Strong arms wrapped around her as they both toppled to the floor. Molly hit first with a grunt, the Taser flying out of her grip. The weight of the burglar knocked the air out of her lungs, preventing her from calling out to John. She could only hope that he heard them struggling. After a split second of shock, she started to fight.

With the heavy form on her, her range of motion was limited, but she managed to get her right arm free. Craning her neck, she tried to make out who was on top of her, but all she could see was the bulky chest and jowly neck of the man who had her pinned. Making a fist, she punched him in the upper chest.

With her target so close, the hit was weak and off-center, but it did its job. The intruder reared back, lifting off enough for her to take aim at his throat. That punch was strong enough to make him choke. Grabbing his injured neck with both hands, he rolled to the side and wheezed for air.

Scrambling to her feet, Molly backed up several steps so she wasn’t within reach. Her foot hit something, sending it sliding across the floor. A quick glance showed that it was her Taser, and she grabbed it, pointing it toward the intruder just as John charged into the kitchen, dragging a cuffed man behind him.

“Hit the lights, would you?” Although Molly strove for a conversational tone, her breath was still coming in short gasps.

John obliged, flicking the switch to turn on the overhead fixture. The brightness made Molly blink rapidly until her eyes adjusted. As soon as they did, she recognized the man lying on the floor, still clutching his throat.

“Sanders, you opportunistic slug.” She resisted the urge to kick him, mostly because she knew it would hurt her bare foot more. “What do you think you’re doing?” Even as she asked, she knew exactly what he was doing.

“Not doing anything.” Sanders’s voice was hoarse, and Molly could not find it in her to be at all sorry she’d punched him in the throat. “Jane told us to stop by whenever we want.”

“An open invitation,” the cuffed man John had a grip on added.

Molly eyed him. “Of course. Eddie Cord. Why am I not surprised to see you following Sanders around like a fuzzy little duckling?”

Cord narrowed his eyes at her, but his glare was just about as scary as the aforementioned baby duck. “I don’t follow him around. We’re partners.”

“Partners in what? Dumbassery?” John asked.

Molly grinned at him, raising her hand not holding the Taser in the air. “Nice one.”

Although he wasn’t in reaching distance, he gave her an air high-five. “Thanks.”

Ignoring the warm feeling that hummed through her, she lowered her hand and focused on the intruders. “This is not Jane’s house anymore, so consider that ‘open invitation’ revoked.”

Sanders’s lips drew back in a sneer. “Can’t just say it’s your house and make it so. I’m going to have to hear it straight from Jane.”