Page 78 of Ghost Walk
“He won’t.” Grace tipped a box full of yellowed papers onto the floor. “I’m not going to be here.” Once she had the shawl, she’d be safely back in 1789.
“Donea do this.” Jamie pleaded, an agonized expression on his face. “It’s not worth it.I’mnot worth it.”
“You’re worth everything to me.” She heard Robert coming for her, trying to find her in the maze of shelves. Oh God. Her Keds skidded on the ancient parchments as she worked her way down the row of boxes. For once, she didn’t worry about damaging antiquities. “Ithasto be here.”
“Grace!” Robert shouted, his angry voice creating a terrifying echo. “Where are you, you semi-frigid skank?” Seriously, how could someone be semi-frigidanda skank? The man was a total moron. “I’m going to teach you who you really belong to.”
Jamie was about to lose his mind. “Grace,please!”
Robert rounded the corner of the aisle, his bloodshot gaze siting on her. “Thereyou are.” He snarled, looking nothing like the husband-materially guy he’d pretended to be for so long.
Jamie’s eyes widened in horror.
Robert’s hands went to his belt buckle as he prowled forward. “Nice try, bitch. But now you’ll see who themanisaround here.”
“No, no, no, no, no.” Jamie’s arm came up, trying to shield her. “Grace, where the fuck is the sword?!”
“Ummm…” She looked around, trying to remember. Had she dropped it in all the historical debris? Everything was happening so fast that…
Robert hit her.
Grace fell to the floor, her ears ringing. Whether that was because she’d just been punched in the jaw or because Jamie’s enraged roar was bouncing off the walls at about a million decibels was anyone’s guess. Dots flashed in front of her eyes, as she tried to focus. Robert had just hit her! No one had ever hit Grace before. Her mind was lagging a bit, trying to decide on a course of action through the pain.
Robert was on her before something brilliant came to mind. His body pressed hers into the floor, preventing her from getting free. His stubby fingers ripped at her tour guide outfit, tearing open the Velcro fastenings.
Panic hit Grace with the force of a Mack truck, drowning out everything else. “Jamie!” She had no idea what he could do to save her, but calling for him was instinctive.
“Who the hell is thisJamie?” Robert demanded, giving her a vicious shake. “Are you cheating on me? Huh?”
“I’m here, lass.” Jamie dropped to his knees next to her. “Grace, look at me! Stay calm and look at me!”
She turned her head so she could see him, trying not to sob.
“I’m here.” It was amazing he could keep his voice so calm, when she could see the wildness in his eyes. “I’m right here. Can you use that menstrual cramp spell, again?”
She tried to call on either of the spells she knew, but she was too scared to concentrate on the incantations. Robert was trying to get his pants unzipped and she was about to lose it completely. She shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Jamie, please help me.” It wasn’t fair to ask him, but she couldn’t think straight.
“Fuck!” He looked around and she could see him trying to come up with a plan. He might have been a lacklusterpirate when it came to bloodshed, but all the history books agreed he was a genius at improvising attacks. “Alright.” His face was tortured, but his mind was still in gear. “Alright. I know what to do. Put your hand where mine is.” He flattened his palm on the edge of one of the boxes beside them.
Grace instantly did has he asked. She stopped trying to push Robert away and placed her fingers over Jamie’s instead.
“Good. Now, when he’s above you, pulled it down onto his head.”
The container was made of wood, so it weighed a ton. That plan might just work. Grace seized onto it, because what else could she do? She grabbed hold of the box’s lip and nodded. “Okay.” She swallowed hard. “Okay, I can do this.”
“Damn right you can.” Robert sneered. He fumbled with her skirts, leaning over her. “You’re going to give me everything I…”
Grace yanked at the box with all her might. The heavy wooden crate slammed into his skull, sending him sideways. It didn’t knock him out, but it did get him off of her. Mostly. She pulled herself backwards along the floor, trying to escape the rest of his weight.
“Get up!” Jamie yelled. “Get up and run!”
Blood was pouring down Robert’s temple. “I’m going to kill you!” He screamed, reaching for her again.
Grace’s palm came down on fabric.
Something had come free when the wooden box fell. Something lace. Her gaze went down to it, her lips parting in amazement. The shawl. They’d found it! And just as the rumors said, it was splattered with dark spots that could only be Clara Vance’s blood.
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph…” Jamie whispered, seeing it too and knowing what it was.
