Free Down Among the Dead Men (Entangled Ignite) by Claire Baxter Page A

jerked to life and ran across the kitchen. She pulled the door open and leaned outside. Though her eyes were accustomed to the gloom, she saw no sign of the prowler, and after shutting the door, she locked it with the key hanging from the knob, double-checked the deadlock and flicked on the light before turning to scrutinize the kitchen.
    Nothing out of place. Exactly as she’d left it. She walked back into the lounge room and switched on the light. Again, nothing struck her as odd. She hurried along the passage to Max’s bedroom and pushed open the door. Max was asleep and her room looked much the same as it had earlier. She stirred, pulling a face in her sleep. Caitlyn backed out of the room, closing the door softly. Her hands were shaking. She stood there for a long moment.
    Someone had been in the house, someone large and male. And Max had been alone. She would have been defenseless. Did someone know that she’d had to walk home, delaying her return? If so, it would mean that person had been watching her. But who?
    She was glad that Dale had come up with the idea of Max babysitting while they went to Coober Pedy. She’d feel a lot better knowing that her sister wasn’t here alone all day.
    …
    The next morning, she gave Max the bad news about the car.
    “Michael’s a jerk,” Max said. “It was a bit noisy, but not bad enough to defect.”
    “I don’t know who he thought would complain about the noise out here. I reckon he’s got an inflated sense of his own importance.”
    “Too right. How did your date with Steve go?”
    “It definitely wasn’t a date. It was just a friendly drink, and as such, it was fine. He’s a nice guy.”
    Max licked the tip of a finger and used it to pick up toast crumbs from her plate. “So, you’re not going to date him, then?”
    “No, of course not. Would you like some more toast?”
    Having used all the bread, Caitlyn went to the freezer for another loaf. “Hey, Max,” she said, puzzled. “There were three loaves in here yesterday. Now there’s only two. Did you use one?”
    “No. Are you sure there’s not three?”
    “Positive. I might be older than you, but I’m not senile, you know. The box of fish fingers you bought is gone, too.” She closed the door, thinking about the man she’d disturbed in the kitchen. “Maybe that’s what…” She caught herself and stopped, not wanting to frighten Max.
    “Maybe that’s what?”
    “Um…last night, I saw someone in here when I came home from the pub. A man. I don’t think he heard me coming because I was on foot. If I’d been driving, he would have heard the Valiant, no doubt about that. He was in the kitchen and ran out the back door.”
    Max’s eyes widened. “Who was it? What did he look like?”
    She shook her head. “I only saw him for a moment, and it was dark. He left in a hurry. I had a quick look around and didn’t think he’d taken anything.” She jerked her head toward the freezer. “But now I’m thinking that whoever it was, maybe he took the food.”
    “Well, if that’s all he did, it’s not so bad.”
    “Agreed. But I interrupted him, and he probably didn’t expect that. Who knows what else he might have done, given time? We’ll have to be more careful about locking the doors. You can’t go to bed and leave them unlocked if I’m not home. What time did you get back from babysitting?”
    “Rose brought me home at about ten. And I did check the doors were locked before I went to bed.”
    “You did? You’re sure?”
    “Uh-huh.”
    Caitlyn walked to the back door and examined the lock, then the frame. “It doesn’t look like it’s been forced at all, so if you’re sure it was locked—”
    “I am.”
    “Then he must have used a key.” She looked back at Max. “Do you know anyone who has a key other than you, me…and Dad?”
    “No.”
    “It could have been him, then, couldn’t it? Maybe he’s hiding out somewhere and coming back here when he thinks it’s safe. Have you