Page 60 of Bridles and Bribery

The fact that Jillian had started off the day tired made her feel even more on edge. It had been impossible to fall asleep the night before her son was supposed to have been kidnapped. Even though Dave had figured out the Prophet’s identity and assured her the guy was harmless, somethingstill felt off about today. Ominous. Like the calm before a storm.

Eloise peeked her head through the nursery door to give Jillian and Bo an adoring look. She pressed a hand to her heart and blew them a kiss.

Jillian smiled back at her. She secretly found it hilarious that the tiny baby in her arms had reduced her sassy mother-in-law to such a pile of mush. She didn’t blame her one bit. Bo had transformed both her and Dave’s hearts into the same melty mush.

The drone of the motor grew louder, making her smile slip. It sounded like one of the neighbor kids on a dirt bike. She scowled at the only window, wishing she’d taken the time to shut it before rocking Bo to sleep.

Eloise must have read her thoughts, because she tiptoed into the room, making a silent beeline for the window. No sooner did she peek through the glass than she abruptly swung back around. “Follow me,” she ordered in a low, terse voice that made Bo squirm and let out a whimper.

She dashed like a mad woman around the room, grabbing diapers, blankets, and wet wipes.

“What’s going on?” Jillian hissed, surprised that her mother-in-law had forgotten to whisper.

“We have company!” Eloise snapped her fingers in agitation, waving Jillian frenziedly toward the door. “We need to move. Now!” Her voice rose in alarm.

Jillian moved. She followed her mother-in-law to the master bedroom, her heart thumping with trepidation as they continued into the walk-in closet.

“Come on! Come on! Come on!” A package of wet wipes slid from Eloise’s grasp as she fumbled for the buttonhidden inside the rosette on the dressing mirror. She found it, and the door to the safe room popped open.

“In you go, my dears!” She swung her right arm like a windmill, waving Jillian and the baby through first. Then she hopped after them, kicking the package of wet wipes like a soccer player trying to score a goal. Dropping everything in her arms into the nearest chair, she spun around to secure the door behind them.

Jillian stood in the middle of the safe room, trembling as silence settled over the room.

Bo gave another disgruntled whimper before snuggling against her shoulder and neck once again.

Jillian sought out her mother-in-law’s gaze over his soft, silky head. “What sort of company?” she whispered.

“The uninvited kind.” Eloise paced the tiny room. Or tried to. It wasn’t really big enough for pacing. “There are two people headed our way on a four-wheeler. Riding straight across Edward’s back pasture. He’s gonna have their heads if they leave ruts.”

Jillian’s lips tightened in irritation. “Did you recognize them?” The moment she had a name, she was going to file a complaint with the homeowner’s association. Edward’s empty back pasture was not going to turn into the neighborhood hangout for kids on ATVs and dirt bikes. Not during Bo’s nap time, at any rate!

Before Eloise could answer, an explosion shook the floor beneath them.

Baby Bo awoke with a startled squawk and started bawling at the top of his lungs.

Eloise leaped Jillian’s way to throw her arms around them, praying for protection almost as loudly as Bo was howling.

Despite the waves of terror rolling through her, Jillianfound comfort in the sound of her mother-in-law’s voice. It was the first time she’d ever heard her pray.

A second explosion shook the small room, making Eloise pray all the harder.

Help us, Lord!Jillian’s dazed brain added her own silent plea to the much louder one her mother-in-law was sending heavenward, hoping it wasn’t the last thing she would ever hear.

Chapter 10: Tricky Ride

The vibrations stopped, and stillness settled over the safe room. It was punctuated by snuffling whimpers from Bo, who wasn’t near ready to forgive the noisy, jarring interruptions to his nap.

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Jillian crooned in a shaky, singsong voice. She hoped she wasn’t lying to him.

She slid weakly to her knees on the floor.

Eloise slid down beside her. They remained huddled together on the floor for several minutes, panting out breathless assurances to little Bo.

“Whatever is going on out there,” Jillian quavered, “you got us to safety just in time, Eloise.”

“The worst of it appears to be over,” her mother-in-law agreed hoarsely.

Though the door was sealed tight, the smell of smoke seeped into the room.

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