Page 37 (1/2)

Author: Robyn Carr

So this would be it, she thought It was going down She ran for the house and burst into the kitchen where Charlotte and Pilly were cooking Lia at the long table The roo at a table that could comfortably seat twenty to twenty-four Jacob’s dynasty; Jacob’s legacy, down to toent She was panting Charlotte and Pilly looked at her in shock It could have been their surprise at seeing her or maybe surprise at the condition of her face "Jacob kidnapped Mercy I don’t knohat heMercy at his house He’s talking crazy He says the police have blocked the road and he’s not giving up his hoacy if they take hiet the kids out of here"

Charlotte put a hand over her ed "I won’t leave Jacob," she said "He needs me!"

"Needs you?" Laine said "Did he even tell you he had Mercy? Do you even knohat he’s planning? Pilly, I’o," she said indignantly "But he won’t!" And leaving the pan she was stirring on the fire, she storh the back door, headed for Jacob’s house across the river

Laine looked at Charlotte "Take the children, Charlotte I’ll show you the way out--follow the road to the police Jacob said they’re blocking the road"

"What are you going to do?"

"I’et Mercy out of his house I don’t kno, but I’ to try If Pilly won’t take Liam, if she risks her life and her son’s to stand by Jacob in his craziest hour, we have to get the kids out of here" She pulled Liah chair "Charlotte, if you don’t do this, bad things are going to happen Now come with me Come!"

Laine didn’t have wire cutters or tools or weapons, but even though she felt dangerously alone in here, she did have partners She would walk along the fence with Charlotte fro and shaking the fence as she went, and she would undoubtedly find a break in the fence for an eetaway

"How do you know this?" Charlotte asked her

And Laine gave the standard response "Because I was going to go, but Jacob held me captive in his house and I couldn’t leave!"

They left the house from the front door so neither Jacob nor Pilly would see the their trek along the fence, partially concealed by the trees and bushes, when there was a sent and thick smell Laine knehat it was "Holyalong the fence "Hurry! He’s burning everything down!"

They were almost to the river before Laine found a break in the fence She held it open for Charlotte and handed Liah the woods and pasture to the road He’s burning the warehouses and he’ll probably burn everything and if you’re here, you’re in terrible danger Take the baby, hang on to Abe Just go!"

"What will you do? Will you be safe?"

"I’ht now, just go quickly And when you get to the police, tell them who’s left here!"

"Jacob will send the one"

Rawley told Cooper where to park in a small stand of trees near the river He lit out at a pretty fast clip along the riverbank He had his knife strapped to his waist and anchored to his thigh and he carried a rifle

"Rawley, how far?" Devon asked

"I’m not sure, chickadee Just stay on my tail and don’t slip If I have to fish you out, it costs time"

"The odometer said it was six ht shot" Then he stopped, listened, sniffed the air Everyone came to a standstill behind him--first Devon, then Spencer, then Cooper

"What is it?" Devon asked