Page 111 of Love Bomb

“No!” Bain roared.

But it was too late.

There was an almighty boom, and dust shot out in a horizontal circle around the base of the folly. The orange floodlights blinked out, leaving the monument in darkness. Then, as if in slow motion, the folly began to crumple inward with a great rumbling roar. In a matter of seconds, all that was left was a huge pile of rubble and a large cloud of dust.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

They were locked in Invertary’s only jail cell.

For a second there, it seemed like Matt was going to arrest everyone who’d been involved in the plot to blow up the folly. In the end, he’d settled for, what he called, the ring leaders. Personally, Bain thought Rona’s parents should have been locked up instead. After all, they were the ones who’d pushed the bloody button.

“It’s fascinating,” Rona said from the cot placed against the opposite wall. “A whole series of expressions just flitted across your face. Are you having an argument with yourself?”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “I should be having an argument with you. Seeing as you’re the reason I’m in here.”

She dismissed his logic with a wave of her hand. “It’s not what I expected,” she said, looking around. “It’s really quite cozy.”

“That’s because Matt made the mistake of letting his wife decorate the cell. If I remember right, she wanted to knock down the wall behind you and make a nook. Nobody was exactly sure why, other than Jena likes to renovate.”

“The pink paint is nice,” Rona said. “Gives the place a cheery feel.”

“I’m sure all the drunks Matt throws in here agree with you,” Bain drawled.

“And I like the knitted blankets.” Rona picked up the one that had been left folded on the bottom of her narrow bed. “The women of Knit or Die are so handy,” she said as she hugged it to her.

Bain had to admit that there was a certain charm to the space. It was also the only cell he’d ever been in that had a feature rug.

“What do you think will happen to us?” Rona asked as she snuggled under the blanket.

Bain would have rather she snuggled him. But Matt had pointed to a camera in the corner of the room and threatened to charge them with indecency if he saw any touching going on. He’d then ordered Rona to her side of the cell, and Bain to his, and told them to stay there.

Matt was a pain in Bain’s arse.

“Well, seeing as nobody was hurt,” Bain said, “and that technically, the explosion was an accident, I don’t think we’ll get charged with reckless endangerment. Whether or not they’ll charge us with destroying a listed building without permission? I guess that’s up to the council.”

Rona perked up some. “Dougal heads up the council and he was all for the demolition, so that could work in our favor.”

“Somehow, I don’t think Dougal is going to get a vote this time,” Bain said.

“I hope we get out of here by breakfast,” Rona said. “Tom Cat will lose his mind if I’m not there to feed him.”

Ah, to hell with this, Bain was already over Matt’s rules. He got up from his own bed, crossed the room and sat beside Rona.

“You’re going to get into trouble,” she warned.

“What’s he going to do?” Bain put an arm around her and was pleased when she snuggled close, spreading the blanket over the two of them. “Put me in jail?”

Rona was right. It was quite cozy in the cell.

“You could have died tonight,” he said, feeling fear surge through him as he spoke.

He wasn’t sure if he’d ever get over the sight of Rona writhing on the floor of the folly, while Sandra stood over her with a knife. And that didn’t even come close to the memory of her beside live explosives. There were so many ways that the night could have ended badly, and he’d never have seen her again.

He held her tight, breathing in her spring flower scent, and thanked God she was still with him.

“Don’t go back to Edinburgh,” he said, threading his fingers through the mass of curls resting on her shoulder. “Stay in Invertary. With me.”

Her breath hitched and she didn’t answer for a beat. “Why?” she said at last.