Page 2 of Taken Away

“Lord help me. Mary Lou’s going to pretend this one scandalized her.”

Thunder rolled across the mountains.

Flipping the book over, she shook her head at the shirtless cowboy on the back.

“As if she and June aren't the ones voting for them.”

A heavy thud sounded outside. Rain lashed the windows.“Storm’s got everybody worked up tonight,” she murmured.

She switched off the kitchen lights and headed upstairs.

The house creaked around her as she climbed. Shadows stretched beneath the wall sconces.

Halfway up, she paused.

Listened.

Nothing.

Only the grandfather clock downstairs ticking out the seconds in the quiet house.

Mabel continued upstairs.

Her bedroom overlooked the vineyards, though tonight the windows reflected only her room and the occasional flash of lightning.

She slipped beneath the blankets and opened her book.

She read the same paragraph three times without absorbing a word.

Downstairs, Moose barked again.

Harder now.

Then came a violent impact against the mudroom door.

Mabel sat upright.

“Moose?”

No answer.

Then—

A sound.

Soft.

Close.

Not downstairs.

Inside the house.

Mabel turned toward the bedroom door.

Another faint noise followed.

A scrape.