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Jenna’s gaze skittered around the room, bouncing from pictures to the China cabinet filled with an antique pattern to the rack with a handmade quilt near the couch.

She’s memorizing the room.

His heart ached for her. He could not promise everything would be all right or that she’d see this room, this house again.

But he’d do everything in his power to make it happen.

“Let’s go,” Officer Green stepped outside and peered into the darkness. He moved to the edge of the porch and floodlights came on. Officer Green removed his service weapon from his front slide holster and held it close to his chest, keeping the barrel aimed down. He twisted to look at Brody, then jerked his chin toward the line of vehicles in the driveway. “It’s clear. I’ll cover you.”

Brody reached back and took Jenna’s hand for a brief moment. A jolt of electricity zapped him, like built up static. But her floors were wooden.

He dropped her hand. “Stay close.”

She nodded, her face startled. Had she felt it too?

It didn’t matter. He had this one last job to do, and no one, no matter how pretty, sassy or smart, would distract him from finishing this case and walking away.

Cold stung his bare face the moment they stepped outside. They edged around the police officer, who moved with them, shifting and pivoting, constantly scanning the area for any sign of danger.

The bullet hit Officer Green and slammed him back against Jenna’s car at the same time she heard the boom. “Sniper! He’s out of my range. Go, go!”

Jenna gasped. “Are you⁠—”

The officer raised his body from the car and shook it off. “I’m fine. He grazed me. Go!”

They hopped into Brody’s SUV. Officer Green charged toward his own patrol car.

Brody had the SUV shifted into Reverse before the second bullet hit the front door where his body had sat a second earlier. If he’d hesitated, he’d be dead.

And Jenna would be next.

“My suitcase!” Jenna blurted.

“You have your overnight bag, right? That will have to be enough.” He couldn’t wait. No personal belongings were worth taking a bullet.

Next to him, she snapped her seatbelt into place.

“I didn’t hear the shot.” She blurted. “Not until Officer Green fell.”

Brody nodded. “It was a distance shot. Some weapons shoot bullets at such a high velocity, the bullet travels faster than sound.”

Very few shows portrayed weapons correctly.

Brody’s phone rang. He recognized the number Officer Green had given him while they waited for Jenna to pack. He jabbed the green icon on the touchscreen of his dashboard. “Yeah?”

“Brody. I think you and Jenna should go into the station lot and then circle around and exit the back driveway. I have a feeling this guy is following us. We’ll keep searching here, but I think you need to get Jenna to safety now.” Officer Green wheezed. “We don’t have the manpower this week.”

Officer Green coughed. Brody heard what he thought was a muffled groan.

“You okay, Green?” He asked the cop.

“Yeah. Side’s aching. Paramedics are already standing by at the station.”

The sound of wailing sirens drifted on the night air ahead of them. Brody tilted his head to peer into the rearview mirror. Officer Green’s dark gray patrol car remained steady behind him, lights flashing, splashing a kaleidoscope of colors on the white landscape surrounding them. He didn’t have the sirens on, though.

Behind the cop, headlights swept around the curve.

Was it the sniper? Had whoever wanted Jenna dead so badly followed after them?