JACK HAD LEFT AND TAYLOR WAS GETTING READY TO GO TO her appointment. She was surprised by a knock at the door. Had Crosse found them? Taylor froze before coming out into the hall, turned around, and took the gun from the top of the closet. Beau padded closely behind her. Sliding along the wall until she reached the door, she looked through the peephole, then heaved a sigh of relief. It was Jeremy. She opened the door and smiled.
“You scared the life out of me! Where’s your key?” She put the gun down, taking a deep breath.
“Left it at the lab. Sorry about that!”
Beau ran up to him and began barking aggressively.
“Beau! What’s the matter with you? Stop it,” she admonished the dog. “You’ll wake Evan up.” He looked at her then back at Jeremy and growled again.
Jeremy crouched down to pet him, but Beau snapped at his hand, snarling.
Taylor grabbed him by the collar. “What is going on with you?” She looked at Jeremy sheepishly. “Sorry, he’s been so weird lately.” She took Beau and shut him in the room where Evan was sleeping then returned.
“Evan might wake up from his nap before I return. You know where everything is. He’ll probably want a snack.”
Jeremy was looking around the room, seeming to only half listen.
“You good?” she asked.
“Huh? Oh yeah. We’ll be fine.”
She glanced at her watch. Five after. She’d have to hurry or she’d be late. “Okay.” She leaned over and kissed Jeremy on the cheek and he seemed to stiffen.
“You’d better get going,” he said.
He was acting a little strangely, but she supposed they were all on edge. She put the gun back in the closet and left. As she drove, she kept an eye on the rearview mirror to make sure no one was following her.