InSight

her neck enough for her to suck in a breath of air.
    Whispering, he said, “ Shhh , or your dog is dead. Understand?”
    She nodded, and he slid his hand from her mouth. She gasped another pocket of air. Then another. He stroked his fingers over the contour of her chin and neck, over her breasts, and down the front of her body. She shoved him away, shivering. He snorted.
    Neither moved until he backed away, one step at a time. The fading sound of his footsteps retreating into the house.
    Then nothing. She tried to cry out, but her voice came out in a raspy sob. She didn’t doubt for a second that if she screamed, Cloveman would return and kill Daisy with pleasure while she listened helplessly.
    The front door opened, then slammed shut, and the night’s silence roared once more. She took a step but lost her sense of her surroundings, as if she were levitating in space, her internal compass devoid its magnetic field. That hadn’t happened since the beginning, when space was a black hole, swallowing her into its emptiness. She reeled from the alien effect but regained her balance when she heard Daisy’s pitiful whine.
    “Daisy, talk to me, baby. I’m here, talk to me. Tell me where you are.” Still lightheaded, she took tiny, careful steps toward her dog’s whimper, wishing she had her cane. About five feet inside the backstretch of fence, her foot touched Daisy’s body and she fell down beside her.
    The hair on her dog’s neck felt warm and sticky. “Oh, my God, Daisy.” Abby patted her way to what felt like a gash on the side of Daisy’s head. “It’s all right, girl, it’s all right. I’m going inside to call the police. I’ll be right back.” She rubbed her friend’s neck, then backed off, afraid of aggravating a wound she couldn’t see.
    Retracing her steps along the fence, adrenaline pumping, she reached the sliding glass door. What if the door slamming was a ploy and he waited inside? But why? He could have killed her outside if he wanted to. Why didn’t he go out the way he came, through the garden gate? She couldn’t think about that now. She didn’t care. She rushed through the patio door to the phone and punched 911, explaining the situation and begging them to send someone immediately.
    She needed to get back to Daisy, make her feel safe, even if she didn’t feel that way herself. Working her way back along the fence, she judged Daisy’s location perfectly and sat down on the grass beside her and spoke soft, soothing words.
    Sobs of relief erupted when she heard the police car pull up in front of the house, but her pride wouldn’t let them see her falling apart. She wiped away the tears and called to them. The intruder must have unlocked the front door to get out. She hoped he hadn’t locked it when he left. They knocked and she shouted for them to come in. “I’m out here.”
    “Why is it dark in here?” one of the officers asked.
    “The emergency operator reported a blind occupant,” the other answered.
    “In the back yard,” she directed them. “Someone broke in and hurt my dog. We have to get her to the emergency vet. Please, hurry.”
    “Mick, see if there’s an outdoor light.”
    “There is,” Abby yelled. “To the left of the patio door.” She heard the officers approach.
    “Jesus, she’s hurt bad, miss. Do you have a blanket or a large towel?”
    “There’s a blanket on the sofa. Hurry.”
    Abby heard the familiar voice of Pete Valkonis inside the house. “What happened here?”
    One of the officers went to the door and explained the situation. “It’s Pete Valkonis, Dr. Gallant.” He approached and stooped down.
    “Detective, I’m so glad you’re here.”
    “I heard dispatch radio that someone was attacked this address. I was on this side of town and got here as fast as I could. I drove around, but I didn’t see anyone.”
    He helped her up and they walked inside while one of the officers took Daisy. Valkonis touched her arm. “What happened? Your neck is bruised.” Abby explained the last half hour, leaving out her attacker’s sexual fondling.
    “You need to see a doctor.”
    “I’m okay, really. But Daisy isn’t. I need to go with her, please.”
    “The officers are taking her to the emergency vet now. You come in the car with me.”
    Abby touched her throat. “Why would anyone do this?”
    “Any idea who it was?”
    “No, he didn’t say much, and what he did say, he whispered. I thought he was going to kill me. Then he left