Page 54 of Honeycombs & Homecomings

“Allie’s been kidnapped,” she said.

Cash slowly pushed away from the desk. “I’m sorry, what?”

She wrung her hands together. “She called me this afternoon. Apparently, her loser fiancé took out a loan with some loan sharks, and when they came to collect, they couldn’t find him and took her instead.”

The muscles in Cash’s body all seemed to tense at the same moment, his hands clenched into fists. “Do they want a ransom?”

Allie shook her head. “No, at least, I don’t think so. Allie seemed kind of taken with them, and not at all afraid. She just said that I needed to meet her at the festival tonight near the corn maze—that she had it all covered.”

His blond brow furrowed as he thought. “Have you told the sheriff?”

She moved a step closer to him, hands up in a stopping motion. “No, no, we can’t. She told me not to tell them. She said the loan sharks didn’t like guns. I don’t know if it was a threat, but I can’t risk it.”

Cash breathed out slowly and stepped closer to her, taking her hands in his. A sense of calm came over her. “If these guys want to hurt her or you, we can’t do this alone. What if I can get the deputies there or near, without giving away what’s going on?”

Jo tried to ignore the tingles running up and down her body. This was Allie’s life here. Her best friend, business partner, the fun-loving imp to her strait-laced scamp. But this was also Cash standing in front of her. If anyone knew how important Allie was to her, it was him. He’d been a part of their group; he’d been one of them.

“Allie doesn’t get hurt?” Jo asked.

“Not if I can help it.” He moved a little closer until he had her hands in his pressed between them. “Do you trust me?”

Did she? The answer came immediately. “Yes.”

***

Allie sat on the backseat of Henry’s large SUV with Honey in her lap, Jason driving, and Greg picking the music—she’d piled their costumes for the festival tonight on the seat behind her. They’d passed into the town limits of Harvest Ranch five minutes ago, and she could already see the Ferris wheel in the distance.

Tony would be in there now, waiting for her to arrive. This morning they’d let her call him. He hadn’t answered, but when she’d left a voice mail telling him she’d negotiated down his debt and to call her back, he had within a minute.

“Mon amor,” he’d said the moment she’d answered. “Are you all right?”

She’d rolled her eyes. Partially at his use of Portuguese, and partially at his question. He had to have known she was with Henry this whole time and hadn’t seemed to care so much about her safety until now. She spoke, making herself sound as teary as possible. “Yes, I think so. This whole experience has been so harrowing.”

“Minha luz, I’m so sorry I got you caught up in this,” Tony said. “I never meant for that to happen. I swear. Can you forgive me?”

She grit her teeth. “Of course! I just want to come home. I miss you so much.” It was all she could do not to gag.

“What do I need to do?”

“They sold my engagement ring,” she said, and sniffled for effect. “They said that was enough of a down payment for now, and promised that as long as you met them face to face and promised to get them half of what they’re owed by the end of the month, they’ll let me go.”

“They said that?” Tony asked, his tone filled with skepticism.

“Tony!” Allie wailed. “They’re holding me hostage.”

“You are right,” he said. “I’ll meet them. When and where?”

She sniffled again. “Nine tonight at the festival, we’ll be in front of the corn maze.”

“I’ll be there,” he said. “You can count on me. I love you.”

Responding had been like swallowing a can of tacks mixed with vinegar. “I love you, too.”

She wanted nothing to do with him, but she wasn’t going to let him get the tar beat out of him either. So, she told Henry to have Jason and Greg stop at the pawnshop on the way into town. She’d sell her ring, give the money to the sharks, and then when they contacted Tony, she’d break up with him before recommending he sell his stupid car to pay off the rest of the money he owed.

Jason pulled up in front of the pawnshop, and Allie jumped out, Honey on her heels, and Jason and Greg acting like sentinels by the front door. She marched up to the counter where Tim sat. She and Jo knew him well. He came in every other week to buy honey—his favorite was the mint, but he liked all the flavors. Allie was sure he was their best customer. He had his hair pulled back in a small braid at his neck.

He glanced up and smiled. “So, you got the money?”

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