Tracy walked down the desolate street, almost wishing she hadn’t gotten out of Chuck’s truck. The last thing he’d said to her had been, “Watch yourself, Little Missy,” and Tracy had promised the would. Now, she was making her way slowly down the street, carefully planning her next move.
Finally, the time for thinking was over. She came upon the one story stone house that was her current destination. Taking a deep breath, she made her way around the property line and began taking note of where everything was placed. The front and back doors, the garage door, the trees, the windows.
The windows, Tracy thought to herself. Those could be important. Again, checking her good sense at the door, she tiptoed over to the nearest window and carefully poked her head up just high enough to see into it. An adult’s room, she decided. She then shuffled toward the next window. She poked her head up once again and quickly drew it back down, seeing someone laying on a bed.
Adrenaline pumped through her body. Nobody could see her. If she was noticed, a well thought-out plan would fall apart and she’d never be forgiven.
“Okay,” Tracy whispered to herself, just barely audibly. “Let’s get out of here. I’ll go report in before I get caught.”
Scooting backward, Tracy kept her eyes on the window, making sure the kid hadn’t seen her. When she was a good five feet from the wall, she turned to start for her the front yard. However, the hose that had wound herself her feet had a different plan.
She let out a loud, “Oomph,” as she hit the ground, followed immediately by a loud crash as a toolbox hit the cement beside her.
In a flash, there was a silhouette at the window. Tracy knew she was caught, but something inside her refused to give up. She tugged her legs free of the coiled snake of a hose and ran for the front yard. Not getting more that twenty feet, she once again crashed to the ground. However, this time, she didn’t get up.
“What the heck was that?” demanded Ike as his younger brother ran through the house as if he’d been shot. “Taylor!”
Paying little attention as he fumbled with the front door, Taylor called, “There was somebody outside our bedroom window.”
Looking away from the TV screen momentarily, Zac gave his older brother an odd look. “And that gives you an excuse to run through the house?”
Taylor rolled his eyes at his little brother and swung the front door open. He vaulted off the porch to the crumpled heap in the middle of the front yard and rolled the girl it was composed of onto her back. She looked oddly familiar. The curve of her face was reminiscent of one he had memorized, staring at it countless hours on the screen of his laptop. However, this girl’s hair was short, layered, and brown, not blond; and he couldn’t see her eyes . . .
“Tay! What’s going on?” Ike demanded, coming up behind his younger brother. “Who is that?”
Blue eyes wide, he looked up at his brother. “Help me get her in the house, Ike. Please?”
Part One, Chapter Four
"One Night" Index
