Page 11 of Trap ’N’ Trace

Images of Rebecca Garman’s body flashed before Kat’s eyes, and a shiver ran through her. There was no possible way to imagine the pain that woman must have suffered at the hands of her killer.

Angus padded over and dropped his rubber toy on the floor for her to toss. One look at his angelic, furry face was enough to cleanse her mind of the terrible images. Temporarily, anyway.

She picked up the toy, shaking it like a rattle. When she threw it into the foyer, he barked with glee and scampered after it.

Kat shook her head, still trying to make sense of Colin’s baffling and emotionless proposal. Had she said or done something to make him believe she’d actually take him up on his offer? For some inexplicable reason, Dayne Andrews’s face flitted before her eyes.

He was around her age, maybe a few years older. In addition to his raw masculinity and tough good looks, he had a power and strength she was unaccustomed to. Men in her social circles had power, but that came from their checkbooks. Dayne’s came from an inherent confidence and self-assuredness. That kind of man wouldn’t pull any punches. He’d say what he meant and mean what he said. Her father always told her that was a good quality.

Angus returned with his toy, so she tossed it once more, watching his little legs scrabble on the marble tile floor. When the puppy didn’t come back, she went in search of him and found him sniffing around his empty food bowl. She went to get the bag then realized she’d forgotten to get more at the shelter.

“I’m not going to let you go hungry tonight.” She grabbed her keys from the table in the foyer then gave Angus a quick pat. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Be a good boy and don’t chew anything you shouldn’t while I’m gone.” Trusting the little guy to follow her order was probably foolish, but she’d only be gone a few minutes. Luckily, he’d already peed his little heart out on the driveway before the rain started pounding. The puppy gave a high-pitched bark. “I’ll take you out again before bedtime.”

Seconds later, she drove through the gate. The deluge impeded visibility, but as she neared the Haven’s main entrance, she could make out a car parked in one of the designated employee parking spaces. The vehicle belonged to Amy, her manager. But the Haven closed its doors to the public at six sharp. Amy should have gone home hours ago.

The Haven was completely dark inside. Odd, since Amy was still here. She could have forgotten to turn the night-lights on. Then again, in the two years since the woman had been hired, she’d never once forgotten. There was a first time for everything. Like fainting.

Talk about embarrassment. Being physically and mentally strong was important to her. Fainting definitely did not fall into that category. Nor does falling into an FBI agent’s arms.

She shut off the engine and stepped out, splashing through puddles as she ran. Water soaked her hair and dripped into her eyes. She unlocked the door and went inside. “Amy?”

A hint of light that hadn’t been there before now glowed from the corridor behind the reception desk. She flipped on the light switch, illuminating the reception space. “Amy?”

She went down the hallway. A few feet from the kibble room, the lights went out. Goose bumps prickled her back and neck. Slowly, she reached inside and flipped on the wall switch.

“Amy?” She walked farther into the room, between two rows of shelves. At the end of the shelving unit, she turned and nearly tripped.

Kat gasped. Amy lay on the floor.

A dark blur moved from the shadows. She screamed. A man wearing a black ski mask over his face slammed into her, shoving her backward against a shelf. Something toppled down and hit her attacker in the head.

Move your ass! She raced into the corridor. A hand grabbed her arm, wrenching it back so hard, she screamed again.

He spun her then gripped her arms and shook her. “Where is it?” Furious dark brown eyes bored into her. “Where the fuck is it?”

Dogs in the adjacent kennel barked. Her pulse raced, and she sucked in ragged breaths. Part of her brain still didn’t believe this was really happening. She shook her head, barely comprehending the words. “We don’t keep any cash here.”

“Not cash. I want the—”

She drove her knee up as hard as she could, aiming for his groin, but he sidestepped, and she missed.

Strong hands gripped her throat. Can’t. Breathe. She clawed uselessly at his fingers. Her pulse pounded in her ears, and she could hear her own pathetic attempts to take in a breath. Oh. Hell. No! She rammed the palm of her hand straight up into his nose. His head rocked back, and he loosened his hold around her neck.

She sucked in a breath, filling her lungs with much-needed air. “Asshole.” Fisting her hand, she punched the side of his head. He released her and staggered back. She cocked her arm again for a right cross when he grabbed her wrist and squeezed. Pain blasted up her arm and she uttered a sharp cry.

Fury gleamed through the eye slits of the mask as his lips curled into a sadistic grin. He liked inflicting pain.

Kat struggled in his grip then began clawing at his face. Her fingers caught on the mask and she yanked it up to his forehead. Blood trickled from his nose onto his mustache.

“Bitch.” He yanked the mask back into place then pulled something from his belt.

Light glinted off the pointed weapon in his hand. A knife. Her heart began racing so fast her chest hurt. She sucked in quick breaths and began backing away. Time seemed to slow. Bloody images of that sharp blade cutting into her soft flesh flashed through her mind.

Kickboxing classes in her private gym were one thing, but it didn’t prepare her for a knife-wielding lunatic. Long before she could get away, he’d ram it in her back.

I’m going to die.

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