CHAPTER TEN
Ilse’s silence didn’t last long, and action soon followed.
The first sound was the steady thump of rapid footfalls against floorboards. Then came the sound of jangling keys where they were snatched from the dish by the door. Last came the sound of the locks on the front door. Double-, then triple-checked.
Finally, Ilse raced out to the Boat, ignoring the sense of the night surrounding her. Ignoring the oppressive, cloying weight of darkness on her shoulders, the mist over the lake curling toward the house in wisps like the fingers of a ghost.
She flung herself into the front seat of the old Avalon, breathing heavily. One hand jammed the keys into the ignition. But then she paused, staring at the house.
Had she locked?
A small, niggling itch in the back of her mind. The co
