Placing the key in the lock and giving it a firm turn, the noise of the latch giving way was a welcome sound. Hearing the slight strain as the door gave way, for the first time since Ashlyn opened her eyes this morning, her muscles relaxed. She was home. Her sanctuary, her fortress.
Stepping in and placing her bag on the partition that served as a divider separating the kitchen from the entranceway, something was wrong. The intuition developed from her years of duty screamed, and that one moment of muscle relaxation was immediately replaced with an adrenaline surge. Using muscle memory, Ashlyn quickly and stealthily unholstered her g*n and pointed it at any area that her field of vision fell, checking behind the door that was just opened and the corners of the walkway. Satisfied, he
