Nightfall by Denise A. Agnew Read Free Book Online Page A

happen to you.”
    She looked him in the eye. “I’m even more pissed I had to call someone at all. That I can’t handle this on my own.”
    His touch gentled even more. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s not your fault. Don’t blame any of this on yourself. He’s the asshole, Patty.”
    “Right.”
    Police came down the street with lights and sirens, and the next hour was filled with the report taking and investigation. Neighbors came to see what had happened and a couple approached to ask about her welfare. Their kindness was gratifying. When the police learned it was a retired police officer who’d perpetrated the disturbance at her house, she wasn’t sure if they were more skeptical of her statements or not. While they remembered Dominic on the force, they seemed to have little desire to pursue finding him. Police around here were overwhelmed much of the time. Crime had risen significantly since the super volcano had wreaked havoc on the economy. She didn’t have much faith they’d catch Dominic, and she didn’t know how hard they’d work to locate him in the first place. The police agreed that Patty would be better off somewhere else for the evening.
    Once they’d left, Mark stayed outside in the freezing cold to make sure Dominic didn’t sneak up on their six. Patty went upstairs to pack a bag with essentials and clothes. She came down a short time later feeling frazzled. Alexander stood at one of the front windows looking outside at the street. While she felt safe with him here, she couldn’t wait to get out of the house.
    She dumped the heavy bag on the living room floor. “I’m ready.”
    With a no-nonsense demeanor he picked up her bag and they left. On the way to Sentry Security they all stayed quiet. Mark drove and Alexander sat in the back seat with her and held her hand.

Chapter 4
    Alexander and Mark gave Patty a quick tour of Sentry Security. The bottom floor held offices, a war room, an exercise room with shower facilities, and an open area at the front that could serve as a place to greet visitors and clients. She was impressed with the compound—and that’s what it was. With a huge wall around the large building, and keypads and other security precautions in place, she didn’t think Dominic could break in here. For the first time in hours she felt safer.
    Before Alexander could take her upstairs to show her an apartment, three young women came down the stairs at the same time along with Ian MacDaniel and Adam Becker.
    She’d met all of them at one time or the other, although Ian, Adam, and Mark were usually working and she hadn’t seen much of them over the last year. They greeted her with concern and politeness.
    “No one is getting to you in here,” Adam said, his craggy face filled with confidence. “I’m glad the General brought you here.”
    Ian brushed one hand over his short reddish blond hair and spoke with his thick Scottish accent. “You’re safer here than anywhere else.”
    “Thank you,” she said.
    Even though she’d met the women before, however briefly, they introduced themselves again. Each one greeted her with a hug and assurances they’d help her any way they could. The women were as different as they could be in many ways, but Patty liked them all. She was quite a bit older than them, and although they seemed to be mature young women, she felt a little out of place at forty-five years old.
    Mally Andretti-Becker, Adam’s wife, was tall with russet curly hair that fell to her waist. She wore a nondescript navy sweater and jeans. Penny MacDaniel, Ian’s wife, had beautiful, rich cocoa brown hair falling in waves to her shoulders. She wore an oversized red sweater, jeans, and athletic shoes. Both Mally and Penny were fairly tall just like Patty, but Juliet Van Pelt, Mark’s wife was shorter and had pixie-short brown hair with intriguing gray streaks. Her clothing was brighter and more youthful looking than the other two women, even if she appeared around the same