Page 105 of Suncatcher

Movement caught her eye. This room wasn’t empty. In the corner, a woman huddled, her eyes wide with terror as she stared at Pearl and the man above her. Cecilia.

In the other room, the front door opened.

“Welcome, Commissioner,” Mayor Brooks said. “Thank you for meeting me on such short notice.”

“What’s this all about? I’m a busy man, Brooks.”

At the sound of the new voice, Cecilia let out a whimper of distress, shifting, until a second revolver was drawn and pointed at her. “You too,” their captor hissed, and she stilled.

“I was hoping to discuss the company’s planned new station and route,” Mayor Brooks said.

“And I’ve already told you, that decision is still being made.”

“Is it? Because I heard you had settled on one. A bad one. But I do believe I have some things to share with you that will help expedite a change in plan. I’m expecting another guest shortly. How’s your lovely wife? Cecilia, right?”

“She is very well,” the commissioner said stiffly, and Pearl glanced at the young lady.

“May I offer you a drink?”

The minutes that passed dragged, made of a thousand breaths until the pounding drum of more hooves shook the ground.

“Ah, that’ll be—” Mayor Brooks’ announcement was interrupted by the bang of a door rattling off its hinges.

“Where is she?” Sheriff Oak snarled.

The child in Pearl sighed in relief. Her mother was here. And the rational adult in her tensed with terror.

The final words Pearl spoke to her couldn’t be those ones of anger.

She looked at the terrified Cecilia tied in the corner, and the weapon still trained on her. If Pearl moved and fought, it wasn’t only herself she would be risking.

“Sheriff Oak,” the commissioner said, sounding startled. “Lower your weapon at once.”

“When I get my daughter back. Where is she, Brooks? She one of the three hiding in that room?”

“Thanks so much for joining us. I see you received my note.”

“I’ve got this place surrounded. Hand her over and I might let you live.”

“So dramatic. Don’t worry. Your Princess Pea is unharmed.”

“Prove it. You have to the count of three. One. Two.”

“Very well.” Mayor Brooks was still entirely calm. “Geoff, bring our guests out, please. Both of them.”

The man finally removed his bony knee from Pearl’s back and stood, the weapon remaining aimed at her. “Up,” he bit out. “And you.” He gestured at Cecilia.

Pearl struggled to get her bare feet under her, swaying dangerously into the wall. The next time she kidnapped anyone from their bed, she’d remember to grab their teeth and their boots.

The door swung open, and Pearl’s gaze skipped over the middle-aged commissioner and locked with her mother’s, whose rifle shifted to Geoff. Her eyes glittered, a smudge of blight at her lip.

“Cecilia!” the commissioner yelped, taking a step forward, but Sheriff Langly stopped him. “What’s the meaning of this?”

“A bit of insurance,” Sheriff Langly said easily. “I’m sure you understand.”

“You’re supposed to uphold the law!”

“We are the law out here, Commissioner. Best you learn that.”