Picnic in Someday Valley (Honey Creek #2)(75)

“Don’t threaten me. Your friend is fine for now. But you’re the only one who can save her. And if you don’t do exactly as I say, she’ll be nothing but ashes when you see her again.

“Pure, proper, Piper Mackenzie is tied to one of your old bar chairs in your trailer. I broke up the other one for firewood that is stacked around her. If you’re not here in ten minutes, I’m going to roast her on a fire like she is nothing more than a little piggy. Since the fire is in the middle of your trailer, it’ll all burn around her.”

Marcie couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move.

“I read in the paper that the mayor has been afraid of flames since she was caught in that fire at city hall. I’m betting she’ll scream real loud as it climbs up to her. She’ll breathe in the smoke first and hot air will make her sweat. Maybe she’ll pass out, but as the fire catches her clothes, I’m betting she’ll wake up. She’ll scream and beg me to help her, poor dear. But I can’t. That was your job. She’ll cuss you for not following orders.

“If you tell anyone, or take time to make a call, she’ll be dead before you get here. Come on home, tramp, where you belong. You’ve been enough trouble to me. The timer on your oven begins NOW.” He yelled the last word as if starting the race.

Marcie heard a muffled scream.

She dropped her phone and ran to her car. She had to save Piper. She was the one who got her friend in this mess.

Memories of Piper being kind to her in grade school flashed in her mind. Piper always stopped to talk to her, even though Marcie was no one and Piper was the mayor.

As she backed away down the drive, she glanced at Brand standing on the porch in his bare feet.

There was no time to explain. He’d try to stop her, or worse, want to go. Leon might kill all three of them then.

Turning onto the road, she took the curves at full speed. All Marcie could think about was getting there in time. Somehow she’d stop the madman. She’d trade her life for Piper’s, if it came to that.

Almost to the paved road she realized she should have yelled at Brand. What would he think? What would he do?

He’d wait for her to come back. He said he’d been waiting for her all his life.

And if she didn’t come back? Tears ran unchecked. He’d said she was his one love. It hurt her more to think that Brand would be forever alone than about what was waiting for her at the trailer.

She’d never be there to sing to Brand. To make love to him. To let him know how much he meant to her.

If Leon cut her and left her alive, she could never come back to Brand. She’d finally be too broken.

There would be no good ending in ten minutes. The best she might do was make herself the only one shattered.





Chapter 49


Colby


Colby McBride sat back down to a meal he could no longer eat. He’d watched Piper drive away and knew there would be no getting back together. It wasn’t fair that they both had to choose.

He took his time drinking his coffee as he tried to figure out if there was one thing he could have done differently. When the crowd waiting for a table began to grow at the front, Colby paid the bill and walked to his bike.

He just sat there for a while, not wanting to leave. Maybe if he tried to talk to her one more time? Would it help if he said “I love you”? She deserved that. She needed to know that it was love from the first. He was just too dumb to see it.

One more try. Give love one more chance. She was worth it. If he walked away now, he’d regret it the rest of his life.

He took the alley to Winston’s place, thinking she’d be with Marcie. But the old guy said they hadn’t seen Piper or Marcie.

She’d had over thirty minutes to get there. Piper must have gone somewhere else.

Colby drove the few blocks to Widows Park, thinking she might have changed her mind about talking to Marcie first. If she was upset, she’d go to her grandmother.

Determined to tell Piper the truth of how he felt, Colby banged on the front door at Widows Park. The sweet little ladies invited him in, but all said they hadn’t seen Piper.

Colby dialed her number. No answer. He tried her office. No answer. Piper’s aunt even tried, thinking that she might be screening her calls.

He tried to remain calm and told the ladies that he must have just missed her. He’d backtrack to the café. Maybe she had a flat in that old van.

The old dears turned into a cheerleading squad. Patting on him. Encouraging him all the way to the porch.

As soon as the widows closed the door, he was running for his Harley. Something was wrong. He could feel it in his bones. Maybe she’s had a wreck.

He drove back toward the café slowly, expecting to find her sitting on the curb waiting for the town’s only tow truck.

The van came into view at the bend in the road. Parked sideways with the door left open and one tire up on the sidewalk.

At the curve he saw something red lying amid the carpet of rusty-brown leaves.

Piper’s shoe.

Colby ran up on the sidewalk and reached for the shoe without climbing off his bike.

Before he could make sense of anything, his phone rang. He thought of not answering it. Nothing was more important to him right now than finding Piper.

Then he saw the number. The one he’d seen in black on a white card.

The ghost.