She batted her hand. “The feeling’s mutual.”
Now they were both making light of the situation? “Your whereabouts, Mr. Blackburn?” she prompted. While they needed to follow through on the mystery jogger, they couldn’t let assumptions block out other possibilities or they could miss something crucial. For all they knew the woman could have just been out for fresh air and exercise.
“He was in Washington with me.”
Amanda stiffened. It rankled that Dominique answered on his behalf. “Is that true?” She made a point of leveling her gaze at Blackburn.
“It is.”
Amanda was formulating another question when there was a thump followed by shattering glass.
“Did anyone else hear that?” Blackburn’s eyes grew large.
Amanda jumped off her chair, as did Trent. Dominique and Blackburn appeared frozen in place. It sounded like it came from downstairs. “How do we get to the basement?”
Blackburn whispered his response and pointed the way.
“Okay, both of you stay right here. Don’t move.” Amanda felt it necessary to stress the importance of that request.
Amanda and Trent headed toward the staircase, with their hands ready over their holsters. She withdrew her Glock and flashlight, and Trent did the same. They used the beams to guide their steps.
There was more ruckus coming from the back end of the basement, and Amanda headed toward it. She went to the doorway of what looked like a guest room. She ran her flashlight over the window. A shadowed form was crawling through. They froze for an instant before raising their arm.
Amanda pushed Trent down and followed through herself just as a burst of light ignited.
The gun report was a dampenedthwack. It was followed by two more rounds.
By the time Amanda was prepared to return fire, the person was gone.
“Go!” she yelled at Trent, as she scurried from the room.
There was a fourththwack. Blackburn cried out.
“It sounds like Blackburn was hit,” she said.
“You see to him, and I’ll pursue the suspect.” Trent raced up the stairs and out the front door while Amanda ran toward the back.
The sliding door was open, and Blackburn was lying on the deck bleeding from his chest.
Amanda holstered her gun and put away her flashlight and dropped next to him. She pressed down on the wound with one hand and punched in 911 on her phone with the other.
There was nothing but silence.
She pulled it back and looked at the screen. No bars.
Blackburn was panting loudly and groaning. Over him, she heard Trent’s voice ringing out through the neighborhood, yelling at the backup officers.
“Where’s Dominique?” she asked Blackburn.
He raised an arm but quickly dropped it. “Upstairs.” There was a raspy, gurgling noise in his throat. Blood bubbled from the corners of his mouth.
Shit! All you had to do was stay put!Amanda looked at her phone again. Still no bars. Blackburn needed an ambulance now. His blood was hot against her palm and seeped through her fingers.
“Do you have a landline?”
Blackburn shook his head and winced.
“Just stay still, okay. Hang in there.” She wanted to assure him that help was coming, but she’d feel more confident in saying that if she had a way of reaching 911. She could only hope that Trent told the officer to radio in.
