a male voice called out, as if she were a cat. He started yanking open cupboards on the other side of the kitchen. Ellie’s entire body trembled and her hand clutched the knife hard enough for the wood handle to dig into her palm. She closed her eyes and listened as he slammed things. Suddenly something hit the counter above her. She bit back a moan of terror. Maybe he won’t think to look inside the lower cabinets, she feverishly prayed. Her luck ran out as the cabinet door jerked open next to her. He reached inside and grabbed her left arm. A brutal grasp dragged her out of her hiding spot with one hard yank. “Got you, you little cat bitch.” “I’m not a cat,” she informed him in a shaky voice. “I’m as human as you are.” He jerked her painfully to her feet and glared down at her. He appeared to be in his mid twenties, stood about five foot eight, with a stocky build. A tattoo peeked out from his T-shirt collar. “I don’t care what you are, bitch.
