Her mom stood at the window, one hand gripping the curtain, the other pressed flat against the glass. “I still can’t see them.”
“Mom.” Naomi’s voice came out shaky. “Why don’t you call Caleb?”
“Good idea.” Her mom pulled the phone from her pocket with trembling hands. She tapped the screen and put it on speaker.
Seconds stretched by, and Naomi’s heart hammered so hard she felt it in her throat.
The phone rang once. Twice. Three times.
Her mom’s face went pale. “He’s not picking up.”
Naomi’s breath caught. “Try again.”
Her mom’s fingers moved faster this time as she hit Redial.
The phone rang again. Once. Twice.
Then a click.
“Mom?” Caleb’s voice came through, breathless but steady.
“Caleb!” Ruby’s voice broke. “Are you okay? We heard gunfire?—”
“We’re fine. Everyone’s fine.” Though his voice was calm, there was tension underneath it.
Naomi closed her eyes, relief washing over her in waves. She leaned forward, her eyes fixed on the phone. “What happened?”
“Two shots came from the woods north of the fence line,” Caleb said. “We took cover. No one was hit.”
Her mom’s hand went to her chest. “Caleb?—”
“We’re okay, Mom. I promise.”
“Where are you now?” Millie asked.
“Heading back to the house. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Her mom’s voice shook. “Caleb, all of you have to be careful. Please. Just . . . just be careful.”
“We will.”
The line went dead.
Her mom lowered the phone slowly, her hand trembling.
For a long moment, none of them moved.
Then Millie let out a shaky breath. “They’re okay.”
The three women looked at each other, and the worry stretched taut between them.
No one had been hit.
But the gunfire hadn’t been random. Naomi knew that. They all knew that.
Someone had fired those shots.
And whoever it was, they were still out there.
