Page 76 of Lost Lake
He squared his shoulders and met her gaze. “Then I need to get my team to work harder to find a connection between Kenna and Mason.”
“Finally.” She lifted her chin. “We have that elusive lead that could bring us the identity of Kenna’s killer and Lucy’s abductor.”
And Gabe could only pray that the abductor had not ended Lucy’s life.
18
A sharp sound pulled El from her fitful sleep. Something was wrong. She had to act. Now!
She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and rolled to the other side of her bed. Plunged off the mattress, hitting her shoulder hard on the floor. She reached for her gun safe in the bottom of a nightstand, willing her fingers to stop shaking enough to tap her code into the keypad. Thank goodness the safe was set to stealth mode. Wouldn’t do to have an intruder hear her awake and moving. A quiet sigh slipped out as she curled her fingers around her favorite SIG Sauer P365 and seated a cartridge.
Letting out a breath and inhaling another, she dialed 911 and took a quick look at the time on her phone. Quarter after two. Middle of the night.
“Nine one one. What’s your emergency?” The confident yet soothing female voice came over her phone.
“This is Detective Elaina Lyons. Someone’s in my house.” She quickly but clearly gave them her address. “I’m inside and armed. I need immediate backup.”
“Copy that, Detective Lyons. Are you safe right now?”
“Yes, I’m in the bedroom. Suspect’s in my living room searching for something.”
“Understood. Units are en route. Do you know if there’s more than one intruder?”
“Sounds like only one.”
“Stay on the line, Detective. Help is on the way. Keep yourself secure and don’t engage unless necessary.”
“I’m holding my position but won’t be staying on the line. I have another call to make.” She hung up before the dispatcher challenged her decision. She dialed Gabe.
“El?” he answered, sounding tired, but not as if he’d been asleep.
“Someone’s in my house. Not sure what they’re up to. I’ve called 911, and I’m in my bedroom behind my bed.”
“Is the door locked?”
“No, but I don’t want to risk him seeing the door close. I’m hidden, and I’m armed. I should be fine until backup arrives.”
“Stay safe and in control. I’m on my way.” He ended the call.
He said exactly what she hoped for. Not that he could actually be of help. Patrol should be here before him.
A siren sounded in the distance.
Frantic rustling of papers in the living room followed.
She laid her phone on the floor and aimed her gun over the bed.
She listened.
Waited. Heart racing.
Running footsteps. The flash of a person moving past her bedroom. Headed for the front door.
She counted to ten, waiting to see if another intruder followed.
She hit ten. Bolted around the bed to her doorway. Paused for a minute. Her phone. She didn’t have pockets in her pajamas, and she wasn’t about to let go of her weapon to carry it with her.
Heart pounding loudly in her head now, she stepped out, then cautiously cleared the living area.
