Something sharper cut through it next—thin, strained, almost like metal rubbing against metal. Cooper barked once. Brian didn’t move. What was he even listening to? Another long, broken sound rolled out, followed by that same thudding in the background.
Brian hit stop so fast the player jerked across the counter. Silence snapped back into the kitchen. He stood there with one hand still over the buttons, breathing harder than he should have been.