My eyes narrow, focusing on what’s moving. It’s no animal. A shadowy figure—a man—carries something toward the house.
Intruder.
18
SHANE
My body jerks into action, sitting bolt upright and launching itself from the bed.
“What’s wrong?” Avery asks, sitting up.
“Someone’s on the property.” I yank on jeans and grab my gun from the nightstand. “Stay here.”
Flying down the steps and darting out the side door, I’m confronted by the cold night. When I round the house, the smell of gasoline hits me.
The guy’s splashing gas from a can on my house. When the sound of my footfalls alerts him to my presence, he drops the can and bolts.
I chase him, stopping short of the fence as he starts over. I take aim and fire. His body jerks from my shot, and he falls into the neighbor’s yard. But before I can advance, my shadow flashes on the fence, illuminated from a light behind me. Spinning, gun up, my eyes burn from the flames licking at the bricks of my house.
Motherfucker.
And Avery’s inside.
I sprint to the house and turn on the hose. Spraying down the bricks and grass continuously dampens the flames but costs me time. I don’t know how bad the asshole’s hit. He may get away.
Flames out, I curse in frustration. I head toward the fence, pulling my gun again.
“Shane?” Avery calls from the side of the house.
Jesus.Avery came outside while things were burning and while my gun was drawn. Worse is that I didn’t realize. I engage the gun’s safety and tuck it away, circling to her.
“Get back in the house, baby,” I say, careful to keep my voice level as I jog over to her and yank the side door open.
She precedes me inside, but I stalk into the kitchen right behind her.
“I’ll be right back,” I promise as I grab a flashlight from a drawer.
Back outside and shining the light, I survey the property. There’s black soot on the bricks but the structure looks intact. I walk to the fence and climb up. Scanning the neighbor’s yard as I sweep the column of light over it, I don’t see a body. I’m pretty sure I hit him, but there’s no sign of it. At first light, I’ll go over the fence to see if I can find a blood trail.
He wore black clothing, including a hoodie, and some kind of Halloween mask on his face. Seemed to be average height and lean. Fast on his feet.
I interrupted the son of a bitch as he was pouring gas in a circle around the house. It would have left us with no way out.
When I go inside again, Avery stands in the bright kitchen where she’s turned on all the lights.
“I smelled smoke outside.”
“Yeah, a guy tried to light the house on fire.”
She sucks in a startled breath, her eyes darting around the room. “I don’t understand. How could he know I’m staying in this house? Do you think he followed me the entire way from campus?”
“Maybe. Or he could’ve seen us at the Lambda Delta party or heard rumors that we’re dating. My address is known. When I first bought the place I had a couple of parties here. Or maybe you weren’t the target tonight. We don’t know for sure it was Casanova. I didn’t see any roses. Even if it was him, he could’ve just wanted to kill me. I’m the one who’s standing in his way now.”
“If he’s willing to burn the house down, we’re not safe here.”
“Did the house burn down?” I counter gently, shaking my head. “That’s what the security system is for. The house’s perimeter has motion-activated lights and cameras. An alert sounds on my phone when something triggers them to come on. I chased him over the fence. Probably could’ve gone after him and caught him, but I had to come back to deal with the fire he started. When the sun comes up, I’ll canvas the neighborhood.”
“How will you do that?”
