Mason had placed one foot on the stairs to the governor’s front door when he heard the gunshot. He didn’t even look at Ray; he simply ran up the steps, pulling out his weapon. “Call for backup!” He hit the front door running.
Locked.
He pounded on the door in frustration. “Police!”
Shit.
He jogged back down the steps and looked up at the big mansion, scanning the windows, wondering where another entrance could be. Ray was on his cell phone, rattling off instructions.
Damn it! They had to check around the side of the home. Mason wished the backup would instantly appear. He jerked his head at Ray and had started to move to the right side of the building when a movement near the front door caught his eye. He stopped. Two wide eyes peered out from a decorative window beside the huge double doors. Mason had already reversed direction back to the doors when he realized it was a child. He lowered his weapon and pulled out his badge to show the child.
The boy vanished.
Mason sprinted up the stairs and pressed his face against the same section of glass and saw a small figure step farther out of his sight. “I’m with the police! I heard the gunshot. Are you hurt?” he hollered at the boy. “Can you open the door?”
The boy stepped back into his line of vision, caution etched in his face. Mason didn’t see any wounds and gave a mental sigh of relief.
“Is everyone okay?”
The boy simply stared at him, and Mason wondered if he could hear. He pressed his badge and ID against the glass. “I’ve called for more police. Can you get the door open?”
The boy still didn’t move. Mason was about to give up and head around the side of the house again when the boy started at something and glanced over his shoulder. A second later, he ran at the door, terror on his face, and Mason could hear him fumbling with the locks.
“He’s letting us in!” he yelled at Ray.
The door opened, and an alarm screeched a warning.
“Jesus Christ.” The sound was worse than a teenager’s car stereo.
The boy shrank back, clearly shaken by the continuous siren.
“Good boy. You did the right thing.”
The kid didn’t look like he believed him, and he put his hands over his ears, his eyes gigantic. Mason wanted to do the same. The squawking split his eardrums.
“Where’s the gunshot? Do you know?” Mason yelled. The boy nodded, spun around, and started to dash away.
“Wait!” Mason grabbed at the boy’s shoulder and tried to lead him out of the house. His first priority was the kid’s safety. The boy fought back.
“My dad’s in there! I can’t leave!”
Mason held tight to the boy’s shirt. “Who’s your dad?”
Ray jogged up the steps, wrapped an arm around the boy’s ribcage, and lifted him up. The boy screamed and kicked as they moved away from the house.
“We’re the police, kid. We’re here to help, and I can’t let you back in where there’re gunshots.” Over the alarm, Ray spoke calmly in the boy’s ear and carried him back to the vehicle. The kid ignored him and proceeded to pound away. On one hand, Mason admired the kid’s smarts for fighting back against strangers; on the other hand, he wanted the kid to shut up and hold still.
“Look in the car,” Ray said to the boy as they neared the car door. “You see all that equipment? We’re police.”
The kid stilled. Ray set him on his feet but kept a firm grip on him.
“That’s better,” Mason said. He squatted down to get on eye level with the boy. Near the car, the alarm sounds were a bit more bearable. “Now, where are the people in the house?”
Dark brown eyes studied Mason. The child was way too serious. “They’re in a dining room. Uncle Michael got shot. He’s bleeding. And my dad was fighting with the ghost. The ghost pushed his gun in my neck.” The boy touched his neck, and Mason saw the red circle. Anger burned in his gut.
“You’re Brian Jacobs,” Mason stated. Ghost? The albino guy? Mr. Tattoo is here?
The boy’s eyes widened, and he nodded. New sirens sounded in the distance. The cavalry was coming. “I want you to stay outside with the other police officers. Ray and I are gonna go get your dad.”
“And Aunt Jamie is hurt. She’s bleeding, too.”
Mason felt a wave of relief that the woman was still alive. But what hell were he and Ray about to walk into?
Two local police units pulled in, lights flashing, sirens adding to the din. Mason took Brian’s hand and led him to the officer stepping out of the car.
“I want two of you with me and—”
“Someone’s coming out!” an officer at the second car yelled.
All the men turned to the house, weapons ready, eyes sharp. Mason pushed Brian behind him and squinted at the figure at the door. It was female.
“We need an ambulance!” Jamie shouted. “At least three!”