Page 56 of For Love & Torture
Chapter 25
Grant
Pulling up at 1515 Sparrow Lane, I find the long black car I know belongs to Bart sitting in the driveway of a modest home. Not what one would expect a man who’s worth billions to live in. It’s two in the morning, and the house is dark.
Getting out of my car, I head to the front door. My progress is halted as I hear something running from around the side of the house. I look over and find it’s a German Shepherd whose sights are set on me.
“It’s okay, boy.” I put my hands out slowly to show him I mean him no harm. But he keeps on coming at me full speed, and I know it’s time to run.
Turning around, I haul ass to my car and get inside just in the nick of time, avoiding the sharp teeth of the large animal. It’s odd that he never unleashes so much as one bark, but his eyes are glued on me.
Looking over to the passenger seat where Bell left her purse and cell phone when we went into the club, I wish like hell I could just call her and make sure she’s okay.
I know she’s mad at me for what she saw. Who wouldn’t have been?
But to go with that man of all people… I do not understand that.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see a glowing green light emanating from what must be the backyard, and I watch as the dog leaves my car to go check that out.
Is this my chance to try to get to that front door?
But the dog doesn’t stop me this time. Instead, I stop in my tracks as lightning strikes out from the green light, crashing into the home and engulfing it in flames. Sitting in stunned silence, I watch as the house becomes nothing but a giant ball of fire.
Is she in there?
Neighbors begin to come outside as the sound of the blasts has woken many of them up. One of them, an elderly lady, taps on my window, so I roll it down. “Lightning struck the house. Do you happen to know if anyone is inside?” My heart is telling me Bell isn’t inside. I know she can’t be. I know I’d feel it if she were.
“I saw the car come in, but the man who drives it got into his personal car and left. No one else got out of that car so I don’t think anyone’s home.” She straightens her black curly-haired wig just as the dog comes running back toward my car. “Jasper, you behave yourself.”
“So, you’re familiar with the dog then?” I ask as he comes to her and sits at her feet.
“Yes, the poor thing’s left alone here all the time. I’ve only seen the man who owns the house once when he bought the place.” She pets the dog on the head. “Well, boy, it looks like you get to come home with me until your owner shows up to see what’s happened to his house.”
I notice that even though the dog is good with her, he keeps an eye on me. I’m sure I’d be dog food if I tried to get out of my car. “How long has the man lived here.”
“Oh, not long. About a week. And he’s yet to move anything into the house, which is odd, don’t you think?” She waves at another neighbor and shouts, “It was struck by lightning, this gentleman’s told me. Has anyone called the fire department?”
“I did,” an old man yells back to her.
It’s only then that I notice everyone who lives around this place is elderly. Why would he buy a home in this neighborhood? And why hasn’t he moved anything in?
Nothing is adding up, and it has me feeling even more nervous than I was when I pulled up. “I’ll get out of the way now. Bye.” Rolling the window up, I slowly drive away, leaving behind the only place I thought I’d be able to find Bart Mason.
My head is a mess as I drive aimlessly until I find myself pulling up to Mom and Dad’s place. No one’s here. They all left, and I get out of the car and head inside.
It’s dark, and the smell of Italian food still hangs in the air. I walk over to the couch and fall down on it. Throwing an arm over my eyes, I fight the urge to cry.
Everything is going to hell, and I feel helpless to stop it. It’s like a roller coaster I just want to get off of.
Only a few hours earlier I was having a good time with my family, and Isabel and I were heading toward a real future together. And now here I am alone and afraid of what that man will do to her.
“Please just let her be at a hotel somewhere.”
I went to her place, and of course, she wasn’t there. I stopped by my place to see if she’d gone there to get her things, but she hadn’t. She has nothing with her at all. Just the clothes on her back. No money, no bank cards, nothing. She’s at his mercy, and I know he has none.
Bart Mason has wanted Isabel since the moment he laid eyes on her. And now he has her. Alone.
It’s all a little too convenient. He buys a house in town that he pretends to live in though he obviously doesn’t. And it seems he came straight to the club just after purchasing the home.
