Charming Hannah (Big Sky 1)

That would be unusual for Hannah and Grace, but not impossible.

“Hello?” I step inside and frown. Boxes are half packed, packing tape is sitting about, but no one is here. I call out again and walk to the back of the house, through the kitchen to the backyard, but still no one.

“What the hell?”

I dial Hannah’s number and feel my heart start to beat faster when I hear it ring in the living room.

She doesn’t have her phone. The house is open, her car is in the driveway.

What the fuck is going on?

I stalk into the living room to get her phone. No calls or texts that would give me a clue as to where she is.

I glance down and see a business card on the floor.

“Montana Highway Patrol, Vern Peterson.”

For the first time in my life, my palms are starting to sweat as I dial Peterson’s number and wait for him to answer.

“This is Brad Hull, the police chief of Cunningham Falls, and I’m looking for Hannah Malone. I found your business card in her home.”

“I spoke with her today,” he confirms.

“About what?”

“I can’t tell you that, but I can tell you that when I saw her an hour ago she was fine.”

I scowl. “She was here an hour ago? Do you know where she went?”

“No, Chief. Sorry. She was there when we left.”

I thank him and hang up, more frustrated than before. What the hell is happening? And why did the highway patrol need to speak with her?

I try calling Grace’s number and curse a blue streak when she doesn’t answer.

I don’t like not knowing where she is. Not like this. Something is very wrong.

I’m pacing the living room when a number I don’t recognize calls my phone.

“Hull.”

“This is Drake. I think you should know that I’m with Hannah at the emergency room.”

“Is she hurt?”

I’m already running out to my truck and driving toward the hospital, which is thankfully just ten minutes away.

“No,” he says. “Let me know when you get here.”

He hangs up and I toss my phone on the seat, run my hand over my face, and pray for patience. I run into the emergency room, stopping at the nurse’s station.

“Fran, I need to get back to see Hannah.”

Fran, a woman I’ve known most of my life, just frowns. “I’m not at liberty to give you any information on who may or may not be here.”

“Don’t fuck with me, I know she’s here. Drake called me. I need to get back to her.”

“I can’t do that,” she repeats. “It’s family only, and you’re not her husband.”

“Neither is Drake.”

“He escorted her here.”

“I’m the chief of police.”

Fran smiles, but I can see that I’m getting nowhere. “That doesn’t matter here. This isn’t a police matter, and I’m not letting you back there.”

“I’ll push my way through.”

“I’d love to see you try. I’ve stopped men far bigger than you, Brad Hull.” She props her hands on her hips, her chin the air, standing firm.

“Damn it, Fran.”

“Go find a seat, and I’ll come find you when and if you can go back.”

I turn away just as Drake comes out to the waiting room.

“Thank God,” I say when he approaches. “Nurse Ratchet here wouldn’t let me back.”

“I heard that,” Fran says, but I ignore her.

“Hannah is safe and unharmed,” Drake begins and pushes his hand through his hair.

“You’re not making me feel any better.”

“She doesn’t know I called you, and frankly, she’ll punch me in the balls when she finds out I did.”

“Why?”

He shrugs. “I suspect she’s embarrassed, but you should be here. The highway patrolmen showed up at the house to inform her that her father died.”

“Shit.”

“He was in Montana.”

My eyes meet Drake’s grim ones. “In Montana.”

He nods. “I think she should tell you the rest because it’s not my story to tell, but she’s pretty upset. Not that her dad died, but it triggered some anxiety, and—”

“I get it.”

“She doesn’t look great, so I want you to prepare yourself for that. I haven’t seen her this bad before.”

I nod. “Understood. Now take me back there.”

Drake leads me through the doors, despite a glaring Fran. I walk into a room to find Grace sitting next to Hannah, who has deep purple circles around her eyes, her red hair a riot around her, and her face blotchy from crying.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

Rather than get angry, or order me out, she just breaks down in tears. She covers her face and cries, and I simply sit next to her and pull her into my arms, holding her close.

I should be hurt that she didn’t want me here. I should be angry.

But all I feel is love, and relief that she’s okay.

“Someone is about to come get her for a chest x-ray,” Drake says as Grace stands. “We’ll be in the waiting room if you need us.”