Run to Ground(81)

Although he eyed the spot where she’d been standing, he didn’t seem to see anything out of the ordinary. Jules’s tight shoulders eased slightly in relief.

“Out fr-front.”

“Good. It’s a beautiful day.” It really was. The sun was warm, but the air had a crisp undertone that hinted of fall. Between the bugs and the humidity in Florida, Jules had avoided being outside most of the time, but Colorado was different. It made her want to hike and do all sorts of outdoorsy things. “We should get bikes. Let’s keep an eye on Craigslist.”

Sam just hummed, traces of his early suspicion still clinging to him.

“Jules!” Ty’s urgent shout made her heartbeat pick up immediately. He, Tio, and Dee came running around the side of the house. “We heard a car coming up the driveway!”

“Did they see you?”

“I don’t think so,” Ty said, shooting a worried glance over his shoulder, even though the driveway was hidden by the house. Although Jules hated that the kids were so suspicious and wary that they’d been spooked by the sight of an approaching stranger, it was important that they stay cautious. After all, being too trusting could get them caught.

“Good.” Jules glanced at Sam, who was already ushering the other three toward the barn. “I’ll go check it out. Remember, if you hear yelling or if fifteen minutes go by, and I don’t give you the all-clear, grab the emergency stash hidden in the loft and go.”

“W-we kn-kn-know the d-d-d-drill.”

Jules watched them for another second before hurrying to the back door. Rushing through the house and into the living room, she yanked the curtains closed until there was only a tiny space between them. The room was instantly full of shadows, reminding Jules of creepy nighttime searches, and she tried to throw off her unease and focus on the actual—well, possible—threat outside.

Peeking through the opening between the curtains, she saw the truck pull up in front of the house. It was an older pickup, its paint faded oddly to an uneven robin’s-egg blue. The sun reflected off the windshield, hiding the driver from her. She caught herself leaning closer to the window, trying to get a better look, and Jules hurried to step back before she made the curtains move and caught the attention of the person outside.

No one got out of the truck, and Jules waited, breathing too quickly. She realized she was clutching the edge of the curtain and forced her fingers to slowly release their death grip. The drapery swayed once it was free, and Jules held her breath until it stilled. Had that been visible to the person in the truck?

The pickup door swung open, making her suck in a breath, so roughly that it hurt her throat. She watched, biting the inside of her cheek, as a man climbed out and turned toward the house. When Jules saw his face, her head jerked back like someone had slapped her. It was Norman Rounds.

Although he’d seemed weird and grabby and slightly stalkerish at the diner, showing up at her house made Norman a hundred times scarier. Why was he here? How did he know where she lived? The things Megan had told her about him, about his connection with the local, bomb-loving militia group, echoed in her mind, and she took an involuntary step back.

From her new position, she couldn’t see him through the crack in the curtains. It was so much worse not knowing what Norman was doing, but she couldn’t seem to make herself step closer to the window. Sudden, loud knocking made her jump.

Jules went still, torn. She wasn’t about to answer the door, but should she wait for him to go away? Her SUV was parked behind the house, so he couldn’t be sure she was home, unless he went around back looking for her. The idea of Norman Rounds prowling around by the barn where the kids were hiding was terrifying.

She could call Theo. The idea was so tempting that her hand went to her back jeans pocket where her phone was tucked. What could she tell him, though? That Norman Rounds was at her door? It seemed like an overreaction. Maybe paying friendly visits was just a small-town thing. Maybe he needed to borrow a cup of sugar—or some plastic explosives.

A hysterical giggle wanted to burst out of her, but she clapped her hand over her mouth and swallowed the laugh. When there wasn’t a second knock, she stepped close to the window and peeked through the tiny crack between the curtains.

Norman was standing right outside the window. Lurching back, Jules sucked in a rasping breath. His head had been turned away as he’d scanned the yard, so he hopefully hadn’t seen her. She strained to listen, dying to know whether he was still standing there. If she looked out the window again, and Norman wasn’t looking away this time, he’d see her for sure.