"What was that?" he asked.

"I don't know." I headed for the stairs, but Bill grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

"Hold up, let me go first."

I rolled my eyes, but I allowed him to take the lead.

We saw Nubia sitting on the floor rubbing her knee. The screen was pushed up in the window above her, and she had knocked over a flowerpot that contained a half-dead rubber plant.

She had sneaked into the house.

"Nubia." I headed over to help her up, ...