Auf'd (The Belinda & Bennett Mysteries, Book Two)

Chapter 25

Bennett killed the lights and dragged her into the bathroom as gunshots flew through the broken glass, tearing into the cabinets and wall. The four of them crowded into the bathroom and into the tub on Bennett's command. He held Belinda, who came to and glanced at her hands through blurry eyes.

"The drive!" she squeaked.

Bennett cupped a hand over her mouth. More glass shattered outside, and then broken glass crunched. He was coming inside...and the drive. The drive was on the floor in plain sight, wasn't it?

Belinda wanted to scream. She should have been less obvious about the search, being suspicious as she was that the killer knew Brooke had contacted Caleb about the drive. "We have to go out there," she hissed. "We can't let anybody take it!"

"Hush!" Bennett was trying to work it out, she could see that. But he needed to think faster.

She looked around the room for a weapon. A plunger? Probably not a good enough defense against a gun. Other than that and some cleaning supplies under the cabinet, there was nothing solid.

On the other hand... Belinda wrenched from Bennett, a little wobbly, and pulled out bottles of cleaner. Spray bottles with bleach and vinegar. Not a gun, but better than a plunger.

Realizing Belinda was about to go out and attack the gunman with a spray bottle, Bennett snatched them from her hands and forced her back with Kyle, indicating for everyone to be quiet.

"If I get shot," he whispered, "it's your fault."

Belinda held her breath as he slowly opened the door, using it for protection, and peeked around the edge. Someone hidden by a hood bent double, scanning the kitchen floor, completely preoccupied. Good. Bennett jumped out and unleashed a round of cleaning agents with both hands. Surprised, the attacker stumbled back, screeching as some of the product hit her face. From the scream and size of the person, it was most likely a woman.

She ran, throwing open the door and dashing into the night, either hurting from the bleach attack or too surprised to remember she carried a gun. Bennett pursued, still holding his spray bottles, but when he got to the street, no one was to be found. And it was too dark to see very far. He ran back, threw on the lights, and yelled that it was safe as he called the police.

Belinda was out first, her eyes blinking to adjust to the light. She grabbed Bennett's face and kissed his cheek, stroking the side of his head. "Are you okay?" she said.

He nodded, his gray eyes puffing smoke. "I'm fine. Greatly in part, I think, to the fact that we're dealing with an amateur. I think she forgot she was holding a gun."

"She?"

"Looked—and sounded—like a woman to me." Bennett examined the window. There was a lot of broken glass and more holes to fix. Excellent. If they caught her, Belinda was suing for house damages. "Don't suppose Kyle has more tarp lying around."

While Bennett relayed the events to the dispatcher, Belinda got on her hands and knees and crawled around. She thought the drive slid over there somewhere, and found it safe in a corner under the cabinets. She retrieved it, stuffing it into one of her pockets.

Jonas came along with the parade of police and paramedics. Apparently, he never went home anymore. He gazed around the guest house in disbelief. This woman just couldn't get away from it, could she? "Unbelievable," he said mystified as she held out the flash drive. "Spray bottles, Bennett?" He looked incredulously at the clear plastic bottles sitting on the island. "You took on a dude with a gun with two spray bottles?"

"I told him to do it." Belinda sat on a stool while a paramedic checked her out. So far she seemed okay, just a little dizzy after she stood up from crawling on the floor. "I was going to myself, but he took over."