“Put it with his aunt’s necklace and the other stuff in the metal tin, by the creek, on your way back to the hotel. They’ll never find where it’s buried.”
“The rock wall. You’re a genius.” Her words vibrated with enthusiasm.
Enthusiasm that Grace was going to yank from this woman’s heart and give to her brother-in-law, Collin’s, dog as a chew toy. No way could Grace let this woman marry and kill Sam’s brother. It wasn’t happening. She just needed to figure out a plan to get Sam and herself out alive before creating voodoo dolls and turning these two into pincushions. Grace shimmied her dress over her head and slid on her boots.
“Why did you steal the necklace?”
“I wanted it.” Sarah smirked.
She peered over the ledge and watched as Sarah took Sam’s wallet and phone while Steve held the gun on him. “Sarah, you take care of his things while I head to my place to get the kerosene. I’ll take care of this asshole once and for all.”
Sarah and Steve backed away toward the door and out of the barn. The sound of them shoving something against the door to trap Sam and Grace inside filled the silence. Sam met Grace’s gaze as she hurried down from the loft and to his side.
Blood oozed from his chest wound, soaking the fabric of his shirt.
“Tell me what to do,” she begged, glancing around the barn for anything they could use.
“There used to be a first aid kit on the wall. You need to try and patch me up so we can get out of here. I’m sure we don’t have much time before he torches the place.” Sam laid back and held his hand over the wound.
Grace ran to where Sam gestured, grabbed the box, and slid back down beside him. She hurried and used all of the gauze and everything in the box to help stop the bleeding. A doctor she wasn’t, but damn, if her momma hadn’t taught her how to stuff a turkey.
“He locked us in, Grace. We’re going to need to find another way out.”
Grace quickly glanced around the area. There were no windows, no doors other than the one they’d entered, and not even any rotten wood that she could try and pull away. Her gaze landed on the little bit of moonlight that was illuminating the dirt floor. She followed the beam to the rafters.
“I know what to do.”
She hurried up the stairs to the rafters and to the window in time to see Steve pulling a knife out of Sam’s tire and climbing into a dusty truck to drive away.
“He stabbed your tires,” she yelled below.
“Crap,” she heard him exclaim.
Grace walked to the opening and glanced down to the ground. A pile of hay was stacked below. “Hang on, Sam. I can get us out.” She lowered her voice and mumbled, “If I don’t break my neck. This is going to hurt.”
“What are you doing?” Sam hollered.
“Jumping.”
“Have you lost your mind?” he asked.
“I’m so not dressed for this,” she whispered and didn’t offer him an explanation as she sat down at the window with her legs dangling out. Using the traction of her boots, she eased herself out of the opening and slowly lowered herself out the window using her feet as if she were a rock climber.
“Just like Spidey,” she whispered to herself. “Although hand suction would be useful.” The muscles in her arms burned as she tried to hold her weight, thankful for her years as a gymnast. She glanced down at the drop below. She could nail this landing. She’d done it from high beams while flipping in the air, and this was a straight drop.
She took a deep breath and let go, relaxing her muscles to roll when her feet touched the ground. She lay still on the mound, looking up at the stars in the night sky. She’d survived, even if the hay scratched and poked in places that hadn’tseen daylight in years. It was still a win, and she’d take it.
She rolled off the hay until she was standing and hurried around the building. She struggled to move the big board holding the doors closed. Eventually she managed to pull it free and open the door. She hurried inside to help Sam to stand.
“You jumped from the window?” he asked as he pulled a few pieces of hay from her hair.
“Piece of cake. I was a gymnast, remember?”
“Thank God for that,” he said as she moved his good arm over her shoulder to give him some leverage to help him walk.
“How are we going to get help?”
“The neighbor is a doctor. His place is just past the creek. We just need to get to him,” Sam said, gesturing toward the woods.
