Page 111 of The Moment They Can Never Forgive
The drive home was quiet, the air cooler now as the sun dipped low. Leah parked and then went inside. After grabbing Benny’s kibble from the kitchen, she then headed out the back door to his run.
Happy,she thought. It had been a while in coming, but today, she felt happy and knew her uncle and Hudson were the same. Coming back to Lyntacky had been the right move.
“Hey, troublemaker,” she murmured, letting Benny out the gate. He turned in circles, tail wagging, and then shot off in the direction of the barns.
“Benny, get back here!” Leah followed. She wanted to feed him and then head back to the after match celebrations. Back to Dan. The thought of him had her giggling like a schoolkid.Her man.
She heard Benny’s high-pitched barking.He’s probably cornered something. She hoped it wasn’t vicious.
He wasn’t in the first three barns, and to her surprise, the last was open, when she knew the sheriffs department had wanted it to stay locked.Something didn’t feel right.
She stepped inside and saw that the door to the hidden room was open. Where was Benny? A yelp had her creeping closer, and then he was there at her feet, turning circles. She pulled out her phone and brought up Dan’s number.
“Drop it.”
She turned and found Grill behind her. He had a gun. Moving her fingers over the screen, Leah hoped she was pressing the Call button.
“I said drop the phone, now.”
She did, at her feet.
“Where is it?”
Big, dangerous, and angry,she thought. This man smelled of desperation. He’d lost everything and was cornered.
“Looking for something, Grill?” she said, forcing her voice steady.
“You know damn well what I’m looking for,” Grill said, stepping closer. “Money. That safe is empty. Where is it?”
“The feds have it,” Leah said. “How did you know it was there?”
“Because I put it there,” he snarled. “It was where I stored my money after your idiot father was jailed.”
It wasn’t her dad’s money. She wasn’t sure why that relieved her, but it did.
“Where is it?” he hissed.
“I just told you where. The feds have it,” Leah repeated, wondering how she was going to get away from this guy.
His hand shot out, and he gripped her arm hard. “Then you’re gonna get me something else. Cash. Jewelry. I don’t care. Now, and then I’m leaving.”
“I don’t have anything.”
“You better hope that’s not true.”
Leah wanted to look down at her phone but couldn’t risk it.
“What will you do with me?”
“Nothing, if you give me what I want, if not….” He let the words fall away.
Please help me, Dan.
“Move.” Grill shoved her up the porch steps so hard, she stumbled against the doorframe. “Inside,” he barked.
Her breath came fast, but she forced her legs to move, stepping into the kitchen of the home she’d never loved… until now. Benny darted past her, nails skittering on the wood floor, growling deep in his chest.
“Quiet that mutt down,” Grill ordered.
