Page 71 of To Hold and Protect

“I want my daddy.” She tried to fight harder, and she tried to stay awake, but her arms were so heavy, and her eyes so sleepy.

“That’s right, go to sleep, my precious little girl. Mommy’s going to take care of you.”

I don’t have a mommy, Everly thought as sleep took her.

Unable to fall asleep, Willow went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Since she was up, she grabbed her laptop and started on a list of things she needed to do. First was to decide where to go and then find a short-term rental. Would she prefer the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf? Before she decided to buy, she’d spend some time in a few beach locations in both North Carolina and the Florida Panhandle. She was really lucky in that she could work from anywhere.

As she made her list, she tried not to think of Parker, but her mind apparently had a mind of its own. She thought a few words about Simone that should get her mouth washed out with soap. If not for that woman, Parker might be open to seeing where things could go between them. She got why he was gun-shy, and she especially got that Everly had to come first. She respected him for that last one, but damn it, she’d be a great mother to Everly.

She was going to miss them both, and she was afraid that this ache in her chest wasn’t going away anytime soon. All the more reason to leave now and start working on getting over the man and his daughter.

The doorbell rang, and then someone pounded on the door. It was past midnight, and no one should be banging on her door. Was it Parker? Was something wrong? She ran to the door and put her eye to the peephole. What she saw sent her heart to her stomach.

The woman every law enforcement officer in Marsville was looking for stood on her porch holding Everly as if she was no more valuable than a sack of potatoes. Willow so did not want to open the door, but how could she not? This couldn’t be good. She bowed her head, took a deep breath as she called up all the courage and bravery that she hoped was inside her, and pulled the door open.

She should have called the police before opening the door, she realized too late, but seeing Everly slung over the dangerous woman’s shoulder like a limp rag doll had caused her to act without thinking. Plus, her phone was upstairs in her bedroom, and she wouldn’t have taken the time to go get it anyway. Not with Everly being held by a deranged woman.

“Give her to me,” Willow demanded, because the best thing was not to let this woman—Cassandra? Crystal?—know she was terrified out of her mind. For herself, yes, but she didn’t count, not when a woman who wasn’t in her right mind had Everly. Parker’s little girl was all that mattered.

The woman lifted Everly from her shoulder and held her out. “She’s all yours.” After dumping Everly in Willow’s arms, she pushed her way inside. The strong smell of gasoline assaulted Willow’s nose.

“Get out,” Willow said as soon as Everly was safe in her arms. How was Everly sleeping through this?

Cassandra/Crystal laughed. “You’re not calling the shots here.” She reached behind her, and when her hand appeared again, a gun was in it. “Here’s how this is going to work. You’re going to write a letter admitting that you’ve been setting fires.”

Willow scowled. “I’m not doing any such thing.” Keeping her eyes on the gun, she backed up to the sofa. “I’m going to put her down here.” She was banking on the out of sight, out of mind theory, making Everly safer.

“Whatever.” The woman waved the gun around. “Then write the damn confession.”

The way she was handling the gun made Willow nervous. It could easily go off, being handled like that. After lowering Everly to the cushion, she frowned. Everly wasn’t just asleep, she was out cold. Her breathing seemed okay, but Willow wasn’t a nurse or doctor. “What did you do to her?”

“Just a little something to make her sleep.”

“I’m taking her to a doctor.” Willow slid her arms under Everly, then screeched when a gunshot filled the air. She spun. “Are you crazy?”

The woman shrugged. “Not any crazier than most people.” She pointed the gun at Everly. “Unless you want me to shoot her, write the damn letter.”

“No one will believe it.” She moved so that she blocked Everly from the woman.

“Why not? You’re new in town, the fires started around the time you arrived. You even burned up your own car to shift suspicion away from you. Clever that.” She nodded to herself. “That’s good actually. Put that in the letter.”

“What’s your name?” The blonde, blue-eyed woman was beautiful, but the unholy light in her eyes sent chills up Willow’s spine.

“Doesn’t matter. We’re not going to get chummy.”

“Fine, I’ll just call you Bitch.”

Her face turned red. “You do, and I’ll shoot you. You already know it’s Cassandra, so stop playing games.”

“Well, you said it was Cassandra at Fanny’s shop, except I think I’ll call you Crystal.” She probably shouldn’t be baiting the woman, but it was satisfying to see the surprise on her face. “How do you think this is going to end, Crystal?”

“It’s simple, really. You’re going to confess to the fires, including Parker’s studio, which is burning up right now—”

“What?” She took a step to go look out the back door.

Crystal fired another shot at the ceiling. “You’re testing my patience.”

“At least let me call and report the fire.” Her stomach rolled at knowing all of Parker’s art was burning up. He’d worked so hard to get ready for his show.

---