Page 30 of Shrouded Past

Then whoever it was took off into a run. He was leaving.

The door slammed shut.

Piper let out the breath she’d been holding.

She jumped to her feet as the sirens grew louder. She crept to the door. Cracked it open.

A sudden flurry of commotion sounded.

“Piper!”

Bryce. She scooped up the cat and ran from the room toward the sound of his voice.

He stood in the living room with Will and several other officers.

“Are you hurt?” Bryce closed the space between them quickly.

“I’m okay. But he was in the house.” She was still in the clutches of the fear she’d experienced at knowing her kidnapper was only a few feet from her. He’d been brazen enough to shoot Bryce. She had no doubt left that he’d killed Protector to get to her.

He tugged her close. “When he left the house, I followed him out onto the road, but I lost him. He must have had a vehicle parked somewhere down the road. I heard one start up and leave.” He breathed out a sigh. “I didn’t see him enter the house. He must have circled around through the woods and broken the window on the back door to get inside.”

“Did you see the car at all?” Will asked.

“No, sorry, I didn’t.”

Will ordered his men to spread out in search of the kidnapper.

A moment later two EMTs entered the house.

“Let them have a look at your arm,” Will said in a tone that brooked no argument.

Bryce let her go and rolled up his sleeve. “It’s just a graze.”

One of the EMTs cleaned the wound. “It doesn’t look too bad.”

While Bryce was treated, Will asked if Piper had seen the perp’s face before he started shooting.

“No. I just saw the gun outside the window, and I screamed. There wasn’t any warning. The first shot shattered the window and struck Bryce's arm. Bryce pushed me to the floor as several more flew through the window.”

Will glanced around the floor. Several shell casings lay around the room. Some of the shots were embedded in the walls. He motioned two of his officers over. “We need to gather these,” he told one then ordered the second to gather any casings from outside.

“Yes, sir.” The young officer headed outside while the first one went about bagging the fired bullets.

“It should be fine,” the EMT told Bryce. “But if infection sets in, get it checked out.”

“I will. Thanks so much.” Bryce watched the EMTs pack up their gear and leave before joining Piper and Will in the kitchen as a couple of his officers returned.

“Anything?” Will asked.

One officer shook his head. “Nothing useful. Some footprints to the woods to the north continued past the house next door to the road that’s beyond. I’m guessing that’s where he left his car.”

“We’ll need to check for tire tracks. Why don’t you two take your cruiser and head there?”

“Copy that, Chief.” The two headed through to the living room and stepped outside.

Piper still held Bella close. The kitten didn’t appear nearly as shaken by what had happened as she was.

“Well, it’s clear you’re not safe here any longer,” Will told them. “We’ll need to find a new safe house. I’m going to call JT and update him. Perhaps he has a place in mind.” Will stepped away to make the call.

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