by V.K. Sykes
* * *
Nate touched down at North Philly Airport at five to eleven, then taxied at maximum ground speed to the hangar. In minutes, he’d put away the Bonanza, locked up the hangar and jumped in his car. On the semi-deserted freeway, he let the Aston Martin loose. It was risking a big ticket, but it was worth taking the chance. Maybe it was the darkness and the almost empty streets as he raced along, but his gut kept telling him something was wrong. Something with Holly.
Hurry, man. Gotta get there now.
He slowed as he took the exit into her neighborhood, but still drove as fast as he dared. When he pulled up in front of her house, he braked quietly and turned the engine off. He got out, grabbed his bag, and strode quickly to the porch and up the wooden steps. Although lights shone from behind her curtains, the porch light hadn’t been switched on and there was almost zero ambient light at her end of the street. The only lamppost was at the end of the block, and the tall trees lining the street absorbed most of that light before it got to Holly’s house.
He decided to knock softly rather than try to unlock the front door with his key. He was sure she would have secured the chain, so she’d have to come to the door to let him in anyway, but at least he wouldn’t startle her.
“Holly, it’s me.” He tapped twice on the door. “I made it back early, babe.”
A terrified scream from inside the house pierced the night, shocking him into immobility.
Holly!
Chapter Thirty-One