"They're going to have to come through the kitchen door and go through you to do it, because until we have a better idea of what we're dealing with, I don't plan on leaving the house unless you're walking me up to the library." It was the best plan Isabel had to keep him safe for the time being. "So unless you plan on leaving me here alone, I think I'm pretty safe."

"Just twenty-four hours," she said quietly. "That's all I'm asking. Let's try and get a handle on what this is first."