Fuck.
He eased open the door and crept silently toward the pair, hugging the edge of the room where the darkness swallowed him.
When he stood in the shadows only a few feet from the intruder, he realized his small frame had made him seem younger from a distance. But up close, it was obvious the five o'clock shadow and the muscles beneath his tight, black shirt did not belong to a teenager. Maybe early twenties, Cade thought.
He paused to listen. At first, he could only hear the burglar's ragged breaths. The obvious vulnerability evoked an uncomfortable feeling in Cade's gut, the same one he always felt when an innocent was at risk. Then he heard Wilson's voice, directed at someone on the phone.
"Yeah, it's that TV reporter. You know, the red-haired one."
Wilson listened for a few seconds, then said, "How the fuck should I know? I don't think he found anything, but who knows."
Another pause.
"Yeah, I'll take care of it. Send a cleaner right away."
The redhead sucked in a breath as he realized what those words implied.
But Cade wasn't about to let him die.
Wilson tossed his phone onto the coffee table and addressed the trespasser. "What are you doing here anyway? Why are you snooping around?"
The burglar raised his chin before answering. The unexpected action intrigued Cade; most people were not so bold with a gun trained on them.
"I know you were involved in my sister's disappearance," he said with a steady voice.
Wilson snickered. "Ah, okay. You got good detective skills. Shame you're going to die so young."
The guy notched his chin up one more tick and stared Wilson down. Cade had to admire his balls.
Cade silently slipped from the kitchen into the living room behind Wilson, already aiming his weapon. He hoped to signal the redhead to conceal his presence but wasn't fast enough. The man's eyes widened, and his jaw dropped in surprise.
Wilson whirled around, pointing his gun at Cade. "What the fuck?"
"Put the gun down," Cade growled.
"I don't think so," Wilson snapped as he backed up toward the red-haired man.
"Put the fucking gun down or you're dead," Cade threatened, taking a step closer, but Wilson was retreating in kind, now beside the intruder who seemed too shocked to move.
"How 'bout you put yours down, yeah?" Wilson paused as he stepped behind the thief, grabbed him around the neck, and shoved his gun against his temple. "And your partner here doesn't die."
Cade cursed internally as the redhead's face paled.
He steadied his weapon with both hands, then offered, "Let him go, and I'll let you go. Everybody just goes on with their business."
Wilson laughed derisively. "How about you put your gun down, and then I'll put mine down? How's that instead?"
"No deal," Cade said menacingly. He took another step closer, but Wilson backed up too, bringing the intruder with him.
Cade was an excellent marksman and probably could have taken him out, but the margin of error was too small with Wilson using the thief as a human shield. He needed a distraction, something to draw Wilson's attention long enough to get a clean shot.
As Cade considered his next move, the dog barked again from behind Wilson's house. Before he could figure out how to use it to his advantage, the hostage spoke with a surprisingly steady voice.
"You hear that? Our guys are out there."
Nice.
Wilson's façade slipped for a split second. "You're bluffing."
