It could be a coincidence, but her pulse spiked as she found the connection.
She was trying to find information on Gerald Delbert’s family and had just pulled up his obituary, which confirmed Meredith was his daughter, when the spotlight outside her back door flashed on.
Someone was out there! Her ploy to keep her vehicle parked out in the driveway had worked!
Instantly, she jumped to her feet and pulled out her weapon. Enough was enough. Bear scrambled to his feet. She gave Bear the hand signal for heel, and he took the position near her right side. She moved swiftly to the door, then stood off to the side and peered out through the window.
The bright light made it impossible to see. So much for the new security system. Before she could move to open the door, the intruder opened fire.
Bullets slammed through the door. Her heart in her throat, she fumbled for her phone and quickly called 911.
But even as she told the dispatcher about the gunman, she knew it would be too late. Unless there happened to be a squad car nearby, she was on her own.
The gunfire stopped and for long seconds there was nothing but silence. She was debating her next move when the window to her right shattered beneath the onslaught of more gunfire.
Autumn knew it was only a matter of time before one of the bullets met its mark. The shooter could keep firing at the house until she was dead. She needed to get Bear out of there.
How much ammo did the assailant have? Was it possible he’d go through it all, giving her a chance to go after him?
Or her?
Was the shooter Meredith? Had she gotten the same tattoo as her father? When there was another pause in the gunfire, Autumn made her move.
“Come, Bear.” In a low crouch, she darted away from the back door to the front door. Of course the light went on when she used the code to go outside, but she hoped the shooter wouldn’t notice. Outside, she darted along the side of her home, holding her weapon up.
Thankfully, Bear stayed at her side. She didn’t like putting her K-9 in danger, but he would be safer with her than inside.
She hoped.
When she reached the corner of the house overlooking the back, she finally spotted the shooter standing near the large oak tree, using the trunk for coverage.
“Police! Drop your weapon!” She gave the warning shout, then calmly aimed and fired at the tree.
A female voice cried out in pain. Autumn stayed where she was, fearing a trick.
“Drop your weapon!” She shouted again. Suddenly, the back light blinked off. They were on a timer to automatically go off after a few minutes of no movement.
She had to give her eyes time to adjust, but then saw the figure in black crouched on the ground near the base of the tree. It was hard to tell if she’d injured the woman who she now suspected was Meredith Delbert, or if Meredith was trying to draw Autumn out.
The woman didn’t move as Autumn took another step closer, her weapon steady. “Come out with your hands up!” she ordered.
No response.
“Get her, Bear.” She gave the command reluctantly, keeping her weapon up to fire if the woman moved.
“No! I’m hit!” The figure in black staggered away from the tree, cradling her stomach. Then she collapsed to the ground in a heap.
“Stay, Bear.” She still wasn’t convinced this wasn’t an act. She took a few steps closer, keeping her weapon trained on the crumpled figure.
Then the woman abruptly surged to her feet, aiming and shooting her gun. Autumn instinctively ducked and fired back, praying Bear wouldn’t get hurt in the cross fire.
The woman screamed and this time when she fell to the ground, Autumn was convinced she’d been hit for real. Still, she had to make sure.
“Get back, Bear! Stay!” She ran forward, her movement causing the flood light on the house behind her flash on, bathing the fallen woman in light.
Shrill police sirens split the air. Help was on the way.
Autum reached the fallen woman’s side. Bear sat and let out a howl. Autumn had to smile at his alert.
