him and she knew his adrenaline raced as fast as hers.
He moved, dropping to his knees. She did the same.
Hunter eased his head around the doorframe and pulled in a slow breath. “Clear in here,” he whispered in a voice so low she had to strain to hear him. But she understood what he meant. There was nothing in the den area.
But that was where the noise had come from.
Hunter rose and entered the den on silent feet. Once again, Alexia followed.
She glanced around, nerves tight, tension knotting the muscles in her shoulders. What had they heard?
Her gaze fell on the one thing out of place.
A book on the floor by the end table nearest the front door.
The front door that was now cracked. She knew for a fact Hunter had closed it behind him when he’d followed her into the house.
Hadn’t he?
Movement caught her eye and she sucked in a deep breath. “There,” she whispered.
Hunter whirled, gun pointed.
A cat.
Just a cat.
Adrenaline still pumped. He kept his voice low. “Does your mother have a cat?” He didn’t remember seeing any bowls or other evidence that would indicate a cat lived here, but that didn’t mean the stuff wasn’t upstairs. It also didn’t mean there still wasn’t someone in the house.
“Not that I know of,” she whispered.
“Stick close.”
He felt her behind him. His senses tuned in to react to any immediate threat, he still couldn’t help noticing her light perfume. With her on his heels, he methodically checked the downstairs part of the house. “It’s clear down here. Let’s go up.”
They started for the second floor. Two bathrooms and three bedrooms were upstairs. One by one, they checked and cleared each room until he was satisfied no one lurked, ready to pounce.
Hunter dropped his weapon to his side. “I’m going to have a look around outside real quick.”
She nodded, still looking around the room like she’d never seen it before. “I’m going with you.” He lifted a brow and she flushed, even as she offered a nonchalant shrug. “I don’t want to be alone in here.”
Together, they walked down to examine the front door. She hovered close by while he checked outside.
Nothing. He also noted he never heard a car drive up or drive away.
His gaze shot up the street then back down.
No one.
Hiding places abounded. There was no one to chase, nothing to indicate there’d been an intruder in the house only moments ago.
But his gut said there’d been someone there.
Retracing his steps, double-checking the lock on the front door, he turned and said, “I didn’t see anything or anyone outside.”
She followed him back up the stairs, quiet and subdued. Back in the room they’d just left, she finally found her voice.
“It’s so different,” she whispered.
He looked around. Pretty white curtains hung on the windows. A matching bedspread covered the twin bed against the far wall.
“This was my room.”
A simple statement. He wondered if he was supposed to respond. “Nice.”
“Yes, it is.” She sounded almost puzzled as she took in the decor. Then, “It didn’t look like this when I was growing up.” She shook her head. “Nothing’s out of place anywhere else in the house. I guess you didn’t close the door that well
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