Page 20 of The Moment He Saw Her

How was it these people knew who she was when she’d never met them before and only arrived in town a few hours ago?

Libby sat and ate for as long as she could, lingering over her coffee. And then, when Cherry started wiping down the tables, she handed over some of her precious money to pay for the meal.

“Do you know where Bob’s garage is? I left something in my car that I need,” Libby said.

“Sure. Take the first left. You can’t miss it. There’s a big sign.”

“Thanks.”

It was colder outside now that night was approaching, and the fear that was always close to the surface began to claw at her again. She could pull out her phone and call Nancy from the card she’d given Libby or any of the other people who had offered their help.

Stubborn pride was a dangerous thing, Libby thought as she kept walking. But for so long she’d been supported and wanted for nothing; she needed to prove to herself she could survive alone.

Turning left, Libby walked until she found the sign for Bob’s garage. It was closed up tight, as expected at this time of the day. Walking around to the back, she nearly cried with relief when she saw her car parked beside three others.

Libby was always super cautious, and she’d had a spare key cut. Pulling it out of her bag, she hurried to the door. Getting in the back with her suitcase, she opened it and took out anything warm she could put on. When she was wearing two sweaters, her jacket, two pairs of socks, a scarf, and a hat, she zipped it up and put it in the front seat.

Libby then set the alarm on her phone for early because the humiliation of Bob the mechanic arriving to find her was something she would not face. She then lay down and let herself cry for the first time that day.

Life had been exactly where she’d wanted it to be a few weeks ago, and now she didn’t know her next move, and Libby liked to be in control. Andrew’s last words to her had changed everything because suddenly he’d put doubts in her head. Big enough doubts that she’d opened the door in her wedding dress and run out of that church and not looked back.

She’d gone to the hotel they were to stay in that night and changed. Grabbing her overnight bag, she’d then fled with her wedding dress under one arm and her suitcase in the other hand.

Just thinking about her ex made her warmer. Rage filled her body over what he’d asked her to do.

Libby had then rented a car for the month, and not stopped driving until she was tired. She then slept, and when she woke, she drove again. But today she’d had to stop because the car had died, and her money had run out because her father had cancelled her cards.

A small voice inside her said, “Just go home,” but she tamped it down. Libby hadn’t known she had the strength inside her she’d found in the last two weeks.

The roar of engines had her lifting her head. Rubbing a small hole in the misted window, she watched two motorcycles come toward her car. Libby slid back down again and held her breath for no other reason than suddenly she was terrified and doubting her decision for independence.

Nope! That rat deserved to be humiliated for what he did to me.

“No one’s here. Open it and get the parts you need.”

Were they going to steal from Bob? Libby didn’t know the man, but still, she surely couldn’t just lie here and let them do that. She looked out of her small peephole again. Both men had parked their motorcycles and were now standing before the roller doors. They were big, dressed in black with leather vests. Squinting, she tried to make out what the words on the back said.

“There may be an alarm.”

“Well, be fucking quick about it.”

Or leave?Libby voted for her last option.

The low hum of another engine had her sliding lower on the seat. Had Bob come back to work for something? Would these men hurt him? Pulling out her cell phone, she got ready to call the cops if trouble started.

“What the fuck are you two doing here?”

Ryder?Was that his voice? She looked out the window again. That was Ryder’s pickup and him getting out of it.

Stay in the vehicle!Libby screamed silently.

“None of your damned business, Duke,” one of the bikers snarled. “Get out of here, or we’ll make you.”

“It’s my damned business if you’re planning on doing something that may harm a friend.”

“No friends with you now, Duke. In fact, you’re all alone,” one of the bikers said, and Libby did not like his tone.

Drive away, Ryder.She had a bad feeling about this.

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