His phone buzzed. Diaz.
"We've got movement. Gray sedan, no plates, just turned onto White Gull from the north end. Driving slow."
Brian's heart rate spiked. "That's her."
"Probably. Hold your position. Let her commit."
The line went dead. Brian grabbed the binoculars from Hank and moved to the window. He could see the cottage, warm light spilling from the windows. A moment later, headlights appeared at the far end of the street.
The sedan crept past, slowing as it neared the cottage. It didn't stop. Kept going to the end of the lane, turned around, came back.
"She's scoping it out," Colby said.
"Looking for my truck. For any sign it's not what it seems."
The sedan passed the cottage again, slower this time. Then it pulled to the curb three houses down, and the headlights went dark.
Brian's phone buzzed again. "She's parked. Sitting in the car. Watching."
"How long do we wait?"
"Until she moves. Stay off the line unless it's an emergency."
The minutes stretched. Five. Ten. Fifteen. Brian watched the sedan through the binoculars, willing something to happen. Inside the cottage, Tessa moved to the kitchen, poured a glass of water, and moved back to the living room. Acting normal. Acting alone.
At twenty-three minutes, the sedan's door opened.
A figure stepped out. Dark clothes, hood up. Carla. She stood beside the car for a moment, scanning the street, then started walking toward the cottage.
"She's moving," Brian said.
Colby was already at the door. "Let's go."
"Not yet." Hank's voice was steady. "Diaz said wait until she commits. She's still on the sidewalk."
Brian watched Carla approach the cottage. She didn't go to the front door. Instead, she cut across the neighbor's yard and disappeared around the side of the house.
"She's going to the back," he said. "The deck. The sliding door."
His phone buzzed. Diaz: "Back door. Officers are moving to intercept. Hold."
Hold. While Carla was twenty feet from Tessa. While anything could happen.
"Screw this." Brian was moving before he finished the thought.
"Brian." Hank grabbed his arm. "Trust the plan."
"The plan has Tessa alone with a woman who wants to kill her."
"The plan has officers ten feet away and Diaz listening to every word. If something goes wrong?—"
Through the laptop's speakers, they heard glass shatter.
Brian didn't wait. He was out the door and down the stairs, Colby and Hank right behind him. Three blocks. He could cover three blocks in under two minutes.
His phone was ringing. He ignored it. Everything narrowed to the sound of his feet on pavement, the burn in his lungs, the cottage getting closer.
He heard shouting as he rounded the corner onto White Gull Lane. Saw the officers from next door running toward the cottage. Saw the sliding glass door hanging open, shattered.
