He kept to the tree line and the shadows, finding her house. The woman who was waiting for him so patiently. He paused, listening for any life in the freezing night. There was none. Ducking to make himself smaller, he ran across the road to the side of her house, leaping over her small fence to the backyard, where trees hid him from the neighbors.

Then he took his time, still angry but now beginning to become excited. The sweet thrill of anticipation tasted like sugar on his tongue. He angled toward the back deck and a window that opened to a storage room in the basement. One she apparently never checked. It was unlocked, just like the last time he’d explored her home.

He nudged it open and went in headfirst, just for the challenge. Even with one arm hurting like a sore tooth, he walked his hands down the concrete wall, one by one, until he reached the floor, doing a perfect handstand, even with his injury. Then he flipped over, his boots landing a little too loudly. He stopped cold, listening.

Nothing.

Good.

Adjusting his pack, he strode past boxes of holiday decorations and opened the door, seeing only darkness. He’d memorized the layout of the home but still moved slowly, just in case she’d rearranged the furniture.

It was all the same as last time, when he’d taken a necklace and a pair of her panties. A pretty pair with pink flowers on them.

He moved around stacked lawn furniture to the stairs leading up from the basement and took them two at a time, putting his feet where they wouldn’t make a sound. It had taken him a long time to memorize those stairs a week ago, but it was worth it. He emerged into the kitchen, where a small light over the sink illuminated the area.

An open bottle of wine sat about half full on the counter next to an empty wine glass with residue in the bottom. His mouth watered, but he wouldn’t take a drink. He was much too smart to leave his DNA. These gloves were new and wouldn’t leave a clue as to his identity.

He took a moment to enjoy being in her space without her knowing. There was so much power in the secrets he held. The kitchen smelled like something spicy with a hint of garlic. He frowned. Garlic stank.

Hopefully she slept in the nude. It was so much more fun to drag them out into the snow if they were already naked. It had to happen in the snow.