One note: if you wound a perp, don't make the kill shot from point blank range. Step back about four paces and take careful aim, after propping the perp up into an upright position. Then push the corpse to the floor, face forward.
while contriving a story of how the perp fumbled around in the dark
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Like the intruder was following the letter of the law and you just got your lock off quicker than he got his off.
Make sure you have a ‘throw down’ lock to place by his bullet riddled body.