No sound of feet approaching. No interior lights flicked on. “Give it another go,” Mick said. Sarah knocked again, louder this time.

Still nothing. She cupped her hands around her eyes and peered in the window. The glass was cool against the sides of her palms, beginning to fog from the warmth of her breath. The sense of unease was building. “See anything?” Mick asked.

“Can’t make out much, a few dark shadows.” She squinted, trying to force her eyes to see more.

“Told ya,” a male voice called. Sarah spun around, glared first at the cabbie and then at Mick.

“Did you pay him to wait?” she demanded, grouchy that she had allowed herself to get spooked.

Mick didn’t take umbrage. Just shrugged. “For a couple of minutes in case nobody came to the door.”

Sarah turned back to the window. “Let me have your phone for a sec?” Mick handed her his cell phone. “Thanks.” She held the phone’s flashlight up to the pane of glass, hoping to be able to see more clearly, but all she could see was the reflection of the bright light on the glass pane shining back at her. Mick wasn’t saying anything. Didn’t have to. She knew what he was thinking. Sarah knocked again, putting more force into it. “Vicki,” she called, trying not to be too loud so she wouldn’t wake the neighborhood. “It’s me, Sarah.” Her palms felt sweaty.

Nothing.

Reluctantly, she turned away from the front door. “She’s not going to answer.”

“Looks that way.” There was regret in his voice, but relief as well, because now they could leave. The way he was scanning the area, his battle-ready alertness spoke volumes. As they descended the front porch steps, the light from Mick’s phone fell on a wrought iron gate at the side of the town house. It was ajar. Seemed like a sign. So instead of making a right and returning to the waiting cab, she turned left through the open gate.

“Sarah,” Mick growled warningly.

Sarah glanced over her shoulder without breaking her stride, placed a finger to her lips. “Shhh . . .” She was walking as softly as humanly possible. However, the crunch of the gravel underfoot sounded deafening to her ears.

“No kidding,” he muttered, but he followed her, thank God. “What are you hoping to accomplish with this? Are you planning on adding breaking and entering to this night’s agenda?”