EXTRACT FOR
A Thief in the Night
(Giselle Renarde)

The lock clicked, and Derek sat straight up in bed.  

In Hailey's bed.  

What was that noise?  There??"that noise.  The metallic click, turn, squeak.  The squeal of rusty hinges.  He must be dreaming, or else living out a horror movie.  His heart raced so wildly his breath couldn't keep up.  What was happening, here?

"Hailey."  He found her arm and shook it.  "Hailey.  Wake up.  What was that?"

"Huh?"  She rolled groggily away from him, mumbling words he didn't understand.

When the floorboards creaked, Derek's legs went numb.  He whispered, "Hailey.  Hailey?  Someone's out there.  Someone's here."

Hailey bolted upright beside him, her hair a cloud of kinky curls.  "Shit!  I forgot..."

Creak, creak, creak.

"Forgot?"  Derek became a frightened chipmunk.  He couldn't help it.  "Forgot what?  Forgot to lock the door?"

"No, not that."  She settled into bed and threw off the covers, just enough to reveal her skimpy, silky nightie.  "I forgot it was Thursday.  I should have cancelled, but it's too late now."