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“If you wanted the time of day, you could’ve bought yourself a clock. If you wanted a good woman, you’d behave like a decent man.

After all, we only attract the kind of people…” She paused, her eyes glazing over for a moment. Was she really about to say this? “We attract the kind of people who serve our purposes,” she continued quietly. “Even if it’s harmful to us.”

“Oh, I’ve heard crap like this before,” he nodded. “This is that meteorologist stuff, right?”

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“Metaphysical.”

“Whatever. I still say if you’d given me a little encouragement along the way…”

“Milton.” She spoke quietly, with the intensity of restrained fury. “You drag me down the stairs, covering my mouth so I can barely breathe. You don’t even allow me to grab my coat. I have no shoes. You force me to come here to this…this…” She glanced around in frustration. “This stupid storage shack, half walking, mostly sliding all the way. My feet are nearly frozen, and the right one’s bleeding—and you want to know why I never encouraged you before this?!

You’re a crazy man! What are you doing?”

He nodded, still smiling. “Crazy like a dingo.”

“Fox.”

“Whatever. And I am sorry about the feet, Iris. But don’t worry. You shouldn’t be here too long. I just needed a little bait.”

“Come again?”

“I needed to use you as bait. Just for a little while, and then we can both get what we want. You’ll get your knight in shining amore, and I’ll get—”

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“What?” she snapped. “What is it in that house you could possibly want so much that you’d…” Her eyes widened with understanding. “The Screen. Damn you. You’ve been after the screen all along.”

“Should’ve had it by now,” he growled. “Two days. Been waiting on that sucker for two days. First it was the damn freakish storm, and ya’ll came back to the house sooner than I expected. And then the power outage, and I definitely couldn’t get the thing out with Russell in the house.”

“Because you know he would’ve kicked your ass.”

“Damn straight he would. I’m no fool. And the thing weighs a ton. So I’m trapped down there with that silly-assed dog, and every time I think I can manage a way to sneak it out, ya’ll come up with something new. I was all set when Russell left the house to play hero—and here you come, trippin’ down the steps yelling ‘I’ve got a gun!’ And then I accidentally fell asleep, and I had to keep the stupid dog quiet, and…”

“He didn’t bark,” she murmured vaguely. “That’s why he didn’t bark when I came down the stairs. He was in the presence of his master.”

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“Hell, after all I went through, there was no way I was gonna leave without that wood. Carr’s an idiot. That thing would be worth a fortune in the right hands!” He tapped the tip of her nose with teasing softness. “And I got the right hands, sugar.”

“It won’t work.” She tried desperately to think of some reason that it wouldn’t. She couldn’t bear the thought of Russell losing his greatest prize because of his concern for her. “Russell will never—”

“By now he’s probably noticed that you’re a little scarce. He’ll have to search the house. Russ was always real slow and careful. And then he’ll have to look around the grounds, check the garage, and all that. By the time he gets here to rescue you, I’ll be back at the house.

And by the time he gets back there, I’ll be gone. I’ll get the thing out in pieces if I have to. But I’ll get it.”

Iris struggled from the awkward, cramped sitting position he’d placed her in, succeeding only in causing the bonds to cut into her wrists. “Now, don’t get yourself all lathered up, Iris. Everything will work out fine. Carr can always make another screen. But you’re the only lady he really cares about. And once I’m gone, you can comfort him by giving him a lil’ bit—like you know good ‘n well you’ve been
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dying to do anyway.” His eyes gleamed with mischief. “Ya’ll are so crazy.”

“We’re crazy??” she snapped. “Who’s been hiding out in the basement like some peeping-tom pervert for the past two days?!

Didja get your jollies, Milton? Is that why you stayed hidden for so long?”

He casually placed his boot and forced a good portion of his weight on top of her bare foot until she cried out in pain. “Now what kinda talk is that, huh? Here I am, trying to be nice and see that nobody gets hurt, and you’re gonna insult me? Hell, you two made it impossible for me to come out! Ya came back early from your little walk in the woods, and then there was that stupid blackout. And what was I gonna do—challenge a woman with a gun? For all I knew, you might’ve known how to use it! Hell, whatever happened to femininity?”

“If you were a real man…” Iris winced in pain as he ground her foot harder into the pebbly-stoned floor.

“Oh, shut that shit up, Foley. I was man enough not to come upstairs once I had the gun and blow both of you away. But I didn’t want any violence. And it was for damn sure that maniac Carr
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would’ve tried to take me out to save you. Big dumb geek. Shoot, with half the encouragement you gave him, I woulda hit that stuff of yours so hard and fast—”

“Which is why you’ll never get—”

He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “Don’t push me, Foley. I’ve still got a coupla minutes. More than enough time to make up for prom night.” He smiled as she pursed her lips and stepped away from her foot. “There’s a good girl. Now, I’ve gotta get it in gear. Coming down this hill was hard enough, but getting back up to the house and out before your boy gets back will be tricky.”

“I’m telling you it won’t work. Russell will find you.”

Milton casually pulled the weapon, the gun she’d dropped in her flight from the basement, out of the pocket of his coat and, smiling, checked the chambers. Obviously this time it was loaded. “Let’s hope not, honey. Let’s hope not.”

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C H A P T E R 1 3

“No, oh no, wait! Milton, you can’t just leave me like this!”

“Sure I can.” He slipped the gun carefully into the pocket of his coat. “Russell won’t be long. And those ropes will hold ‘til he gets here. Be grateful that I’m not gagging you, that I’m gonna let you scream so he finds you faster.” He laughed, tossing his hood up as he headed for the door. “Or maybe the space aliens will get to you first.

Like ya’ll ain’t never seen electricity go out before. Crazy people.”

Iris flexed her throbbing foot and kept talking. Any company—even his—was preferable to being left here alone in the cold. “Then you think that’s all there is to it? A power outage? Are you sure? Do you know something?” She leaned eagerly forward. “Have you seen other people? Talked to anyone?”

“Nope. Left my old car parked off the side of the road a little down the hill so it wouldn’t be seen. But once the storm got going, it
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would’ve been suicide to…” He stopped in mid-sentence and smiled broadly. “Nice try, Iris. But I ain’t dumb enough to hang around here

‘til Russell finds me. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

His gloating goodbye halted as he pricked up his ears, almost as the pup would. She, too, had detected the peculiar sound. Strange. It was the sound an angel on ice might make, swishing closer and closer at a rapid speed toward the shed.

Iris slowly craned her neck toward the door. “Did you hear that?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I heard it.” Milton frowned, heaving a big shrug.

“Ice. Loose ice sliding around. Yeah, that’s what it is. The stuff’s melting like crazy out there. Nothing to worry about.”

Yet he paused, waited before making his exit, his eyes suspicious slits. Gun and greed notwithstanding, he would not leave, she guessed, until he discovered the source of the noise.

And in a moment, the strange, racing sound came to an abrupt end as something hard and dull struck the outer wall of the shed with a loud “thunk!”.

Iris cringed as Milton pulled the pistol, brandishing it in the air.

“That,” he breathed, “was not ice.”

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“What are you doing?” she cried. “It’s just thawing, probably branches breaking off the trees.”

“No it’s not.” He swung the wide door open so that it banged against the wall, standing firmly in the opening. “It’s Russell.”

Iris’ heart hammered cold in her chest. She had the same idea.

And if it was true, he was risking his own safety to help her.

“Hey, Russ!!” Her attacker screamed out at the thick night air.

“I know it’s you, man. So you caught on earlier than I expected. Well, we can still cut a deal, bro. All I want is the screen. And I’ve got your lady in here with me; so come out, come out wherever you are!”

There was no response—only the minute cracking sounds of tree limbs shedding icy bonds. She tried to peer around him, but could see nothing. He looked like a cut-out figure centered in a dark cameo. “Milton?” She spoke quietly, a hint of fear in her voice.

“Suppose it’s not Russell? Suppose it’s…well, something else?”

He crowed hysterically, filling the still air with harsh tones.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot. It’s the little green men, come to take me away.

Well, beam me up, Scotty! I’m standin’ right here, waiting for transport!” He chuckled, glancing over his shoulder at her. “Ya’ll so crazy!”

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She gulped, trying to swallow her panic. There must be something she could do. Anything. “Milton?” He might be easy to shake up, to unnerve enough to make him run. He was already on edge. The hell with whatever was really going on—she had to scare him enough to make him wonder.

Iris twisted her wrists behind her back until they burned against the rough ropes, trying to get numbed fingers into position. They wouldn’t reach. “Maybe you shouldn’t stand there announcing our location. Maybe they’ve come for you.”

He gleefully slapped his thigh. “This is so off the hook!” He literally began jumping up and down in excitement. “If I wasn’t trying to rob you folks, I’d like to hang out with ya! Hey, Russ! Little gray people! Whatever! Here I am!” Raising the pistol at the blank slate of sky, he fired.

One.

Iris instinctively ducked, screwing her eyes shut in silent prayer that Russ was safe, wherever he was. “Are you out of your mind? Put that thing away!”

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“Are you kidding? The party’s just starting. We’ve gotta have fireworks!” He turned, pointed the gun straight out the door, and shattered the stillness with another shot.

Two.

“Hey, Russ. I ain’t for playin’ man. Drag your sorry ass ‘round here where I can see you, and we can talk like men. Otherwise, I ain’t responsible for what might happen to your bitch.”

Iris squinted at his pacing form, trying desperately to see whether he had anything else in his pockets. She couldn’t tell. She couldn’t tell whether he’d brought the box of ammunition with him.

But she remembered that the Saturday night special would hold five bullets. And he’d already fired two.

“Russ?” Milton nearly bent over to peer out the door. “Don’t think I won’t hurt her, bro. I will. What say you and me just take a little walk up to the house. I get the screen, you get the girl. Sounds fair, don’t it?”

She couldn’t decide what was more frightening—the idea of Milton Edwards playing cowboy, or the silence that answered his call.

Russell valued his masterpiece well enough, but he would never allow her to be harmed for it.

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Unless, of course, it wasn’t Russell…

Apparently, Milton had the same thought at the same time. The cavorting figure in the doorway seemed to wind slowly down, and Milton took a few steps backward, then slammed the door noisily shut. “Shit. This ain’t right.” He glanced back at her, and the joy on his face had morphed into worry. “Something’s wrong here. No way that man would take a chance on you getting hurt. That ain’t Russell.”

“Milton? You could untie me.” She spoke tentatively, nearly expecting Russ to charge through the door any minute. “I could help you. You could cut me loose, and we could go back up to the house.

And I could see to it that you get the screen. Really I could. If I asked Russell, explained that you didn’t hurt me and how much your dog really does mean to me—”

He bit his lip, hesitated, then shook his head. “Carr would break me in half before he’d let me go. Naw. We’ll do this my way, and…”

Iris turned sharply, then froze, her mouth gaping at the sound of a faint scratching noise outside the back wall. Whatever it was had
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decided not to use the door. It was going to make its own way in.

“Omigod. What—”

“Damn you, Carr,” Milton hissed between clenched teeth.

“Okay, if that’s the way you want it.”

She cringed as he approached her, his face etched with anger—and smiled up at him in hopeful surprise as he pulled angrily on the rope that bound her ankles until they were free. “You—you’re letting me go?”

“Hardly.” He yanked her to her feet and dragged her roughly toward the entrance. “I want him to see you. I want him to think that the next shot I fire might be at that hard little head of yours.”

Iris stumbled on her sore feet, lunging for freedom when he swung the door open again. He effortlessly jerked her back and held her in front of him. “Milt, you wouldn’t really hurt me, now would you?”

“Shut up. Hold still.” The insistent scratching continued at the back wall, harder now, faster, but his eyes focused on the darkness before them. “There’s somebody, something out there.”