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could be. Gloria was actually lucky that the entire structure hadn’t burned. She would be able to salvage a lot of her kitchen items and maybe even a few personal things although the worst damage had been done to the master bedroom and the spare bedroom next to it. Danny’s had escaped the worst of it because it had been across the hall and next to the bathroom whose contents weren’t as flammable which had worked to retard the spread of the flames. It was unlikely they would be able to move back into the house any time soon, especially since it was a rental and who knew whether or not the landlord had insurance. Julie would be willing to bet that Gloria didn’t.
    Julie snuggled deeper under her comforter. She loved her little house and knew how upset she would be if something catastrophic happened to it. It was over a hundred years old and had been in sad shape when she had bought it three years ago. Nestled in an area of Denver called Park Hill, she had been able to look past the holes in the floor and the water stains on the ceiling to see the potential. Julie had immediately felt a kinship with the structure. She and it had good bones and just needed a little love and attention.
    In the case of the house, it also needed a lot of time and money. Luckily, she had been able to purchase it for practically nothing because it had taken a generous portion of her savings to pay for the repairs. She had hired out the new roof because she wasn’t sure she was ready to risk her life learning how to install shingles. Not that she knew how to do any of the work on the inside. But she had the internet and a friendly staff at the local Lowe’s. It had taken almost a year and a lot of bruises and smashed thumbs. Somehow she had managed to fix the holes in the floors and walls, update the old cabinets with paint and new hardware, repaint everything inside and out and even update her plumbing fixtures. She had figured out how to install tile and refinish the wood floors. All that was left were now new countertops, but that would take a few months of saving since she really wanted granite or one of those stone composites.
    She had gradually collected pieces of furniture for her bedroom, the living room and breakfast/dining area that overlooked a shady backyard. There was no immediate need for furnishing the extra bedroom, so that was put low on the list. But finally she was able to sit back and look around her with a sense of pride and accomplishment. This was the first home that was truly hers, and she loved every inch of it. It was her hideaway, her retreat from all the pain and disappointment of the world outside.
    Julie hadn’t actually met many of the neighbors. The neighborhood had been declining for many years, but it was coming back and had become a highly desirable location, especially for young professionals and families. Since Julie had little in common with either group and her schedule was kind of unpredictable, she wasn’t particularly motivated to mingle with them. Other than a friendly wave in passing or a greeting when they happened to go to their mailboxes at the same time, she hadn’t even spoken to any of them. Which probably made her a bad neighbor, but without kids to play in the yard or dogs to walk, she simply didn’t bump into any of them. Instead, she hurried home to her cozy bungalow and spent most evenings with a good book and occasionally the cat if he chose to stay in.
    Slowly her eyes drifted closed. Inside these walls, surrounded by all her unknown but reputable neighbors, she felt safe.
    On the street outside her house, a vehicle’s engine idled. The windows were fogged from the heat inside fighting the cold outside. A man’s gloved hand wiped a moist circle on the glass. Julie wasn’t as safe as she thought.
     

 
     
    CHAPTER THREE
     
     
    Grocery shopping was one of her least favorite activities, especially on the weekend. Every aisle was filled with oversized baskets and people as anxious