After a long and emotionally draining heart–to–heart with her friend Evadne, Beverly had cried herself into exhaustion. So she slept like the dead, not waking until the following afternoon.


    Her mother had gone off to her shifts at the diner next door, leaving Beverly to sluggishly rise from bed. With no desire to venture outside, she called her old boss from the tailoring shop downtown and ordered some fabrics. She nned to make a backpack for Gordon


    Truth be told, she probably wouldn’t have gone through the trouble for anyone else. But when Gordon had timidly asked for the favor, his eyes were so bright, his voice so earnest, she couldn’t help but take the request to heart.


    By evening, the shop owner had called to say he’d sent someone to deliver her order and it would soon be at her doorstep. Grateful, Beverly thanked him and waited patiently at home.


    Time seemed to crawl by until there was a knock on her door.


    She hastened to answer but paused, a sudden caution gripping her. “Who is it?” she called out, her voice tinged with suspicion.


    A brief silence followed before the reply came. “Delivery.”


    Delivery? But it was supposed to be a runner.


    Beverly’s confusion deepened. “Did youe from in town or out of town? I ordered a lot.”


    *Just open the door and you’ll see,” the voice said, unsettlingly vague.


    Something felt off, very off.


    Whether it was past traumas making her overly sensitive, Beverly’s instincts screamed danger.


    “I didn’t order anything online. Maybe you’ve got the wrong address. Try the neighbors!”


    Then came a violent thud against the door.


    Beverly’s heart raced as she stumbled backward, hand mped over her mouth in fright.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The old, weathered door shook under the force of the blows, as if it woulde crashing down at any moment.


    Just as she connected a call to 911, a tall man in ck burst through the door.


    “Help!” She cried out, tears streaming down her face.


    Before she could see his face, the man tackled her to the ground, his hands closing around her throat.


    Gurgling, Beverly’s vision blurred, her desperate fingers wing at the intruder’s vise–like grip.


    As consciousness sl*pped away, the pressure around her n*eck eased.


    The sound of a struggle filled the room, shadows shing in a violent dance.


    In the fading edges of awareness, she thought she heard someone call out, “Ms. Higgins, hold on!”


    It sounded like Gordon’s voice.


    But the darkness consumed her, and she knew no more.


    Gordon was in the midst of a fierce brawl with the intruder in the cramped living room. He hade to check on Beverly at the behest of Thaddeus, bringing with him a check tofort her.


    What he hadn’t expected was <i>to </i>walk in on an assault.


    Gordon fought for <b>his </b>life, but he was <i>no </i>Jason; his limited skills were quickly overpowered, and he was soon on the floor, feeling as if his bones <b>were </b>shattered.


    “Nosy bastard, then die with her!”


    The attacker grabbed a kitchen knife and lunged at Gordon with deadly intent.


    In a sh, a butterfly knife whizzed through the air, striking the man’s arm and forcing him to drop the knife with a cry of pain.


    “Aaron?” Gordon gasped, disbelief etched on <b>his </b>battered face.


    Before the attacker could recover, Aaron closed in with the speed of lightning, his boot connecting with the man’s chest and sending him crashing to the ground.


    <i>1/2 </i>


    09.03


    “Freeze! Move and I shoot!”


    Aaron pinned the man down with a knee to his back and aimed his service pistol at his head.


    The attacker went still, his bloodied arm a testament to his pain.


    “Captain Ashbourne!”


    “Captain Ashbourne, are you all right?”


    Backup officers arrived just in time to cuff the attacker and secure the scene.


    “Take him to the station! And call an ambnce, we’ve got a woman down!” Aaron’s gaze was steely, hismands swift. “Yes, Captain Ashbourne!”


    As the assant was led away, Gordon staggered to his feet and cradled the unconscious Beverly in his arms.


    “Ms. Higgins, hang in there, you must hang on!”


    He stumbled forward, his b*dy wracked with pain, only to be steadied by Aaron’s quick reflexes.


    “Gordon, what do you think you’re doing? You’re injured too!”


    “I’m taking her to the hospital!” Gordon panted, clutching the girl tightly, his vision swimming.


    “Leave it to me. You’ve done enough,” Aaron said, his voice heavy with emotion, his hand gripping Gordon’s shoulder firmly. “Protecting a witness is important, but you’re important to my sister and Thad too. I can’t let anything dangerous happen to you.”


    <b>2/2 </b>