When All My Dreams Come True (37 page)

Bobbie’s anger flared at his cocky attitude. She resisted the urge to give him a kick and send him rolling in the dirt.

When he turned and walked away, Bobbie struggled to get loose. The rope bit into her flesh with each twist and tug. The pain grew too great for her to continue.

Grant bent down and removed the hobbles from the stallion. He’d put the horse out there as a lure. The fact that it had worked tore at her insides.

He returned and tied the stallion near her. “Let’s see. I believe your horse is tied on the other side of these trees.” He winked. “Don’t get up. I’ll get him for you.”

Grant’s laughter drifted back to her, and Bobbie wanted to scream. He returned with his horse and Mack, then squatted next to her and untied the rope.

Grant clicked his tongue. “You should have known better, Bobbie. You can’t get away from me again. Now, your pretty wrists are all red and raw. Such a shame.”

He lifted her from the ground and set her on Mack. Bobbie glanced around and toyed with the idea of spurring Mack into a gallop. How far would she get?

Grant spat in the dirt. “Don’t even think about it.”

He took the reins, climbed onto his saddle, and leaned to untie the stallion. He appeared to be enjoying the power he held over her, taking his time as he led them along the tree line.

“Where are we going?”

“My cabin. And don’t be asking a lot of questions.”

“Where is it?”

“Up ahead a ways.” Grant glared at her. “Now, be quiet!”

“Why’d you steal Jace’s horse?”

“It got you here, didn’t it?” He laughed. “I knew you or Jace would come for it. If it was you, I knew Jace would come after you. I needed to kill ya both, and you fell right into my plans.”

“Why do you need to kill me?”

“Wouldn’t have to if you’d kept your nose out of our business.”

“So it
is
you that worked with Will and Coop.”

“Nope. They worked for me.”

Bobbie mulled that over. How had Coop managed to fall in with such a wicked man? “Why do you need to kill Jace?”

“I’ll explain the rest when I’m good and ready. Now just shut up.”

The man was maddening—and scary. He led them through another set of trees. Up ahead, a shack sat framed by wild shrubbery. They stopped in front of it. He pulled her from the saddle and steadied her when she almost fell. He pulled her into the shack and shoved her against the wall.

“Don’t move.”

A match flared, and the flickering light allowed her to catch a glimpse of this man’s home. She shuddered. Filth filled every corner, and cobwebs draped the windows. He lit a lantern and turned the flame high. The furnishings were meager with only a cookstove, cot, and a small table with two chairs. A pole in the center of the room
seemed to sprout from the floor and ran all the way to the roof. Was that all that kept the roof from falling in on them?

Grant grabbed her arm, led her to the pole, and shoved her to the floor. He untied her wrists, only to wrap her arms around the pole before retying her. At least this time, her arms were in front of her, though it didn’t give her anything to lean against.

At first Bobbie thought she sat on a dirt floor, but when she scuffed at it with her boot, she found wood that hadn’t been swept in a long time. She imagined all the critters that could be crawling through the grime and shuddered at the thought of them crawling on her.

Grant lit the stove. At first Bobbie thought that odd. The smoke would lead Jace right to them. Then she realized that’s what Grant wanted. He’d already admitted he wanted to kill them both.

He opened the door. “I’m going out to unsaddle the horses. Try not to miss me.” The door slammed shut.

She tested the ropes to see if she could get free. If this man didn’t kill her, Jace would for disobeying his request not to leave the ranch.

Jace crossed the bridge and rode up toward the barn. How good it felt to be home. They’d finished checking the property, which meant no more long days in the saddle. The head count of his cattle was better than he expected, but it still fell short of what he figured he would need.

He dismounted and looked around for Bobbie. When he didn’t see her, he entered the barn. He didn’t find her there either. Something didn’t feel right. He headed back out to find Beans.

“Jace!”

He turned to see Sonny hobbling toward him. “Have you seen Bobbie?” The look on Sonny’s face didn’t ease his worry.

“The stallion’s gone. I think she went after it.”

“What?”

“I hollered at her to stop. I guess she didn’t hear me.”

“Which way did she go?”

“Into the mountains.”

Jace ran for his horse and climbed into the saddle.
The mountains!
He stared down at Sonny, who turned and pointed.

“Straight across the flat.” Sonny looked back up at him. “Take someone with ya, Jace. It’s too dangerous out there.”

Jace shook his head. “Bobbie’s gone and you’re laid up. I need some men here to watch the ranch. Send David into town for the sheriff. When they get here, tell Morgan to follow me.” He spun his horse around. “But I’m not waiting. Bobbie may need me.”

He heeled his horse into a gallop. There was so much territory to cover, and dark would fall before long. He managed to spot some tracks and knew he was still headed in the right direction. Jace sent a steady stream of prayers heavenward, begging God to watch over Bobbie and that he would find her unharmed.

   TWENTY-NINE   

U
ncontrollable shivers woke Bobbie. Her thin coat did little to ward off the chill of the night air. The shack didn’t help much, either. Moonlight filtered through the rafters, and broken panes lined the windows. She glanced at the stove giving off very little heat as it coughed and smoldered out thick black smoke. Bobbie struggled to rub her face with her arm. Dirt from the floor clung to her cheek. She couldn’t believe she’d fallen asleep.

The lantern still glowed from its perch on the table. Grant Wilcox stood at one of the two windows. He looked at her when she stirred, but turned back to his vigil.

“So, why do you want to kill Jace?”

“You’ll learn everything when he gets here. Besides, your nosiness got you into trouble in the first place. Maybe you better shut up before you find yourself worse off.”

Bobbie didn’t know how it could get much worse. Her stomach rumbled. She tried to ignore it. “What time is it?”

“The sun will be up soon.”

Bits of grit scraped against her teeth. “Can I have some water, Grant?”

“I ain’t leaving this spot.”

Bobbie stared at Grant’s back. He had to want Jace pretty bad to sit perched at a window all night. The fight they’d had the day Jace fired
him wouldn’t have been enough to cause this kind of wrath. What could have happened between the two of them? She squirmed to find a position to get the blood flowing back into her aching muscles.

“Uh...I could really use the privy right now.”

Grant growled and approached her. “I don’t have a privy. You’ll have to use that pot over there.” He motioned to a corner with his head as he untied her. He stood and pointed his pistol at her. “Hurry up about it.”

Bobbie looked from him to the pot and back again.
He intends to watch me?
“Uh...”

“Oh, for pity’s sake.” He strode to the cot and flipped it on its side. “Squat back there. It’s the best you get.”

She wasted no time arguing. When she finished her business, he motioned her back to the pole and tied her to it again. With a tiny bit of wriggling, she managed to position her feet under her—far more comfortable than the hard wooden floor. She said another prayer for Jace’s safety.

Outside, the sky grew brighter. Odd that it should dawn another day just like any other. Why had God allowed this to happen? She tried to remember some of the verses she and Annie had memorized together. They weren’t coming to her. One said something about God’s ways being higher. Was that right?

She had asked Annie how she could trust a God who allowed bad things to happen to His children. Annie grabbed her Bible and showed her a couple verses. Annie did that often. The Bible seemed to have an answer for every one of her questions. Not only did that amaze her, it gave a feeling of peace and security. It was as though God knew all man’s questions before they asked and put the answers in His Word.

How did those trust verses go again? She smiled as it came to her.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart
. She couldn’t remember all the middle part, but it ended with something about God directing her path. And He’d sure done that for her. Pastor Robbins had said
something about trouble making some people bitter and others better. She put herself in the latter category since she’d come so far in her battle with distrust.
Okay, Lord. I’m trusting You. Whatever happens, I know Your hand is in it
.

“What’re you grinnin’ at?”

Bobbie looked at Grant. “I’m smiling because God is so good. Even in tough times, we can feel peace and joy in the knowledge that He loves us.”

Grant’s nose wrinkled in a sneer. “Don’t start preaching to me. I’ve had a belly full of those lies.” He patted the barrel of his rifle. “This is my peacemaker.”

The horses snorted, and one of them whinnied. Grant jumped off his chair, causing it to topple, and peered out the window.

“I’m smarter than you, Jace Kincaid,” he whispered.

He raised his rifle and aimed it out the window.