Chapter 6 - Beneath the Floorboards
The front door knob rattled violently, then held firm—Lauren had locked the deadbolt the moment she entered.
"Open the door, Lauren!" Trevor’s voice boomed through the solid wood, accompanied by the dull strike of steel against the frame. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be. Just give me the drive and the notebook, and we can figure this out!"
Lauren didn't answer. Panic threatened to freeze her, but Axel nudged her hand sharply with his snout, bringing her back to reality. The retired K9’s posture was fully transformed: his legs were wide, his head was low, and a deep, guttural vibration rumbled in his chest. He was no longer a frail, retired dog; he was on duty.
Lauren grabbed the flash drive and the black notebook. She tucked the drive into the small leather pouch attached to Axel’s working harness, which still bore her father’s brass badge. She crammed the notebook into her coat pocket.
The back door, she thought. If I can reach the old barn, I can lock myself in the tack room and call Deputy Miller.
The front door splintered with a loud crack as Trevor forced the frame with the crowbar. Lauren sprinted down the back hallway toward the kitchen. Axel bounded beside her, ignoring the stiffness in his joints, driven purely by the instinct forged over years of high-stakes service.
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She threw open the back door just as Trevor burst into the living room. Cold air hit her face as she ran down the steps into the snow-dusted backyard, her white wedding dress trailing through the frost.
"Lauren!" Trevor yelled behind her, his heavy steps pounding across the porch.
