Chapter 8 - The Threat in the Dark
That evening, the rain returned to Cedar Ridge, drumming against the high glass windows of the estate.
Emily walked down the quiet hallway toward the ground-floor kitchen to get a glass of water before bed.
The main lights had been dimmed for the night, leaving the corridors illuminated only by warm sconce lighting.
As she passed the side entrance near the butler's pantry, a dark silhouette appeared outside the glass patio door.
A heavy stone shattered the double-paned window, showering the hardwood floor with jagged glass fragments.
Emily screamed, jumping backward as a gloved hand reached through the broken frame to unlock the interior deadbolt.
A man dressed in dark tactical gear pushed through the door, his face concealed beneath a black ski mask.
"Stay quiet if you want to see your mother again," the intruder hissed, brandishing a short crowbar.
Emily stumbled backward against the pantry counter, grabbing a heavy cast-iron skillet from the drying rack with both hands.
"Get out of here!" Emily shouted, swinging the pan with all her strength.
The iron struck the man across his shoulder, throwing him off balance and knocking the crowbar to the floor.
Before the intruder could recover, the kitchen lights blazed to life.
Daniel burst into the room with his licensed nine-millimeter pistol drawn, leveling the barrel directly at the intruder's chest.
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"On your knees! Put your hands behind your head now!" Daniel roared.
The intruder froze, looking at the steady barrel of the weapon, then slowly lowered himself onto the glass-strewn tiles.
