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Sherlock dropped to her knees, keeping a clear view up the stairs to the second-floor landing She didn’t have much patience It drove her nuts to hold herself still and not run up the stairs, listening to her own heartbeat, the thu to scratch an itch, but not daring to move They waited, until her feet were nu She looked at Dillon, still ht Like her, he was partially hidden behind a newel post, the one Julia’s bullet had blown apart on Saturday night

Savich was thinking of his father, a man who’d marveled at this ability in his son because he, Buck Savich, had been a live wire, never still, always on the move Savich looked over at Sherlock He could practically see aves of energy ju off her He knew she ell-trained, an excellent shot, and blessed with great reflexes, but he couldn’t help feeling the faer He doubted it would ever fade What amazed and pleased him was that she felt the same way about him

Why wasn’t there another sound? Maybe because there was nothing there But he didn’t believe that for a second He’d wager Makepeace was standing still as a rock, like they were, listening as intently as they were He had to know they were in the house Did he also know about the cops outside? Probably Ah, but he couldn’t be sure they were on to him He had to co He had tofor Julia to come upstairs Did he have any idea why they were here? Savich bet he knew exactly why they were here--how, he didn’t know, but Makepeace knew

One eternal minute passed, then another It see by now It had been too long since anyone had made any noise Then Savich knehy "Down, Sherlock!"

An explosion rocked the house S onto the landing and stairs from the corridor to the left S them This wasn’t for show--not like at the Mariner, e blast, meant to destroy, meant to kill There was another explosion ht, probably froht over the kitchen

Plaster fell in large chunks frorabbed Sherlock’s hand and together they ran through the billowing black se house shudder, the sound of collapsing ceilings and walls and the crackling of fla fast Heat swooped down fro was crashing down in big chunks, the bea the roo toward the back door, wet dish towels pressed against their faces, Cheney trying to keep Julia behind hiot to cover them!" Savich shouted and raced toward them

Cheney and Julia burst out of the screened door, and were running, bent over, toward the flower-covered brick patio, when a bullet struck Cheney in the chest and knocked hirab Julia and flatten her against the house, twisting to slaainst hers

Another bullet struck hirunt, but he still pressed hard against Julia, covering her as best he could

Outside, Savich peeled to the right, Sherlock to the left, separating theet Makepeace between the steadily toward the back of the property, the only place where Makepeace could have found cover

"Get down!" Savich yelled as Cheney began to turn, his gun in his hand

"No, Cheney, stay with Julia! Get down!" Savich shouted again, still firing He saw Cheney and Julia sliding down the wall onto the patio, between two big ceramic flowerpots that provided the it, spewing dirt, primroses, and shards of ceramic into the air

Flah the open back door Chunks of burning wood crashed down onto the patio behind them Savich and Sherlock emptied their clips into the lower branches of the oak tree at the back of the property, and slammed in new clips Savich raised his hand after a moment They were both on their knees, hidden behind thick wooden trellises, covered isteria

Everything was quiet again

Savich listened Above the crackling fla, and sirens wailing in the distance His breath was pu in smoke