Ever since that thief fiasco at Rosalynn's, Karina had been on high alert.

Was there a thief lurking?

She'd upgraded the lock to a smart one. Any intruder would set off her phone alarm. But there'd been no alarms today.

So, what about those gloves?

With Haleigh alone at home, Karina couldn't brush it off.

Trading her shoes for slippers, Karina searched for a weapon, settling on a high heel.

The place was eerily quiet. Dark thoughts crept in.

Her biggest fear was that Haleigh was hurt.

She had vowed to protect her, for Barlow's sake. Failing Haleigh would be failing Barlow.

Creeping into the living room, she found it empty. The bedrooms were also clear.

Then, a faint noise from the bathroom caught her ear.

Karina's heart raced, clutching her high heels tight.

Was the thief in the bathroom?

Tense, she crept toward the bathroom door, silent as a ghost.

It'd be a relief if she was just overthinking it.

What if it was just Haleigh?

Karina braced herself, waiting outside the closed door. Then, the door creaked open. Someone emerged.

Karina pressed against the wall, holding her breath.

The person who came out was not Haleigh, but a man!

Karina's eyes widened. She swung her high heels, aiming for his head.