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Grace went with James down the stairs, feeling petrified but not wanting Jackson to get hurt. Where is everyone else? she wondered, looking around the dark buildings. Should she take a chance and run or would James shoot her? She wasn’t ready to die. She would just have to count on the men to save her.
James dragged her by the arm down the street and shoved her into a little white car that she recognized as Kelly’s. This was her worst nightmare being with James again. Kelly was a spoiled person but she never would have thought she’d go this far just to get back at her.
“Where are we going?” she whispered, shaking from fear and looking into the dark streets but seeing no one around. The town was eerily quiet and empty. She couldn’t panic if she wanted to get out of this alive and she did. She had a wonderful family and boyfriend, she just had to keep her wits and stay calm.
James started the car and shrugged. “Who knows? Far from here so we can start our lives together. I know you love me, Grace. I didn’t mean to hurt you before but you made me mad by ignoring me. Just behave yourself and I won’t have to hurt you. I don’t want to. I love you.”
Grace wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes,
praying for someone to hurry up and catch them before he drove too far. They were still on the main street of town. Grace reached in her pocket and felt Jackson’s cell phone, remembering she hadn’t given it back to him after talking to Hannah earlier. All she needed was an opportunity to use it and call for help. James was concentrating on the road. It was dark and he wasn’t used to driving down such dim country roads.
“The roads all look alike and would it kill them to light up the streets a little?” James grumbled, looking into the darkness and not paying attention to her. She looked out the window, trying to come up with a plan.
“This road doesn’t lead to out of town, James. You’re going toward the ranches and it’s all gravel roads going who knows where.” She told him, recognizing they weren’t too far from the Lazy J. “Turn around and go back the other way or we’ll get lost.”
“Shit!” James said, slowing the car down and looking down the dark gravel road undecided. “How do I know you’re not lying to me?”
“Because I don’t want to be lost out here in the dark. It’s scary. I’ve never been away from town,” she answered him. She knew she was close to Jackson’s house. Maybe she could jump out and make a run for it. Were there wild animals out here? She had never thought to ask. Why hadn’t she asked?
James thought for a moment and started to turn the car around. When he slowed down Grace opened her door and jumped out, falling on her knees in the gravel but getting back up and running. She ran into the dark fields toward the trees. She heard James yelling loudly and giving chase. Her knees hurt but she kept going. She needed a good hiding place to stop and call for help. She saw a small hill with a huge tree trunk. She sat behind the trunk, out of view and tried to slow her breathing down. Her chest hurt from all the running. Grace sat and listened for a moment and couldn’t hear any footsteps or James yelling. Maybe she lost him. It really was dark out here and she prayed there were no wild animals around, only bunnies or something equally cute. She took out the cell phone and dialed Hannah’s number since it was on speed dial.
“Grace?” Hannah answered. “What’s wrong?”
“Thank God, Hannah,” Grace whispered, her voice breaking from the tears clogging her throat. “James kidnapped me. Call for help. I jumped out of the car and I’m somewhere by your house but I don’t know where exactly. It’s so dark and I’m scared.” She could hear Hannah telling Ida to call Ben and Jackson.
“Ida is calling Ben right now. Stay calm, Grace. I know it’s dark, but look around you. Is there any clue of where you are?” Hannah said in a calm voice.
Grace looked around. “No, I’m hiding behind a tree trunk on a hill and I hear water. Am I by the creek?”
“Yes!” Hannah said excitedly. “I’ve hid behind that tree trunk when playing with Ben and Jack. I’m getting the horse and coming for you, Gracie. Hang on.”
“No, Hannah. James is out here with a gun. Wait for the sheriff,” Grace said, feeling terrified. If something happened to Hannah she’d never get over it.
Hannah snorted. “My gun is bigger,” she said hanging up the phone and heading to the barn for Goldie and her rifle.
* * * *
“What?” Ben yelled loudly into his cell phone and gave Jackson a mean look. “Just so you know, I am killing your sister.”
Jackson arched his eyebrow and looked at his friend and then at Billy who shrugged in confusion. Deputy Warren had taken a hysterical Kelly to jail before Jackson could strangle her for her part in all this and they set off to find James and Grace, knowing Kelly had given him her car, too.
“That was your aunt. That idiot James went the wrong way, toward your house, and Grace jumped out of the car and called Hannah for help. Now your crazy sister took Goldie and is going to rescue Grace all by herself.”
“What!” Jackson yelled, jumping in his truck and starting it up, feeling the panic rise in him. “You won’t have to kill her, Ben, I will!”
The three of them jumped in Jackson’s truck and Ben told him where the girls were hiding, muttering about crazy women all the way.
“When this is all over your sister and I are having a long talk about our relationship, Jack,” Ben said in a voice that invited no arguments.
Jackson just nodded and agreed.
* * * *
Grace was too scared to move until she heard Goldie’s neigh and galloping footsteps. She peeked over the tree trunk and saw Hannah. Hannah spotted her and Grace’s eyes widened at the rifle Hannah had in her hand. Hannah looked like some western outlaw of times past with her long blonde hair flying behind her like a golden cape and a rifle in one hand.
Grace got up and ran over to the horse. Hannah leaned down and grabbed Grace’s hand and pulled her up on Goldie.
“You are one crazy girl, Hannah Hawthorne,” Grace whispered softly, hanging on for dear life. “But I am so glad to see you. I wasn’t sure if James would find me or some wild animal would eat me. Do you have wild animals here?”
