Suddenly Boomer started barking.

Usually it was a car pulling up in the driveway, or maybe the UPS truck, which often came around this time. Sherry wiped her hands on her apron. Maybe Krista had surprised her and gotten there early. She was just the kind to do that.

“Boomer! ” she called excitedly, hurrying to the front door.

She looked, but no one was there.

She didn’t even see the dog anywhere. Not that that mattered-the old boy didn’t go anywhere anymore. He could barely crawl onto his mat and take a nap.

Then she heard a yelp from out back.

“Boomer?”

At his age, Sherry knew a jackrabbit could scare the dog half to death. She left the front door ajar and went back into the kitchen. She wanted to have the pie done by the time the girls arrived. Get that mama into the oven…

As she got back to the table, her eyes were drawn to the floor.

“Boomer!”

The old dog was on his side, panting, unable to move. Sherry ran over and kneeled beside him. “ Poor boy… Not now, baby, I’m not ready for this.” She stroked his face. “Krista and Kayla are on their way…”

She ran her hand along his neck and drew it back, startled.

Warm, sticky blood was all over her palm.

“Boomer, what in God’s name happened?”

Suddenly she heard the shuffle of footsteps from behind her. She looked up.

Someone was there.

A man was in her doorway. He just stood there, leaning on the door frame.

Her heart almost came up her throat when she realized just who it was. It was the man she had seen at Reg’s Market.

A shiver of fear ricocheted through her. What could he possibly be doing here?

She looked at Boomer, the dog’s blood on her hands, and glared back at him. “ What the hell have you done? ”

The man just stood there grinning, leaning against the door. “Hello, Sherry.”