“I’d answer him if I were you,” Mila said.“He looks pretty mad.”
Chelsea grinned and then her bladder reminded her she’d been heading to the bathroom.She scanned the other shoppers.No sign of Johann.
“He’d tell the police about something I did.”
“Like vandalise my cottages?”Chelsea asked.
Darren squeezed his eyes closed but said nothing.
She turned to Ethan.“I really need to use the bathroom.Can we continue this conversation in a minute?”
He nodded and clapped Darren on the shoulder.“You’re coming with us.”
They all walked over to the bathroom, and Ethan rang Josh.
Chelsea left them to it as she ducked into the small stall.What possible motive could Johann have to send Darren here?It could have waited until they got back to Lilydale.
Outside Ethan yelled something she didn’t quite hear, and then there were pounding footsteps across the loose gravel.“Ethan?”
No answer.Quickly she finished and dashed out of the bathroom.Across the nursery by the main gate, she spotted Ethan tackling Darren to the ground, Mila right behind them.
Darren must have run for it.
She stepped forward and a movement in her periphery caught her attention.Before she turned, pain exploded in her head.
Then everything went black.
***
It was immensely satisfying to tackle Darren to the ground, even though pain shot up Ethan’s body at the jolt.Darren’s body cushioned his fall, and Ethan brought Darren’s hands behind his back to stop him moving further.
“Get off me!”Darren yelled.
“When the police get here.”Ethan glanced up as Mila reached them, gasping for breath.
“What’s going on here?”a nursery worker demanded.
“Citizen’s arrest,” Ethan said.“This man is wanted for vandalism.The police are on their way.”
“Could you move him away from the entrance?You’re scaring away customers.”
Ethan scanned the area to find all eyes were on them.He smiled.“Sure.”He tossed his car keys to Mila.“I’ve got cable ties in the back.Can you grab them?”
He dragged Darren to his feet.What had he hoped to accomplish by running away?The police would have tracked him down at home.
He needed to get back to Chelsea, so she knew it was safe to come outside.He’d yelled at her to stay put when Darren ran.
A quick glance at the bathroom made him freeze.The door was wide open.
Where was Chelsea?
He scanned the nursery looking for her pink shirt, but there was no one who even vaguely resembled her.
“Here.”Mila thrust the cable ties at Ethan and he tied Darren’s hands behind his back as he scanned again to make certain he hadn’t missed her.“Can you see Chelsea?”
“No.”
He dumped Darren to his knees and tied another cable tie around his ankles before grabbing Mila’s hand.“This way.”No way he’d leave Mila alone.If anything happened to her, Dobby would kill him.
