Chapter 26

To be safe, though, she reached out and touched Jesse’s arm, transmitting as much of her trust in him as she could muster.

Jesse’s eyes widened, and he covered her hand with his, squeezing it. He might have said something, but the door slammed open for the second time, and a very cold and angry looking woman trampled in. Jesse stiffened immediately, pulling away from Emma and standing, as if to shield her from the intruder.

“Where the hell is Gideon?” she demanded.9

The house wasn’t what Gideon expected. First of all, it was in Rogers Park, in the middle of a residential area so close to Loyola it could have been student digs if it hadn’t been such a nice property. Second, it screamed middle-class America, a two-story colonial complete with picket fence. Five stairs led up to the front porch, and Gideon darted from his car parked on the curb to the front door with his head bent against the raging wind.