Page 50 of Maggie’s Match

“Attempted murder,” Rick said with a slur.

“Right,” Bridget said, then she pulled out her phone and stepped out into the hallway.

“Someone really locked you inside?” Bent asked.

“There were two of them. One waited until I went inside the front and locked the door behind me. The other went out the back after setting the blaze. They must have used some sort of accelerant. When he threw the lighter, the blast blew me off my feet.” Rick said.

“Lighter?” Bent frowned. “Like, a cigarette lighter?”

“Yeah, but a silver one. The old-fashioned kind.”

Rick was quiet for a while, and Maggie was just wondering if he’d fallen asleep when he said. “What about all those cameras that we put up? Wouldn’t they have caught whoever it was?”

“They ones on the feed barn are probably all burned up now,” Bent said.

“Right, the cameras are, but the data will still be there.” Rick glanced around. “Did my phone survive?”

“We haven’t seen it,” Maggie answered.

“Here, I downloaded the app too.” Bent motioned to his pockets. Becca walked over and pulled his phone out of his shirt pocket.

“Unlock code?” Becca asked Bent, who gave her the four digits for their mother’s birthday.

“That’s so sweet. You love your mommy,” Becca teased.

“Later, when my hands are healed, I’ll get you back.” Bent chuckled, and Becca stuck her tongue out at her brother.

Bent walked her through the steps of logging into the app and scrolling through the videos.

“Here, there’s several from tonight.” Becca watched the screen and then her eyes grew large. She turned the screen to everyone in the room.

Maggie gasped when she saw Sheriff Matthew Tillerson standing in the back doorway of the barn. He tossed the lighter inside, starting the blaze. Then Becca changed to a different view, and they all watched Royce shut and lock the door behind Rick, a mad look in his eyes and a huge smile on his lips.

Chapter Eighteen

Rick slept like the dead. He could hear voices coming and going. At one point he registered his parents’ voices, then his sister’s, then several of his cousins.

When he woke next, the room was quiet and dark. Maybe that’s what had woken him?

“I’m here,” Maggie said when he looked around the room. She appeared in front of him and then helped him raise the bed up until he felt comfortable looking around the empty room.

There were flowers, balloons, and stupid-looking stuffed animals that he was sure his sister and cousins had purchased just for him to laugh at.

“I thought I heard my family?” he asked.

“You did, but it’s two in the morning. They’re all at my aunt and uncle’s place getting some rest.” She sat beside him. “Want some water?” she asked, holding up a glass with a straw.

He took a sip and then another, before coughing several times.

“Good?” she asked, and he nodded.

“Food?” he asked, unsure if he could have any.

“I’ll ask the nurse.” She hit the call button on his bed. “How are you feeling?” she asked while they waited.

“Rested.” He looked at his hands and legs. “And feeling as if they overdid the gauze.” He held up his left hand and wiggled his digits. He smiled when it didn’t cause much pain. “I don’t think it’s as bad as it looks.”

Then he moved his left leg and winced. “Okay, that probably is as bad as it looks.” Then he moved his wrist and sighed. “This too.”