Page 126 of The Bodyguard's Fall

He nodded. “I’ll feel better when he sends us a better picture.”

“He never saw Leroy at his wedding,” I said.

Tate nodded, stroking his face with his hand like that had been something he’d been thinking about too.

“He sounds pretty sure, though,” I said. “And why would anyone else be hanging around my car with flowers?”

“I can think of a few reasons,” he said with a small smile before he motioned toward the entrance. “Should we go?”

He grabbed my hand and gently pulled me out of the truck. I shivered slightly, the cool night air causing me to zip my jacket and tighten the scarf around my neck. The scent of fresh maple donuts and hay mixed most pleasantly in the air as we made our way closer. Tall light towers stood above the maze in all four corners, casting harsh white circles across the maze. Beyond their reach, the rows dissolved into darkness, leaving pockets of shadow where anything—or anyone—could disappear. As we made our way closer, I tried to convince myself that Leroy was currently sitting in a police station in Montpelier.

Ann was in the fee booth, collecting money, and waved us through as we snuck past the line to pay. Families and groups of teenagers stood talking and laughing near the entrance of the maze. Off to the side, a large section of the field was dedicated to carnival games and pony and tractor rides, which we shared with the Bugelbach Pumpkin Farm.

There was so much laughter and movement everywhere we looked. People were eating and playing games to the sounds of friendly shouts and screams throughout the maze, as workers dressed in masks and robes jumped out and terrified everyone who came in their path.

Observing all of this, Tate eyed me warily. “Let’s go home. This isn’t the right place for you.”

I wanted to go home. It seemed like a cruel injustice that Leroy was caught in Montpelier. Not here. There was no closure with a capture like that. I needed to see it for myself, to watch them drag him away in handcuffs. But going home still felt like Leroy was winning, and I was determined not to let him win anymore.

“I want to stay for a while.”

“Liv,” he began, shaking his head.

“At least buy me a donut first.”

He gave me his look of gentle exasperation but eventually maneuvered us to the back of the line at the donut stand.

We were joined by Luke and Ben, who had spotted us and came over to say hi. Soon, we were all standing in a circle, eating donuts and talking. I noticed Tate didn’t tell his brothers of Leroy’s capture, preferring instead to hang back, keep quiet, and continually observe our surroundings. We both constantly checked our phones, watching for updates that never came.

Luke was in the middle of telling us a story about the time he’d worked here in high school when the unmistakable smell of smoke filled the air. We glanced around in confusion. Luke spotted it first. He swore, pointing to a spot near the edge of the maze, where a small puff of smoke was billowing out past the straw bales, a foggy cloud in the hazy, dark scene. We all stared for a moment, horrified, before we lurched into action.

“The whole place is going to light up!” Tate shouted. “Luke, go get on the intercom and tell everyone to get out!”

“I’m going to get the fire extinguisher,” Ben yelled as both men took off running toward the entrance booth.

Tate gripped my hand, and we ran toward the smoke.

“There are kids in there, Liv! We have to go in!”

“I’m with you,” I said breathlessly, while my heart pounded like a drum in my chest.

Suddenly, the flames closest to us jumped from one dry straw bale to another bale across the path. I gasped, my hands covering my mouth in horror. It was consumed by the fire in seconds. Over the intercom, Luke was shouting into the microphone, requesting immediate evacuation of the entire five-acre maze. Around us, frantic teenagers and parents raced in a panic, dialing cell phones and calling out for their loved ones.

Above the noise of the crowd and the billowing heat from the flames, cries of terror from somewhere inside the maze reached our ears.

Tate turned to look at me. “Liv, you do not leave my side, got it?”

“Got it,” I panted, staring at the blaze. The large straw bales were stacked two-high throughout the field, creating an 8-foot wall. If anyone were stuck in a dead end near the flame, they would be trapped.

Luke ran up behind us, carrying a ladder. “I’ll climb up the ladder to the top of the straw and take it with me. You two stay on the ground, and if you find anyone stuck, I’ll lower it down. You guys help get people up the ladder.”

Tate nodded and motioned toward Luke to start climbing. Once he was at the top of the bale, Tate handed up the ladder. Then, with my hand tight in his, we took off on an alternate route, working our way around the flames that were quickly moving down the outer side of the straw. We ran toward the shouts and the smoke.

Inside the maze was pure chaos. Thankfully, the Walkers kept ladders on the top of the straw throughout the maze, in case of situations just like this. We passed a few groups of people using ladders to escape. Once Tate saw that they were secure and able to get themselves to safety, we moved on.

“There’s a section of the maze up here that’s more closed off, full of dead ends, and the flames are headed right there,” he yelled as he raced down the pathway, flanked by extremely flammable straw. On the way, we scrambled past a handful of Grim Reapers, a creepy clown, a scarecrow with a burlap sack for a mask, and a headless horseman, all helping to lead kids and families to safety. Up top, Luke had gotten stopped by another group who needed a ladder, but Tate pressed forward, worried about someone else being trapped.

The sound of sirens in the distance brought a measure of relief, although Tate kept running like he never heard them.