“Help is coming.” Sarah said it as much for herself as to comfort Vicki, because the moment Mick vanished, the sense of dread had increased exponentially. There is a logical explanation for your fear. You are alone in the dark, doing compressions on a woman who is making horror film noises, her body is in spasms, and she’s fighting to breathe. Or course you’re a little freaked out. “Help is on—” No! It’s more than that. Pay attention. Sarah’s head jerked up, full-fledged panic surging through her. But it was too late. The dark figure of a man launched through the back door. A hunter, moving low and fast. She had opened her mouth to scream, when his body slammed into hers like a thunderbolt, his arm wrapped tight around her neck, yanking her to her feet. She could feel the cold muzzle of his beloved Glock 17 nestled against her temple.

“Just like old times, huh?” His voice was a harsh whisper next to her ear. “I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. You’re coming with me, baby. One sound and you’re dead.” The familiar stink of his aftershave mingled with the smell of his skin made the taste of vomit rise in her throat. Sarah forced it down, along with the bone-numbing fear. No! a voice bellowed inside. Enough! She was not a scared, whimpering woman anymore. She refused to be.

“You won’t kill me, Kevin,” she said, keeping her voice calm and clear even though tremors were running through her body. Hoping her voice would carry through the night air to Mick and warn him of the danger. “If I die, you get nothing, and you love having all that money to roll in.” The grip around her throat tightened. She tucked her chin to her chest, protecting her airway and making it much more difficult for him to crush her windpipe. Adrenaline coursed through her at these small acts of defiance. “Yeah, that’s right, asshole,” she rasped out through clenched teeth. “I’ve learned a few tricks since you last saw me. Not so easy to make me black out.” She braced herself for a blow—insolence would never go unpunished—but it didn’t arrive. His hands were full, and Sarah couldn’t help the triumphant smile that curved her lips, even though she knew she would pay for it later.