Page 58 of Marrying Bonnie

Bonnie’s head throbbed and nausea gripped her stomach as dread worked its way through her body. What was Cabe going to do? She wasn’t about to wait around to see. Instead, she wrestled her hands out of his and dashed for the door and her escape from the garage. She hadn’t gotten halfway there, though, before Cabe reached her and knocked her to the ground. A black ski mask landed on the floor next to her.

Cabe retrieved it and stuffed it into a back pocket. “Oh, no. Not yet, honey. First, you need to set the fire that’ll burn down the garage. You know, to pay Jace back for how poorly he’s treated you.” His face morphed into a dramatic frown. “It’s too bad you weren’t smart enough to get out of the garage before you were trapped inside.”

With one hand holding her wrists and the other pulling her hair, he moved her toward the closet. With a hollow laugh, he shoved her inside and slammed the door behind her.

Bonnie felt her way through the darkness back to the door as something shuffled against it outside. She turned the doorknob and pushed, but something kept it from opening.

Cabe must have blocked it with something.

Foreboding gave way to terror as she threw her body against the door. It made no difference. Tears stung her eyes as the only light in the small closet came from the gap beneath the door. “Don’t do this, Cabe. Look, I’m stuck. Get out of here. You have time to be long gone before anyone else finds me.”God, help me. Please!

Cabe said nothing.

Bonnie listened as he moved things around in the garage. At one point, all was silent, and she thought he might have left. Instead, a strange sound filtered through the door; like liquid being poured from a spout.

Suddenly, the putrid scent of gasoline began to fill the closet. Bonnie’s heart jumped into her throat, and she pounded the door with her fists. “Let me go! Open the door!”

“Not on your life, honey.”

Footsteps retreated. A minute of silence went by and then she saw it: The flickering light below the door that told her Cabe had set the garage on fire just like he’d promised.

Bonnie’s throat went dry as she tried to swallow her fear. “Someone help me!”

Chapter Twenty

Jace spent all Sunday afternoon missing Bonnie like crazy. He’d lost count of how many times he looked out of the upstairs alcove to see if her car was parked outside the garage.

Noel caught him twice and shook her head. “You’ve got it bad, big brother.” She nodded toward the window. “She’ll be back.”

“I know.” The afternoon stretched into evening. Jace busied himself playing with Gunner and then getting him ready for bed. After tucking his son in for the night, he retrieved a book and went to sit in the alcove to wait for Bonnie to get home.

When her car’s headlights first appeared, Jace nearly dropped the book he held. Instead, he set it down and jumped to his feet. He grabbed the baby monitor and went downstairs where Noel was watching television.

“Bonnie just pulled up.” He handed the monitor to Noel. “Will you keep an ear out for Gunner? I’m going to go talk to her.”

“Of course.” She took it and pointed to the door. “I’ll try not to stalk you both while I wait.”

Jace grinned at her and playfully kicked her foot. “I appreciate that.”

He went outside and jogged down the path and around the corner to where Bonnie’s car was parked. Immediately, a dark figure dashed from the garage door and slid across the hood of her car as it ran.

“Stop!” Jace yelled, his deep voice carrying in the windless night. He rounded the back of her car to cut the man off.

The figure hesitated as though he were contemplating his next move. Between the poor lighting from the garage and the ski mask the man wore, it was impossible for Jace to tell who it was. He knew, though, that it had to be the same man who’d routinely caused trouble around the ranch. Jace’s hand moved to touch the gun on his belt. “You aren’t going anywhere.”

The figure straightened a little and a broken laugh came from the mask. “You think you’re in charge, don’t you?”

The voice sent a stab of confusion straight to Jace’s chest. “Cabe?” Surely he wasn’t responsible for all of this. He was Grandpa’s closest friend. “Why are you doing this?”

The man jerked his ski mask off, the anger on his face easily detectable even in the dim lighting. “Because, while you’ve been pampered in your office job, I worked with Jethro side-by-side for nearly thirty years. Because while you only visited once or twice a year, I worked my hands to the bone.” He pointed a finger at Jace. “And how did Jethro reward me when he died? By giving this place to his rich and clueless grandson.” He sneered. “I should’ve gotten this place.” When he laughed, his voice sounded hollow. “Instead, his rich brat of a grandson gets everything handed to him on a silver platter.” He pointed to the garage. “Not this time, though.”

An eerie orange glow lit the windows in the garage as smoke found ways to escape through cracks around the glass.Bonnie!

“It’s too late. Whatever happens, you’re not going to make it to her on time.”

A scream came from the garage. “Help me!”

Bonnie’s voice jolted Jace.

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