She came to the back door and opened the screen. Another door sat behind it, closed. She tried the knob and found it unlocked. She moved quietly, grimacing as she turned the knob all the way. She pushed the door lightly open, just a crack. Concentrating, she could hear Jack Kramer moving around inside. It sounded like he was closer to the front of the house.

With catlike speed that surprised her, Kate slipped through the back door. Her hands gripped the Glock as her heart hammered in her chest. She found herself standing in the kitchen. She could see the living room ahead of her, through the entryway of the kitchen. She could see

Something came rushing at her from the left, just off of the hallway Jack had gone down to put on a shirt. She raised her Glock but was about a split second too slow. Something crashed into her head. Something hard, something that made a sick thudding noise against her skull.

The pain lasted only a moment. She felt herself slipping away and tried to fight against it. She saw a blurred representation of Jack Kramers face as she tried to stay on her feet but his features slid away like mud into the darkness that quickly leapt up to claim her.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

Something was stinging her face. Stinging or burning or…she wasnt sure.

It was faint at first but then it felt like something exploding. Her face went hard to the right. The sound that accompanied the stinging made Kate aware that she was being slapped. This knowledge caused her eyes to snap wide open. She saw that she was in the barn, sitting in an old wooden chair. She tried to stand but found that she was tied to it. She rocked a bit, nearly toppling the chair, before she was slapped again.

She cried out against it and realized that she made very little sound. Her mouth was taped up, her lips drawn tight together. This brought everything snapping into place, helping her to finally get all of her senses about her. Jack Kramer was standing in front of her. There was a maniacal smile on his face as he hunched down slightly to look in her eyes. Behind him, propped against the edge of the barn door, was a hunting rifle.

You sure are a nosy bitch, arent you? he asked with a smile. You got the information you needed and left. What the hell did you come back for?

He raised his hand and she thought he was going to slap her again. Instead, he stepped forward and cupped her by the back of the head. He leaned in closer, their noses less than three inches apart.