Page 14 of Cornered

His stomach dropped. Someone had hit Steph’s house, then his? That was no coincidence. He stood and ground his teeth against the pain that spiked before it eased. “Yes, I know him.”

He walked inside to the kitchen. The little pink notebook he’d set next to his gun was gone.

SIX

STEPH HAD MANAGEDto walk the chair over to the counter where the knives were and, with a lot of maneuvering and failed attempts, finally got the paring knife under the zip tie and cut it.

She grabbed her phone mid-ring, noted the caller, and slapped the device to her ear. “Tate! There’s a guy who’s looking for Brenda’s notebook. He broke into my home and now he’s looking for you and—”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes, but you’ve got to be watching—”

“He’s already been here and gone. I’m okay, but he did get the book.”

She snapped her lips shut. “Oh.” She’d been too slow. Guilt slammed her hard. He could have been killed because she’d admitted she gave the book to him. “I’m so sorry. He knew I’d given you the book. I didn’t want to tell him, but he knew. He just forced me to confirm it.”

“I’m glad you told him. You’re sure you’re okay?”

“I am. And if it helps, it’s not the end of the world—or the case—that the book is gone. I took pictures of all of the pages that had code on them.”

He went quiet. “You did?” he finally said.

“I figured you’d have to take the thing and turn it in, and Iwanted to work the code, so ... yeah. Sorry if that was against the rules.”

“No specific rule. And I’m grateful you did that. At least we have the copy if not the actual book.”

“I have printed copies too.”

“You’re amazing. Can you send the digital pictures to me?”

“Of course. As soon as we hang up. I’m also saving them to the cloud just in case someone decides to steal my phone and burn the printed ones.” She thought he might have chuckled at her disgruntled tone.

“I’m heading your way in about fifteen minutes,” he said. “As soon as I can convince everyone I’m fine and that I’m not going to the hospital. Are officers there?”

Not going to the hos—Sirens sounded. “They’re close. I hear them. Do youneedto go to the hospital?”

“I don’t. I’m fine. I have a headache, but I’m fine. You’re sureyou’reokay?”

“Yes. I promise. He didn’t hurt me.” Not really. Not like he could have. Not like he would have if he’d felt the need. She shuddered.

“I’ll be there shortly,” he said.

She walked into her bedroom and glanced at the hole in her window. “Okay. I need to let James know. He’ll probably be here when you get here.” Maybe. Depending on where he was sleeping tonight. It was pushing one o’clock in the morning, and now that her adrenaline was crashing, climbing into her bed sounded better than calling James. But she had to report it, and if James took the statement, she could kill two birds with one stone. Get it on record and keep him from being livid that she didn’t call him. Okay, three birds. She needed her window fixed. “I read your text, by the way. A little late, but thanks for trying.”

“Sure thing. I was going to call, but that’s when I heard the guy in my house.”

“It’s fine. Everything worked out okay. I’ll see you in a bit.”

When she hung up with Tate, she dialed James, who answered on the third ring. “This better be good,” he croaked.

“Are you sleeping at your apartment or the lake house?” He kept a place in town close to the station so that when he was on duty he didn’t have the long forty-five-minute drive to work.

“Apartment. Why?”

“Because someone broke into my house and tied me up before they went to Tate’s house and stole evidence that was found after he and Cole cleaned out Brenda’s desk.”

“What?!”

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