Page 47 of Absent Feeling

“Dr.Eamon Sutton,” she said. “That’s who he’s targeting next.”

“I’llfind an address for him, then we need to get over there. It’s already gettingdark. Gideon could be going to kill him even as we speak.”

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

“We’llgo in through the front,” Simon said.

Whenthey pulled to a halt in front of the house, Amber knew that it was just thestart. They still had to find and take down a killer. The race to get there hadjust been about making sure that they weren’t too late to do it.

“Wedon’t know that the killer is here yet,” Amber pointed out. “If we go chargingin, we might scare him off.”

“So,you think we should wait?” Simon said. He seemed to consider the possibilityfor a moment or two. “You’re right; we should call in back up to this locationbefore we move in. But we still need to be prepared for the possibility thatthe killer is already here, waiting to get in.”

“So,we cover both entrances, we knock quietly, and if there’s no sign that Gideonis here yet, we wait for him,” Amber suggested.

Simonstarted to nod, but then Amber saw a frown crease his features. “You want tosplit up? Amber, I’m pretty sure I’m not meant to leave you to do this kind ofthing alone.”

“I’lljust be on the other side of the house,” Amber pointed out. There wasn’t anytime to argue, not when the killer could already be in there. “And I’ve had thetraining to deal with this, Simon.”

Shecould tell that Simon still didn’t want to send her off there alone, but whatchoice did either of them have when they knew that a killer was coming?

“Allright,” he said. “Cover the back entrance in case the killer tries to get inthat way but hold position. We’re going to wait for our back up to arrive. I’llknock at the front. If there’s no answer, I’ll hold position.”

Ambernodded her agreement. She had no intention of just charging in there, even ifshe still had Simon’s spare sidearm.

“Allright, I’ll move into position.”

Amberstarted forward, trying not to make it too obvious as she hurried towards thehouse. Simon was making his way to the front door while Amber slipped aroundthe side into the house’s rear yard. She found herself scanning yards nearbyfor any sign of a killer waiting to strike.

Therewere trees nearby, exactly the kind of place that Amber might have expectedsomeone to hide while waiting to strike, but Amber couldn’t see any sign ofmovement. She approached the rear door instead with her weapon drawn, ready forany trouble.

Or,at leasttryingto be ready for any trouble. Amber had been through thetraining, she’d passed the tests, she knew what she was meant to do insituations like this, but that still wasn’t the same thing as doing it forreal.

Notthat she had to do anything. Amber’s job right now was to wait, cover theentrance, and make sure that Gideon Adams didn’t have a way in.

ThenAmber heard the cry of pain from inside. It was a man, crying out in agony. Inthat instant, Amber realized that she was too late. Gideon must already beinside. Her and Simon’s arrival must have been exactly the trigger he needed totry to finish his kill.

Herfirst instinct was to rush inside to try to save Eamon Sutton. Immediately,Amber found herself questioning that instinct. Simon had told her to stayoutside, told her that they needed to wait for back up.

Amberknew that she couldn’t wait, though, not when Dr. Sutton was in there, possiblybeing killed even as Amber hesitated. She rushed for the back door to the houseand was surprised to find it unlocked. She realized that this must have beenhow Gideon got inside.

Amberhurried into what proved to be a large, open plan kitchen. Dr. Sutton wasthere, clutching a wound in his stomach while trying to keep a kitchen islandin between him and Gideon Adams. For his part, Gideon was stalking Dr. Sutton,watching the lifeblood drain from him slowly.

“Freeze!”Amber called out, starting to bring up the pistol she held.

Shewas a fraction of a second too late. Gideon looked around, saw her, and grabbeda heavy skillet from the stove before Amber could even react. He flung it ather in a single movement, and the impact was enough to make Amber reel offbalance, firing a shot that went well wide of Gideon. In the confines of thekitchen, it was almost deafeningly loud.

Gideonwas running at her then, the knife held ready to thrust.

“You’rehere to help him! You’re as guilty as he is!”

Hethrust the knife at her, and it was all Amber could do to intercept it, gettinga grip on the knife arm and trying to hold it tightly so that he wouldn’t beable to finish his thrust. In response, Gideon grabbed the arm Amber was usingto hold the gun, forcing it away so that Amber couldn’t bring the weapon tobear.

“Doyou know all the things he did?” Gideon demanded as he strained against Amber,trying to rip his weapon free. “Why defend a man who treated me like that?Unless you’re like him? Unless you’re one of them, just out to hurt me!”

Hemanaged to pull his knife arm free from Amber’s grasp, and in that moment, shehad a split second in which to make a decision. In sheer desperation, she letgo of her gun, pulling her arm free as she did it so that she could slam intoGideon with both arms, trapping his knife arm with both of her hands.

Evenlike this, his fury leant Gideon a terrible strength, so that it was all Ambercould do to try to hold onto the weapon arm. She lashed out with her knees,trying to land a shot that would distract Gideon long enough to let her wrenchthe knife away from him, but he didn’t seem to feel the pain. Instead, he punchedAmber with his free hand, hard enough that she felt bruises already starting toblossom across her ribs.

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