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I let go of her hand. “Stay close. I’m going to the power box.”
She nodded, and I could sense her right behind me as I skirted the outside of the house and made my way around through the yard. I’d been to this house a million times as a kid; I knew it as well as my own.
When we reached the power box, I was surprised to find it already open with the lock hanging from it.
“What in the heck?” Ella asked.
Movement shifted in my periphery. A figure was running. Someone in a black mask.
Ella must’ve seen him too, because she pointed. “There!”
I didn’t want to shoot him in cold blood, so I took off after him. He had barely reached the tree line. If it weren’t for the rain and mud, I’d be on him in a few strides.
I glanced behind me; Ella was hurrying to keep up. “Stay back.”
A sound cracked through the air. A gunshot.
Acting purely on instinct, I grabbed Ella and threw myself to the ground, rolling with her to protect her from getting hurt.
There was another gunshot, but the bullet didn’t come anywhere near us. The guy hadn’t aimed this shot at all; he was just trying to get away. The storm was worsening quickly enough that I knew we wouldn’t catch him.
McCrae hurried around the corner and met up with us. “Are you okay?”
I nodded and helped Ella up. Could another officer catch the man? He had been running for the road. If he had a car, he could probably get out of town before anyone blocked it off.
I put my arm around Ella, and the three of us made our way back inside. The power box had been completely cut, so there was no way to restore power tonight. McCrae was on the phone, talking to different people about how they could catch whoever had shot at us.
I turned to her. “Either I’m staying here with you in your house with no power, or you’re coming to my place.”
She shivered, looking around at the darkness. “Let’s go to your place.”
McCrae got off the phone. “Damon is asking the Cheyenne and Fort Collins police stations to look for anyone coming from here that might have something to do with this.”
“How would they do that?” Ella asked.
“Basically, they’ll get pulled over if they are speeding.” He shrugged. “But whoever did this has a jump on everyone withthe weather and the quick access to the road. It’s too bad, but we probably won’t find them.”
It felt hopeless, but I was grateful Ella was next to me. Probably too grateful. I was relieved that none of us had been shot, and I felt a little pride knowing she’d come to me for help.
McCrae looked between us. “I assume you’re going over to his house tonight,” he said to Ella. “There’s nothing to do here, but I will need both of you down at the station in the morning for your statements.”
We both nodded.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Of course.” McCrae brandished his flashlight, ready to light our way out of the house.
Ella paused, staring at the little table next to a chair. “What is that?” she asked, rushing toward a picture frame.
Adrenaline spiked through me. The last time someone had broken in, she’d thought they’d left a picture.
McCrae shined his light on a little framed photo of her and Greg.
“How did this get here?” Ella asked, looking around wildly and holding the picture to her chest.
I put my arms around her, feeling protective. My eyes peered into the darkness, even though the perp was no longer there.
McCrae spoke calmly. “I don’t think anyone is here right now. Do you think they left that earlier?”
