Page 79 of A Curse On Black Lake (Black Lake Gothic Cowboys #1)

Chapter fifty-nine

Eliana

We don’t have the money. I swipe the frustrated tears from my cheeks and take a deep breath.

The bank — I can go to the bank and beg them to give me a personal loan. I’ll worry about paying it later when he’s out.

Heading back into town, I go straight to the only bank in Black Lake. There’s one person at the counter, and to my right is a man sitting behind a desk typing into a computer.

There’s a sign next to his desk that says, Ask me about a personal loan.

Here goes nothing.

“Excuse me, I am interested in a personal loan.”

He looks up from his screen and inspects me like I’m an annoying child.

I have to be nice. If I piss someone off, that could mean I don’t get the money.

I smile softly, and he huffs, gesturing for me to sit.

Forcing myself not to roll my eyes, I sit down in front of him.

“What can I help you with?”

“I was interested in securing a personal loan,” I repeat.

“Great, and do you have a healthy credit score?” he asks.

“No, I don’t have a credit card,” I tell him.

“I see, and how much would you like to apply for?”

“Four hundred and eighty-five thousand dollars.”

His eyes widen, and he bursts into laughter. “Without a credit score or anything to use as collateral, we won’t be able to provide that amount of money,” he says.

“What about my land?” I ask him.

“You’re that Greer girl, right?” he asks.

I smile and swallow my irritation.

“How much is the Greer land worth?” he asks.

My stomach rolls, and my very soul hurts at the thought of losing what’s been in my family for generations. But what choice do I have? I need this money.

“I’m not sure.”

“Well, you could get it appraised and then come back,” he says.

“I need the money today,” I tell him.

He laughs again. “Yeah, that’s not happening. Appraisals can take up to a month. We don’t exactly have a thriving real estate market in Black Lake. Appraisers have to come into town to do it.”

“Please,” I beg. “Please give me another option.”

“There isn’t one,” he states.

I blink, trying to keep the frustrated tears at bay.

“Thank you for your time,” I rasp and dash out of the bank across the street to the Sheriff’s Department.

Overwhelmed is not the word I would use to describe how I’m feeling right now — I’m beyond it.

Part of me is numb, and I’m on autopilot trying to find a way through the maze that has become my life.

Yet, I’m constantly trying not to break down and fall into a puddle of hyperventilating tears. I need to talk to him. I miss him.

I was hoping I wouldn’t have to use my back-up plan and post Killian’s bail, but that’s not an option anymore. Setting myself up as bait last night didn’t work, but I’ve had more time to think of a plan B. And this one includes actually catching the man who has done all of this.

Going from never having experienced anything until Killian, to not being able to wrap my arms around his strong frame is like sinking into Black Lake with no hope of coming up for air. I didn’t realize I’d become so reliant.

The station is busier during the daytime, and I find Virginia Livingston sitting at the desk this time. “I’d like to speak to Killian Lennox, please,” I tell her.

She frowns and flips a few pages in her book. “He’s not—”

“Eliana, my office, now,” Wyatt yells.

I glance at Virginia, and she shrugs.

I finger Grams’s necklace around my throat and tentatively step into Wyatt’s office.

“What did you mean last night?” he asks.

“Nothing,” I sigh because it doesn’t matter now.

“Why would you be dead?” he asks.

I scoff. “That’s a joke, right? I told you what was going on. And I didn’t even cover how the woman you found on my property was made to look like me, as you well know. It’s obvious that I’m a target, or are you so bad at your job you didn’t put that together?”

“Watch it,” he grumbles.

“What were you doing?” he asks.

“Why the hell do you care?” I snap. Maybe he’ll give himself up and prove my suspicion.

Wyatt frowns and crosses his arms. “I care, but I—”

“The hell you do! You’ve been after Killian since day one, looking and hoping, maybe even creating evidence to point to him.

I told you he was with me, and, big surprise, we were together when Hazel was killed.

Is it because you’re the one doing all of this?

I would have spoken up a long time ago if I had known anyone would believe me.

But why would they listen to me? I’m just the crazy witch in town!

” I yell, heart pounding. He can’t do anything to me here, so why not let him know I think he’s the one killing all these women? No one would ever suspect the Sheriff.

Wyatt tilts his head, studying me and rubbing his chin, keeping his cool. “All I’m asking, well, trying to understand, is why you thought you would be dead today?” he asks, totally leaping over the fact I basically accused him of murder.

Interesting.

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” I grit.

“You seem to think it does, despite what you’re saying,” he says, reaching into his desk and popping a peppermint in his mouth.

“My stalker is the one who ripped up my garden, is framing Killian, killed Hazel and put her in my garden, and made her look like me. It’s blatant that the killer is not Killian, but as you can see, there’s literally no way for me to prove that, and frankly, I’m really tired of repeating myself.”

Wyatt’s jaw is wide open.

Maybe it’s not him … I study him carefully, and he looks genuinely surprised at everything I said.

I puff out a breath. Maybe I’m wrong, but Killian said Wyatt left last night, and for all we know Wyatt simply went home. Regardless, I’m tired, frustrated, and flat-out angry. My patience is gone.

“Can you please let me see Killian? Unless you’re arresting me for something I didn’t do either,” I snap at Wyatt.

“No, I’m not,” Wyatt grits.

“Great, could you?” I ask, gesturing toward the door.

His jaw ticks. “I want you to know, Eliana, that I take no satisfaction in putting my flesh and blood in there. But the evidence is against him,” he says and opens the door to all the holding cells.

I narrow my eyes at him. “Isn’t that funny? How it all perfectly points to Killian?” I ask him.

Wyatt’s eye twitches, and I leave it at that, rushing to Killian, and the door slams loudly behind me.

“Hey, baby,” Killian says. His face is haggard, like he hasn’t slept for days.

“I don’t have enough money,” I mumble, and burst into tears.

“Come here,” he says, pushing his arms through the bars.

I lean my head against his arms, and his hands awkwardly pat around my body through the bars.

“I wish you could hug me without these bars between us,” I rasp.

“I know, me too.”

“I tried to get a personal loan. I even offered my land, but they said that could take a month. You don’t have a month.”

“Hey,” he says.

I lean back to look him in the eye. He grabs my face, wiping my tears with his thumbs as they fall. “Thank you for doing that for me. I would never want you to sell your land. That’s been in your family for generations.”

“Does it matter if I don’t have you?” I ask.

He tilts his head but doesn’t ask the burning question I know is running through his mind.

“It does because if this doesn’t work out, my land will probably go up for sale with everything on it. If that’s the case, I’m going to have you sell it all before that happens,” he says.

“You didn’t do this. They know it. We know it. Why won’t they let you go?” I ask him, choking on tears.

The firetruck sirens echo through the narrow window cracked open for air.

“I didn’t get a chance to tell you, but … they found my DNA on Hazel’s body.”

“What do you mean they found DNA? How is that possible?” I ask him.

“I don’t know. I don’t understand it either. But that’s why they had grounds to arrest me.”

“It was planted. There’s no other explanation!” I shriek.

“I know, baby,” he says, dragging his thumb across my cheekbone.

“Then how do we fix it?” I ask him.

“I’m trying to figure that out right now.”

“I came up with a better plan, since last night didn’t work, and I’m going to catch him. If it really is Wyatt, he knows I’m onto him,” I say the last bit quietly.

Killian sighs and pushes my hair back. “I really don’t want you to do this. You got lucky. Wyatt told me he drove by last night, but it was dark and quiet.”

I nod. “We don’t know if I got lucky. He could have something planned,” I mutter.

“Let’s hope not.” He frowns at me. “When was the last time you ate?” he asks.

“I don’t remember. When is the last time you ate?” I ask him.

He chuckles and shrugs. “I don’t know. They gave me a PB&J last night. I think that was it.”

I huff. “I’m sure you’re starving. I’ll make you a couple of sandwiches and bring them back.”

“Well then, make yourself one too,” he says.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” I snap.

Killian chuckles and leans forward. “Come here, little witch. I need those spellbinding lips.”

I kiss him and lean my forehead against his as much as I can. “Don’t give up, okay? I saw that look in your eyes. Please … I need you,” I whisper, and I know it’s selfish. I’m terrible for asking this of him.

“I know,” he rasps.

“I’m going to trap him,” I tell Killian.

“That’s crazy. How in the world are you going to pull that off?” he asks. “Not that I’m encouraging you to do this,” he blurts.

“I figure Tiny can help me out. He’ll hear the bastard coming before I do. And then I’ll pull a gun on him. Shoot him in the kneecaps if I have to.”

Killian chuckles and shakes his head. “My very own Annie Oakley,” he says.

“I know it’s all about timing, but we’re running out of options, cowboy.”

“I know, I know,” he says, rubbing his beard. “Let me think about it. Come back later?”

“Of course. I’ll be back with your food.”

“They might not let you,” he says.

“They can try and stop me,” I mumble.

He chuckles again. “That’s my girl.”

I kiss him and step back. “If I can pull this off, then you should be out by tomorrow, right?”