Page 30 of Colton On Guard

She told him the same and then ended the call.

As she got ready for bed, to her relief, she realized she felt drowsy. Crawling in between the sheets, she switched off her lamp and hoped to fall asleep quickly.

A sound woke her, dragging her out of a deep slumber in the darkest part of the night. Sitting upright, she listened. Nothing. Then, reminding herself that she had an alarm system now, she put her head back on the pillow and tried to go back to sleep.

Just as she’d started to drift off, the loud shriek of her alarm had her jumping up. She started to turn on the light, but realized that if someone had actually broken into her house, that might make it easier for them to locate her.

Sixty seconds seemed to take forever. She thumbed down the volume on her phone, so when the monitoring company called, the intruder wouldn’t hear. She wasn’t sure if she should answer or not since she wanted them to call the police.

Halfway through her waiting, her mind still slightly groggy from sleep, she realized she should call 9-1-1. She did that and told the dispatcher in a quiet voice that she thought someone was inside her house.

A loud clatter from the living room made her freeze. “There’s definitely someone here,” she murmured. “They haven’t turned on any lights so far. I’m hiding in my bedroom in the dark.”

“Can you get out?” the dispatcher asked. “As in, leave now?”

Since to do that she’d have to go through the living room, she answered no. “Just send someone right away. I’m worried it might be the Fiancée Killer.”

“We have officers on the way,” the dispatcher said. “Please stay on the line until they arrive.”

Another sound, louder and closer, nearly made Genna drop the phone. Juggling it to keep it from hitting the floor, she accidentally hit the button to end the call. Aware they’d call back, she struggled not to hyperventilate. Now, she actually found herself regretting not taking her parents up on their offer to go to Hawaii.

Parker. She sent him a quick text, figuring he was probably asleep.

Someone is in the house. Alarm went off and I can hear them. Called 911. Police are on the way.

Not expecting a reply, she set the phone down on the carpet. As expected, the police dispatcher called back, but Genna didn’t answer. Instead, she let the call go to voicemail.

Sirens sounded, still distant, but clearly getting closer. Though she wondered why they didn’t try to be stealthier, she was grateful for the prompt response. Every breath, every heartbeat, the way she tensed at every sound, and how impossible it was to keep herself from trembling, spoke to her absolute terror.

Flashing lights reflecting on the wall announced the police car’s arrival. Another loud crash from downstairs and then she heard the police rapping hard on her front door.

Should she risk leaving her hiding place to let them in? Since, otherwise, she knew they’d likely damage her brand-new front door, she decided to take the chance.

As she sprinted from her bedroom down the hallway to the front of the house, she prayed no one would reach out from the shadows and grab her.

Flicking on the light, she opened the front door. Two uniformed officers stood on her front porch, and as she steppedaside so they could enter, another squad car pulled up, lights flashing.

As she quickly explained the situation, the second officers joined the first two. Asking her to stay put, they told her they’d conduct a thorough search of her house.

“Genna?” Parker sprinted up the front steps and swept her into his arms. “Are you all right?”

Clinging to him, she nodded. “Now I am. They’re searching my house. The alarm went off right after I heard a loud sound. It must have been someone breaking in.”

“And they had no idea you’d installed an alarm.”

Despite him holding her, she couldn’t stop trembling. “Why?” she asked, not really expecting an answer. “Why is someone doing this to me?”

“I don’t know.” Pressing a kiss against her temple, he smoothed the hair away from her face.

A sound made her back out of Parker’s arms.

Two of the police officers had returned. “Looks like the intruder busted in your back door. And, likely, that’s how they left. It’s sitting wide open.”

Not another broken door.

“Can you tell us if anything is missing?” the second officer asked. “Would you mind just taking a quick look around?”

At first, she couldn’t seem to make herself move. But then Parker took her hand and squeezed her fingers. “Come on,” he said. “You can do this.”