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There was a murmur of agreement from the other townspeople.

Their cellphones were not working.

“None of them—none of them are?” I cried.

They shook their heads, looking down at their phones in consternation.

What had Saul done to the phone line?

Had he somehow locked my cozy little mountain town away from the rest of the world? Would I look over and he’d put huge gates around the town, trapping me here?

But no gates.

Turning, I ran out and down the street.

Was there a light on in City Hall?

Was the Sheriff there?

My lungs bursting, I shot in the door.

Saul wasn’t back yet, and who knew how long I’d have?

Sheriff McGinty was leaning back in his chair, going through paperwork.

Thank the Eye!

“Please,” I gasped, panting with anticipation, tasting my freedom on my tongue. “Help me! I’m still in danger! Please!”

Sheriff McGinty would know what to do.

Now he would know all about Saul’s crimes.

“Grace? What’s wrong?”

The Sheriff hurried over to me, hand on his gun. His stern but kind face looked anxious, and I could feel my fear melting away.

I had every confidence he could help me figure out what to do.

“It’s my—husband,” I gasped. “That big—man you put in jail. He broke out. Surely you saw that! He has been controlling me. He forced me to marry him, and I need your help to escape!”

The Sheriff stopped in his tracks, and I saw a muscle twitch in his jaw.

He looked at me with those eyes, scratching his thick gray beard.

“Honey, you should—go back to your house. You look tired.”

“Why?” I demanded. “I’m telling you this man kidnapped me and is holding me hostage! You must help me! I think he’s got a tracker in my car, so can you take me in yours to the next town over so I can report him?”

He swallowed.

I had seen our Sheriff as so decisive and firm in the past.

But now, he wasn’t.

“Did you have a lovers’ quarrel? It’s—important not to let one fight ruin a perfectly good marriage,” he said, sounding kind of stiff and strange.

Rage threatened to choke me as he patted my shoulder reassuringly. All the rage I had never been allowed to express or articulate before.