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Then it didn t matter who he was. She raised the poker again. He ducked away, in the process releasing the child. Megan grabbed Bonnie and thrust the girl behind her.
"Get out!" she screamed at the man. "Go away!" She hit lim again and again until he stumbled out the window and
made his way down a ladder. She kept screaming, even after he'd run mto the forest.
Only then did the fear swamp her, leaving her shaken. Her teeth chattered and her legs refused to support her. She had to hold on to the window frame for balance. After catching her breath, she pushed the ladder hard so it slowly moved away from the house and crashed to the ground. She closed the window and then turned toward Bonnie.
The little girl huddled in a corner of the room, sobbing wildly. Megan dropped the poker and hurried to her.
"Hush, honey, she said, pulling her close and holding on tight. Bonnie trembled in her embrace. "I know you're scared, but it's all right now. You're safe."
"H-he s-said he was gonna h-hurt me," Bonnie whimpered, clinging to her.
"It's over. You're fine, honey. You're with me, now." Megan stroked Bonnie's back and arms, then smoothed the child's hair away from her face. "Come on, we're going to go to my room and stay in my bed. We'll be together. He won't come back."
Bonnie continued to hold on to her, so Megan picked her up and carried her down the hall to her bedroom. She closed the door and locked it, then set Bonnie on the bed. After settling her under the covers, Megan sat next to her with heri back against the headboard. She leaned over and opened the nightstand drawer. Her father had left her capable of taking care of more than the store. He'd left her able to protect herself. She pulled out a derringer.
The small pistol was cold and deadly looking in her hand, but she was prepared to use it. Megan put her arm around the girl and fixed her gaze on her locked door. No one was going to hurt Bonnie. Not while she had any say in the matter.
A thousand questions filled her mind. Who would try to take Bonnie, and why? It didn't make sense. She wasn't a danger to anyone. She had no family, she didn't know anyone except for a few people in town. There had to be a mistake. But the man must have known he was kidnapping a child.
She caught her breath. Kidnapping! Was that it? Had someone tried to take Bonnie and nold her hostage? Was the man really interested in money?
"Megan?"
"Yes, dear?"
"Are you really gonna shoot him if he comes back for me?"
She thought about lying, but knew she couldn't. "Yes, Bonnie, I am."
"Fm glad." The girl sniffed. "The bad man scared me."
"I know, but I promise to keep you safe. Always."
Bonnie was quiet for a moment, then she spoke again. "Are you my mama now, Megan?"
"I suppose I am." She gave her a quick smile, then returned her attention to the door.
"Fm glad," Bonnie said softly and snuggled close.
"Me, too," she whispered back. "Try to sleep, honey. I'll be right here."
Bonnie took a deep breath and relaxed. Megan fought against the emotions roiling inside of her. The little girl trusted her with her life. It was a big responsibility, but she wouldn't give it away for anything. Reactions fron* what had just happened kept rippling through her as her body trembled and her mouth grew dry. She wanted to run and hide with Bonnie, but it was the middle of the night and thev had nowhere to go. Town meant walking through the woods and that was the direction the man had gone. Better for them to stay in the house until daylight, then make their way to safety.
An hour before the sun crept over the horizon to begin the day, Bonnie fell asleep. But Megan didn't dare close her eyes. Still staring at her door, she prayed Justin would return to them quickly. She needed him to help keep their child safe.
Justin rode into Landing shortly before noon. He stared
at the familiar buildings, nodded as people waved and called
out greetings and wondered why he was fool enough to think
jjhe was going to miss this place when they ran him out of
town.
He squinted up at the bright sun and figured he'd be gone
Jbefore nightfall. He would be lucky to get away without a
5 lynching. But he'd done what he'd set out to da He'd found
the killer.
Even now he couldn't believe it. The answer was so obvious, once he knew who it was. He'd been right. Laurie had been killed by someone she knew; the same man who'd tried to kill her when she'd told him she was pregnant.
