“Put 911 on your speed dial and make sure your alarm system is on. Get a weapon, if you have one. Then lock yourself in your bedroom with Regina.”
Regina’s house was in one of the wealthiest sections of Portland. One side of the lot was on the river. The rest was surrounded by woods. If Jane Randall was coming for Regina, she had many ways to invade the property.
On the way over, Robin thought about calling 911, but a bad dream didn’t count as an emergency. She decided she would keep watch tonight. If nothing happened, she would talk to Anders and Dillon in the morning about providing protection for Regina and Stanley.
It was a moonless night and it was raining hard. As soon as Robin parked, she called Stanley. “I’m here. Has anything happened?”
“No.”
“That’s good. I hope I’m way off base, but I’m going to patrol the grounds in case I’m not.”
Robin checked her gun, pulled up the hood of her windbreaker, and got out of the car. The rain had eased up, but the wind off the river chilled Robin to the bone. There was nothing to distract her, and it took all her willpower to stay focused.
A little after two, she started to believe that she was on a fool’s errand. Then she saw movement at the edge of the woods on the other side of the house.
Robin speed-dialed Stanley as she ran along the shore. “You’ve got a visitor,” she whispered when he picked up. “Call 911.”
Robin pocketed the phone when she neared the patio in the rear of the house. She held her gun in front of her, peeked around the corner, and scanned the lawn. Nothing. Then she heard a faint noise and looked up. A shadow slithered up the side of the house with the fluid grace of a gymnast. Black clothing rendered her close to invisible.
Robin aimed. “Jane, stop!”
The figure paused.
“Come down now. The police are on the way.”
Randall slipped into the shadows so quickly that Robin didn’t have time to shoot. Robin dashed back to the patio. She shattered the glass in one of the French doors, reached inside, and jerked the door open. The alarm shrieked. She hoped it would unnerve Randall and make her flee.
Randall had gone into the house through the top floor, so Robin raced for the stairs. When she reached the bottom step, she paused and peered into the darkness. The alarm was unsettlingand made it impossible to hear movement. Robin focused on the top of the stairs. When no shot rang out, she climbed cautiously, her gun leading the way.
Halfway up, a figure spun around the banister. Robin dropped just before Randall fired. The air moved as a bullet whizzed by her.
Robin returned fire, hitting the top of the banister. Wood chips flew toward Randall’s face. Robin heard a scream over the blaring of the alarm and saw Randall’s gun fly over the banister. Robin charged up the steps. Randall had a hand pressed to her cheek, and blood was running through her fingers. Robin started to order her to surrender, when Randall swung on the banister and kicked Robin in the chest. Robin’s reflexes saved her from absorbing the full impact, but the blow still sent her tumbling backward. She grabbed the banister to stop her fall, and her gun dropped. Randall’s hand slashed out. Robin saw the knife and twisted away. The blade ripped into her jacket and gashed her forearm.
Fighting was second nature to Robin. She ignored the pain and squared up to face her opponent, the way she’d squared up against her opponents in the octagon. Randall was smaller, but she had the high ground, speed, and the knife. Randall edged down one step so she would be closer to Robin. Robin moved backward. As soon as they were on a flat surface, she would have an advantage.
A leg snapped toward her head with so much speed that Robin had little time to react. She threw a hand up and partially deflected the blow. Then she cried out, pretending she was hurt, and rolled down the stairs and away from the knife. Randall flew off the stairs and aimed a kick at Robin’s chest. Robin grabbed Randall’s ankle and twisted. Randall flew sideways, rolled, and landed on her feet.
Robin stood, turning sideways to make herself a skinny target for the blade. Randall struck. Robin blocked, hitting Randall’swrist before driving her foot into Randall’s left knee. The knee buckled. Randall sagged and Robin smashed a right into her nose. The pain blinded Randall. When her hands flew toward her face, Robin drove a side kick into the injured knee. Randall dropped, but she still gripped her knife in her right hand. Robin drove a roundhouse kick into the side of Randall’s head. The blow stunned her, and the knife dropped to the ground. Robin spun behind her. Moments before she heard the sirens, Robin choked out Randall.
When Robin was certain that Randall was unconscious, she called 911. “This is Robin Lockwood. I’m at Regina Barrister’s house. Stanley Cloud, a former chief justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, just called for help because a burglar broke in. The burglar has been captured and is not a threat. I just heard sirens. Please tell the officers that the situation is under control. I don’t want them to shoot Justice Cloud when he lets them in.
“And please tell Homicide Detectives Carrie Anders and Roger Dillon that Jane Randall has been captured. She’s a fugitive they’ve been looking for.”
As soon as Robin disconnected, she phoned Stanley to tell him that it was safe to come out.
“How is Regina?” Robin asked when the former chief justice appeared at the top of the stairs and the lights came on.
“I calmed her down. The alarm really upset her.”
“She’s not alone. Can you please turn the damn thing off? And you’d better open the door. The police should be outside by now.”
Stanley looked at Randall as he walked by her on the way to the keypad for the security system. Robin took off her jacket and sweatshirt and examined her forearm. It was bleeding, but the cut wasn’t deep. She pressed the sweatshirt against the wound.
The alarm stopped moments before an officer pounded on the door. Stanley opened it and brought two policemen to the bottom of the stairs.
“I’m Robin Lockwood, an attorney.” She pointed at Randall.“This woman is responsible for several murders. You should cuff her. And I need a medic.”
Shortly after Carrie Anders and Roger Dillon had arrived at Regina’s house, Carrie had Robin taken to the hospital with instructions to come to police headquarters the next day to give a detailed statement. Robin was discharged after her wound was treated, and she arrived home a little after four in the morning.