“The young bitch has better taste than I thought she would.” Mag patted the side of her bed. “Have a seat. Sit for a while.”
Jewell nearly gagged at the old woman’s invitation. The bitch was actually flirting with Rory.
“Make yourself useful and get me a beer,” Mag snapped at Jewell.
Jewell went to the other room. Instead of getting a beer, she grabbed something else and brought it back. Sitting in the chair next to the bed, she motioned for Rory to take the seat.
“Make yourself comfortable. Sit a spell.” Mimicking Mag’s tone, Jewell kept her face impassive as Rory gave her a threatening look.
“I didn’t ask for a fucking chair. I asked for a beer.”
“Oh … Thanks for reminding me. I’ll just check with Rachel if you can have one.” Jewell took her phone out.
“Never mind, bitch.”
Jewell made a face at her. “Right back at you, bitch.”
Rory’s eyes widened, going back and forth between them.
“You’re Cash’s grandmother? I would have sworn you’re young enough to be his mother.”
Mag preened at him. “I hold my age well, don’t I?”
“You sure do. If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?”
“Hell, I have no idea. I quit counting after I turned ninety.”
“She’s over two hundred, give a day or two.” Jewell happily supplied the answer.
Mag’s beady eyes turned menacing. “I dislike you more and more each time your ass comes over here.”
“Ditto.”
“Make yourself useful and bring us some glasses of homemade lemonade that Rachel made just for me,” Mag demanded. “Give me a chance to get better acquainted with this sweet boy.”
“I’ll bring you the whole pitcher if it’ll keep you off my case.”
Stomping out, Jewell was tempted to spit in the old bat’s glass, but was afraid God would punish her.
She was putting the carton of lemonade back in the fridge when there came a frantic knock, with frantic yells, at the door. She ran to the door, hastily unlocked it, and flung it open.
“Ema fell into the lake!” Logan screamed at her then took off running.
“Rory, call 911!” Jewell tore out of the house, running after Logan. When she reached the lake, she saw Logan about to step out onto the thin ice.
“Logan, no!” Jewell screamed. “I’ll get her. Go get Rachel and Cash!”
Ema was sprawled out in the middle of the lake, crying as the ice broke around her.
“God, please …” Jewell started praying as she gingerly stepped out onto the ice while Logan took off running. “God …”
“I want my mama!” Ema cried out as Jewell moved cautiously toward her. Hearing the crackles underneath her feet, she went to her knees and started crawling.
“She’s coming, Ema.” Jewell made herself speak calmly to the child. “Don’t move.”
The little girl’s cries shredded her to the core.
She went flat onto her stomach when the ice that Ema was clinging to broke apart, sending her flaying for another piece. Lying flat, Jewell shimmied closer, reaching out toward Ema’s hand.
“Ema!”
Rachel’s heart-wrenching scream from the shore had Jewell determined to reach the child.
“Mama!”
Hearing Rachel’s voice had Ema reacting by using the ice to heave herself upward so she could see her mother.
“Don’t, Ema! Stay still!”
The frantic child didn’t listen, her movements becoming more panicked. The sounds of the crackling ice became louder, leaving Jewell with little choice as to what to do next.
As the ice cracked away from Ema’s hand, Jewell lunged after her when the child disappeared from sight.
Rachel’s screams followed her into the dark, icy depths. Fiercely, Jewell managed to grab the collar of Ema’s coat despite her frenzied movements. Using every ounce of strength she possessed, Jewell lifted Ema up, shoving her into the air.
Treading water as she held Ema, Jewell saw The Last Riders lying flat, making a chain toward them.
“Daddy!” Ema sobbed.
First in line, Cash’s face was a mask of intensity, determined to reach his daughter. “Stay still, Ema!” he barked at her, fear of losing another child making him yell out.
Ema’s frenzied movements stopped, making it easier to hold her.
Jewell’s teeth began chattering as she tried to hold Ema higher out of the water.
“Let me have her, Jewell.”
Realizing that Cash was trying to take Ema from her, she released her frozen fingers from Ema’s coat, then kept treading water as Ema was taken from her.
Cash held Ema close to his chest for a second before sliding her to the side, to Rory, who was behind him. Then Cash reached out for her.
Jewell had managed to find a chunk of ice to cling to. No longer feeling her numb legs, she had quit threading water. Now she shook her head at him.
“Not until … Ema is safe,” she chattered out.
“Give me your fucking hand!” Cash yelled, stretching out and trying to reach her hand.
Jewell shook her head again. Then, craning her neck, she saw Ema was only halfway to the shore and the ice was crackling around Cash and Rory. She was also able to see Dustin struggling to keep him and Ema from going into the water as the ice cracked around them.