My stomach gave a funny little lurch. "I think he's coming over."
Gwen jumped to her feet. "Your old boss? He's cominghere?Seriously?"
Already, I'd scuttled away from the window. With growing panic, I said, "That's what it looked like."
My sister's eyes narrowed to slits. "You know what? I hope he does."
Well, that made one of us."Idon't."
"Why not?" Harper asked.
"Because," I said, "I don't want him to know that I’m here."
"Oh, relax," she said, getting to her feet. "He doesn't know that I'm your sister." She made a move toward the door, only to be blocked by Gwen.
Harper stopped in her tracks. "What are you doing?"
Gwen replied, "Nothing."
Harper frowned. "But you're in my way."
Gwen gave the door a nervous glance. "Am I?"
"Youknowyou are."
Gwen sighed. "Alright, fine. I just thinkIshould get it, not you – if he rings the bell, I mean."
Hah! Cole Henster wouldn’t ring the bell. Or knock.If hereallywanted in, he'd probably just barge straight into the house and fire all three of us even though he wasn't our boss.
As Harper and Gwen debated back and forth, I was making plans of my own – not to answer the door, but to make myself scarce in case the monsterdiddarken our doorstep.
But surely he wouldn't.Would he?
Chapter 5
Cole
I had never met the home-owner across the street. But now, thanks to a few phone calls, I had the woman's name along with something that belonged to her.
Looking to return it, I crossed the street and walked toward her front door. Inside, the lights were on, and the front window blinds were slitted just enough for me to glimpse an undecorated Christmas tree and the distinctive glow of a fire burning in the fireplace.
The gaps in the blinds were too narrow to reveal anything more – not that it mattered.I was no peeping Tom.I was here on a mission, and I wanted to make it quick.
I was just about to ring the doorbell when a female voice from somewhere inside said, "No,I'mgetting it."
"But you can't," another female voice said.
"Why not?"
"Because you've got that look."
"What look?"
"Like you're gonna deck someone."
"Oh, please. I haven't decked anyone since grade school. And besides, she'smysister."
"Yeah, well she's my cousin, and you don't seemewanting to deck anyone."
