Page 78 of Beyond Dreams

“Cora Bennett?” She sneered, her eyes wide. “Kayla Forbes? Eloise? Gabrielle...um, Noble, I think her last name was—oh my god, it was you. I can tell by the look on your face.”

Graeme stepped forward, looming over her. “How do you ken of them?”

“How doyou?” She threw back at him, lifting her chin, thumping her forefinger into his chest. “I don’tknowthem. I’ve only heard about them in the news. What did you do to them, you monster?”

“Do I look like I bluidy murder women? For what? What did you squawk about—for carnal pleasure?”

“Well...well, Ted Bundy was pretty handsome, too. So yeah, you kind of do.”

“Are you nae of sound mind?”

“Me? Me!” She squealed. “You’re the one kidnapping and murdering women, running around dressed like...that.” Her shoulders dropped then, her face overtaken with sorrow. “But why? Why are you killing them? Please! Get help for whatever is wrong with you. Just stop.”

“I did nae kill them. They’re alive and well—and quite happily so.”

“That’s completely believable,” she sneered. “Of course they are.”

“I vow to you, I have done them no harm.”

“Fine. And I promise you, you’re going to prison for what you’ve done.”

“You are becoming tiresome,” he decided. He circled his hand firmly around her arm. “Take me to your keep. I demand to speak to your laird.”

She covered her mouth with her hand, hiding the last part of her gasp. “Oh, my God.” She lowered her hand and pointed her shaking finger at him. “You were screaming for Holly! That’s what I heard when I first rode up. Holly Wright? Who’s been missing for the last year! Jesus Christ. She got away, didn’t she? She escaped and you’re chasing her.”

She pulled at her arm, but he did not loosen his hold so that she simply slumped to the ground, overwhelmed by whatever she now believed. He was rather forced to let go when she fell further, flopping onto her back, her wits deserting her, he was sure. She began to laugh, which soon became uncontrollable. Laughing and crying at the same time, hiccupping through gasps while tears spilled from her bright eyes.

“She got away,” she crowed, with so much relief, so much inexplicable joy, Graeme could make no sense of her. And then her bottom lip became tremulous again. “And now I’m caught.”

“God’s teeth, lass, but cease with the caterwauling.” Understanding he needed a different approach, Graeme went onto his haunches at her side.

“Your name, lass?” He requested, striving for a gentler tone.

“M-Megan,” she answered.

“I am Graeme MacQuillan and I vow to you I mean you nae harm. I did nae lie about those lasses gone; I only met them yesterday and they were quite alive when I was...forced to leave today. Where is the nearest burgh? Settlement?” He amended when she appeared still apprehensive and a wee puzzled.

She swallowed. “Okay, let me think. I mean, where I’m staying is the closest, I guess. I mean, I didn’t pass anything on my ride here. That’s the—I’m staying in Dornie, near the Eilean Donan castle.”

“Donnán?” He repeated. “The MacKenzie isle?”

“I...I don’t know.”

“Do you ken Thallane, the MacQuillan stronghold?”

She shook her head, eying him dubiously.

“Megan,” he began, holding her gaze, “would you be so kind as to escort me to the inn at Gairloch?”

“Are you really giving me a choice?” She asked.

“Nae, lass, I’m afraid I’m nae. But I’m offering you peace, getting on to a public inn and would I be wanting to go there if I had nefarious designs on you?”

“I don’t know...anything,” she said pitifully.

Graeme rose to his feet again and this time when he extended his hand to her, Megan took it and allowed him to help her to her feet. She turned and considered the state of her vehicle—bike, she’d called it—inadvertently showing Graeme that her hair now contained plenty of foul debris from the ground.

“Well, that’s shot, I guess,” she said, turning to face Graeme again. “But since it’s rented, I can’t leave—what are you doing?”

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