LITMIR.BIZ

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and followed him out of the building. The silent amusement park sent a shiver racing over her skin.

      The EMTs were more than happy to patch up her little boo-boo. She sat inside the ambulance, a first for her, while they did their thing. Some antiseptic and a couple of butterfly bandages later, she climbed into her shiny pale-green Prius.

      Officer Smith tailed her all the way to her semi-attached house in the suburbs. She had never been more excited to see her unexciting, drab little home. A tidal wave of relief swamped her as she pulled into her garage.

      The black and white cruiser parked directly behind her. In her rearview mirror, the big officer talked on a cell phone. She swung open her door and scrambled out when he disconnected.

      The officer’s massive body blocked the fading sunlight as he strolled inside her garage. “You gonna be okay, Miss?”

      “Yes. Thank you. I’ll be fine. Thank you for seeing me home. I hope it didn’t put you too far out of your way.”

      “Nah. I always enjoy a pleasant ride through the ’burbs. Nice change from the busy city streets.”

      “Yes, it is.”

      She shifted uneasily, glancing from him to the door into her house.

      “So…” he planted a hand on top of her car. “You live here all alone?”

      “Uhm, yes.” Ally swallowed, feeling hemmed in. “Were you talking to your wife? On your cell phone?”

      “Not exactly.”

      Where had the charming, talkative man gone? She liked that guy. She wanted him back. “Well,” she forced a smile, “thanks again.”

      He didn’t move. Something shifted. The air thickened and she struggled to draw a full breath. His dark, unwavering eyes sent a shiver of ice down her spine. She sidled a few steps away. He no longer seemed friendly and easy-going.

      “The boss doesn’t like untidy jobs.”

      “Uhm…boss? As in, the police chief?”

      Of course, he was talking about the police chief. She wanted to laugh at her absurdity, but the sound strangled in her throat.

      He shook his head. “Not exactly. I do a little work on the side for this other guy.”

      Her stomach bottomed out.

      Beyond him, the garage door stood open, but there wasn’t a single person to be seen. The quiet neighborhood where everyone stayed in their houses and bothered no one didn’t seem like such a fabulous thing about now. She backed up a few more steps.

      “He gave me a call on the way over. Wants you taken care of.” He herded her backward toward the door into her house.

      No way he was referring to massaging her feet or barbecuing a nice steak for her. She tried to swallow, but her mouth had taken on a keen resemblance to the Sahara. “Uh, why me?”

      “That’s a need-to-know sorta thing. And you don’t.”

      No, no, no. This can’t be happening. This is really bad. I don’t do really bad.

      The back of her feet hit the step below the door, forcing her up and inside, with Officer Smith’s massive bulk following. Ally fought back a whimper. This guy was so huge. She didn’t stand a chance.

      “Nice place.”

      This stranger, police officer gone rogue, who planned to do…something not good, was admiring her home. She had the ridiculous urge to giggle. Giggling involved breathing and she was pretty sure that function had seized up. Shaking her head, disbelief warred with flat-out terror.

      How had a simple outing, an attempt to get a bit of a life, turned into this?

      Officer Smith shoved her into a chair in her living room. Detective Marsing had insisted on sending her home with an armed escort. Her soon-to-be killer pawed through her belongings and Ally gritted her teeth. This was all Marsing’s fault

      Smith picked up a romance novel she’d been reading, snorted and tossed the book over his shoulder. Crossing her trembling arms, she narrowed her eyes. Like it wasn’t bad enough he planned to kill…Her thoughts fractured. Panic beat at her. Dragging in a deep breath, she used sheer force of will to bring her emotions under control.

      A porcelain figurine shattered on the floor and she snapped her gaze back to the behemoth pawing through her drawers. Clarifying outrage flowed through her.

      He turned his back completely, and Ally had a lightbulb moment. Toeing off her sandals, she eased to her feet. He grunted and shifted his impressive weight. She froze, lightheaded with fear. The temptation of escape whispered in her ear. So very close.

      When he didn’t turn, she walked backward on unsteady feet, slipping around the corner into her beautiful, immaculate kitchen. He was so sure she would sit there like a good little girl while he satisfied his curiosity. Fat chance. Steel slid up her spine. Maybe she was boring and terrified of far too many things, but she wasn’t going to sit obediently on her hands and wait to die.

      She spun on bare feet, raced through her kitchen and into the garage. The police cruiser in the drive fenced in her car. Tearing around the corner, she dashed across the neighbor’s side lawn. Heart racing, anticipating discovery any moment, she leapt the waist-height fence into their backyard with the agility of a trained athlete.

      Grinning over her small feat, she aimed for the back fence.

      A bellow from inside her house made her flinch, pulling the plug on her pride. Remembering an old police show, she hunched and ran in a zigzag pattern. Heart pounding, palms clammy, the six-foot privacy fence loomed before her. A zing, a crunch to her left. She stared at a fresh, neatly splintered hole just to the side of her head.

      Oh, God! He was shooting at her. Actually shooting. In broad daylight. In her neighbor’s backyard. Didn’t they have rules about that sort of stuff?

      Nerves shredded, Ally gritted her teeth. Three more feet. Two. Another crunch. She swore the heat of the bullet singed her shoulder. Arms extended, she jumped for all she was worth. Up, braced her arms and pushed off. She landed with an oomph on the other side, followed by another crunch and a hole in the wood fence.

      For a split second, she crouched panting, staring in disbelief at the fence towering over her head. Had she really done that?

      Cursing from the other side got her up and moving again. Squealing tires and a revving engine brought her head around. A car tore into the alley and raced toward her. More bad guys? Had he called in reinforcements?

      Ally froze.

       Did I do something horrible in a past life to deserve this?

       Truly, I’ll help the poor. Serve food at the soup kitchen. Go to church every Sunday. Donate money to the shelter. I’ll even babysit my friend’s bratty kids.

       Just please, please, please get me out of this alive.

      The shiny black Camaro careened to a stop with the driver’s side door facing her. Heavily tinted windows revealed nothing. In a last desperate bid for freedom, she darted past the door. Strong arms encircled her waist and dragged her back toward the idling car.

       Chapter Three

      “No!” Ally screamed like a banshee, flinging out her arms and legs, scrabbling for purchase. Hard hands sent her flying across the front seat.

      “Ally.”

      “Let me go!” She dove for the door handle.

      “Ally!” He grabbed her elbow and pulled her back, away from the passenger door. “Damn woman, you are way more trouble than you’re worth.”

      Almost

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