Home Invasion Read Online Free PDF Page A

because I was anxious about the game. More because I was sure Clay was about to ask me another dumb question.
    â€œThat’s called an assist, right?”
    I was thinking about telling him he could assist me by shutting up, when the screen went blank. My first thought was that the picture tube had blown. But then this lady news reporter with wavy black hair suddenly appeared on the screen. At least the TV was
    still working. “We regret having to interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you this news alert,” she said in a tense-sounding voice. “We have breaking news about Montreal’s home invader — news we believe our viewers need to know.”
    â€œNews we believe our viewers need to know,” I said, imitating the woman’s voice. Why couldn’t they break the news after the game?
    â€œShh,” Clay said, without looking at me. “This sounds serious.”
    â€œMontreal Daily News — the city’s premier news station — has learned that the home invader struck again two hours ago. Preliminary reports indicate the home invader broke into a home in Monkland Village in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce at about 4:15 PM.”
    â€œMonkland Village,” Clay said, whistling. “This guy’s in our neck of the woods now.”
    â€œIt is still not clear how the home invader managed to gain entrance into the house, a gray brick bungalow near the corner of Sherbrooke Street West and Madison Avenue,” continued the broadcaster.
    You could tell from the glassy look in the reporter’s eyes that she was reading off a TelePrompTer. “What is clear,” she added, “is that the home invader ambushed the house’s residents—a thirty-four-year-old woman and her six-year-old daughter—tied them up and ransacked the home, stealing a portable computer and DVD player, as well as items of jewelry. The home invader is believed to have escaped on foot.
    â€œBoth victims are in hospital, where they are being treated for trauma. But MontrealDaily News has managed to obtain an interview with a neighbor.”
    The neighbor had white hair and a long face like a horse. “I had no idea anything was wrong until the husband came home at around six. We were chatting while he was waiting for his wife to answer the door. He started to get nervous when she didn’t come. She always answers the door. In the end, he let himself in. About five minutes later, I heard sirens. He must have phoned the police. They took the woman and the little girl to the hospital. They’re nice, quiet people. I don’t know why someone would do something like this.” The old guy’s face was turning red, and he was starting to sound out of breath. You could tell he wasn’t used to talking so much.
    I couldn’t help shivering when the camera focused on the street where the family lived. I recognized the huge weeping willow tree at the corner. I passed that corner every day on my way to the community center.
    The reporter’s face popped back on the screen. “Montreal Daily News — the city’s premier news station —”
    â€œDon’t you wish they’d stop saying that?” I asked Clay.
    â€œâ€” now brings you Professor Andrew Tourneau, a professor of criminology at McGill University. What can you tell us, Professor Tourneau, about the kind of person who’d invade homes? Who’d take pleasure in terrorizing innocent citizens?” continued the reporter.
    Professor Tourneau looked exactly as you’d expect a professor to look. He had a big mop of messy hair like Albert Einstein’s, wire-rimmed glasses, and he was wearing a tweed blazer. “You have hit the nail on the head, Miss,” he told the reporter. “A home invader is someone who takes pleasure in terrorizing others. The home invader may be motivated partly by greed — after all, he steals computers and stereo equipment and