Matt’s eyes remained fixed on Audrey. He tried to convey confidence and hope, but they got swallowed up in the dire circumstances of the moment. The blade across her throat threatened to terminate her life and that of their unborn child. He had never known what it felt like to be powerless. But he estimated that the feelings coursing through him that moment provided a close approximation to how it felt.

Suddenly, the woman holding Audrey pulled her into the bedroom and shut the door.

Ma...