Nothing Happened But Then....

So the other night there were armed, violent criminals in the area and the doors got locked.  About 10:45, the wife gets her rifle and goes to take the In-laws' dog back to their house down the hill and I climb into bed. A few minutes later, she bursts back into the house telling me that the lights were on (the inlaws were gone at the time) and there was someone in the house.

Sh!t.

Now the picture that should go on our Christmas cards.  I jump up and throw on my boots. Unlaced.  Old tshirt and my '#1 Dad' (fathers day gift) PJ pants, grab the AK and run down there. Didn't see anything in the house and all the cats are mellow. I send in the dog.  He goes in and lays down. OK. Unlikely there's anyone in there but I go through the house room by room clearing it anyway. Thankfully nothing. The wife had left the lights on and the movement she saw was likely one of the cats.  I was shaking the whole time but all the Army and 'tactical' training kicked in along w/ a few gallons of adrenaline. Needless to say it took me awhile to settle back down.

The next day rumors were flying.  Half a dozen spottings of them all over the place, a murder involved, etc. They were caught in Kentucky later in the day.

Then came reports of an attempted child abduction in the next town.

What a wonderful time to be alive.