Chapter 46
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
Emelia watched Stacy get closer and closer to Tim.
She had no idea what Stacy was doing, but she’d play along, keep Tim occupied. If Stacy lucked out and knocked him unconscious, they could escape.
Although she had no idea where they were. She’d been unconscious most of the time that they were traveling.
“Are you going to sign?”
Emelia was pulled back from her thoughts. “What?”
“Are you going to sign the bakery over to me?”
Stacy crept closer.
“Why do you want it so bad?” Emelia thought it was a reasonable question. Apparently, Tim didn’t. She didn’t see his fist coming and couldn’t avoid it. The pain. The chair almost tipped over. Thankfully, it didn’t. She swallowed hard, tried not to cry. For some reason, Emelia thought Tim would get off on it if she did.
Stacy was almost behind Tim. She pulled back her arm to take a swing.
Emelia held her breath.
Please work. She wasn’t a violent person, but the position she was in meant life or death—hers.
Stacy’s arm was in the air, ready to strike.
Tim hadn’t moved.
This was it.
Like a snake in the grass, he turned and sucker-punched Stacy in the gut. She dropped the rock, fell to the ground, gulping for air.
“You stupid bitch,” Tim yelled. “All you had to do was stay here and collect your money.”
He stared at Stacy gripping her stomach and crying. Then, in a violent fit of temper, he kicked her again and again.
Emelia screamed.
Stacy tried to avoid the kicks, but she couldn’t.
“Please, please stop,” Emelia begged.
Finally, Tim’s energy was depleted. He stared at Stacy for a moment, then found another piece of rope, hog-tied and then threw her screaming into the corner.
He turned to Emelia and smiled. “Ah, that felt good. Now, girly, I’m kinda hungry. Too much exercise.” Tim laughed like he made the funniest joke ever. “Why don’t you two get comfy while I go get something to eat?”
Tim walked to the corner where Stacy was sobbing and kicked her again. “I’ll deal with you later.” He scooched down. “As for your brother? I’m calling the authorities. Back to jail for him. I save some money. You, on the other hand, will never get to say goodbye.”
He chuckled all the way out of the cabin. The bile in Emelia’s stomach threatened to erupt. The perspiration was pouring off her face. She couldn’t bear to look at Stacy, although she felt sorry that she didn’t succeed in hitting Tim—but the betrayal. All this for what? So her brother didn’t go to jail. Big deal.
What about their lives?