Omens (Cainsville 1)

She's not like us, Livy. She just isn't. Fair or not, you're going to need to be strong enough for two. Can you do that?

"Is Howard still here?" I called.

"Yes."

"Tell him I'll be down in a minute. We'll--"

The crash of breaking glass cut me off.

I threw open my door. A thump from downstairs. I pushed my mother behind me, shielding her.

"Howard?" I yelled.

"They've broken in," my mother whimpered. "Oh my God, they've broken in."

"They're journalists, Mum, not a lynch mob. No matter how badly they want the story, they won't break in to get it. Just hold tight."

I started for the stairs.

She grabbed my arm. "Don't leave me here."

"Okay, then stay right behind me--" Damn it, that wouldn't work, either. While I was sure we hadn't been invaded by crazed paparazzi, I wasn't taking my mother downstairs until I knew what was going on.

"Howard?" I called from the top of the steps.

He appeared at the bottom. "They broke a pane in the French doors to the patio." His face was calm, but his voice quavered. "I think it was an accident. They were jostling to get a picture and a pane broke."

"Okay, so have you called--?"

A shout from below. So loud and clear that I froze.

"Are they inside?"

"No, no. They're just shouting for you through the broken pane. They want you to make a statement. In my professional opinion, I don't think you should speak to them."

"Good, because I'm not going to. Have you called the police?"

"I don't want to raise a fuss," my mother murmured behind me.

"There are people in our backyard, Mum. I'm raising as big a fuss as I can. Call the police now, Howard. We're going to stay up here until someone comes."

Howard made the call. I heard him speaking into the phone, then his voice got loud. "When you have someone free? Maybe I'm not making myself clear. Mrs. Lena Taylor--who is a generous donor to your force's annual fund-raiser--is under siege, with hooligans breaking her windows."

Hooligans? That made it sound like some kid jumped the fence and tossed a rock.

"Wait here," I said to my mother. "I'll handle this."

Chapter Six

My mother chirped in protest but stayed on the top step as I descended. When I got to the bottom, I saw three faces plastered to the broken patio door, like kids trying to catch a glimpse of an R-rated movie.

A burst of flashes blinded me.

"Ms. Jones?"

"Olivia?"

Shit. Okay, not my brightest move. I retreated out of sight.