Hannah kept her head down. “Then how did Scarlett get shot? Ty told me a teen shot her. She stayed on the mountain.”
“From what I understand, the teen’s father abused him. He blended in with the other teens to gain access. Since the incident, the Russians search all the vehicles coming and going. The teens have special IDs to swipe when boarding the van. The Irish monitor the mountain. Bear, another team member, has alarms set up everywhere. In Leo’s words, a deer can’t fart without us knowing. Plus, I’m here to train the dogs,” he explained.
“What about the visitors?” she asked.
“They go through the same process. Do you know the other veterans here volunteer to surveil the trails? Others bring the seniors to the community center, supervise the teens, and I have two helpers for the dogs. Does it sound like someone can harm you here?”
She shrugged noncommittally.
“I think you might feel better if you met the team responsible. Do you trust me, Hannah? I know we haven’t known each other very long, but I feel like I’ve known you forever.” Cole waited for her answer.
Hannah gazed at the door and blinked away the tears. “I can’t stop the thoughts. I try to tell myself they can’t find me. They usually medicate me to transfer me to a different hospital. I’ll be leaving soon.”
“Why?” he asked, surprised.
“My dad wants to send me to a nursing home. Kassie’s trying to keep me here. It’s no use. He always gets his way,” she confessed.
“Where do you want to go, Hannah?” he asked firmly.
“I don’t know. The people seem nice here, but I’ve never left my room. What does it matter? One wall seems like any other,” she said sadly.
“It’s the only thing that does,” Cole insisted. “If they appear the same, you need to focus on the ceiling. Did any of the otherplaces have the stars and the moon? Why did you decide to talk here and nowhere else?”
“I can’t disappoint them anymore,” she said, her voice drifted away.
“I can’t imagine you disappointing anyone. You’ve become one of the highlights of my day,” he argued.
Hannah pushed the rest of her food away. Her stomach felt full for the first time in ages.
“Will you trust me to take you to meet the team? Scarlett can come with us. We’ll watch your six at all times,” he promised.
Brody whined as if begging her to agree.
“I don’t want to disgust you,” she said softly. “I never make it past the doors. My brain can’t get past…things.”
“If I found a way to help you feel safe, would you consider it?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she answered truthfully. “It’s weird to even talk to you. You’re a man.”
“Maybe it’s not about speaking to a male or a female. Sometimes our gut tells us who to trust,” he reasoned.
Hannah raised her shaky hand to her lips, contemplating his idea. Cole held his breath.
“I don’t think I can do it,” she finally admitted. “It’s too risky.”
“I’ll accept your answer for now,” Cole said, making her relax. “Don’t dwell on it. Let’s take one step at a time.”
A knock came from her door, making them turn to see their visitor. Doc and Kassie entered, smiling.
“Happy Thanksgiving, Hannah. It seems we have you to add to our list of blessings today,” Kassie greeted before turning to Cole. “I’m sorry, Cole. We need to assess Hannah. I’ll have to ask you to leave. You’re welcome to return when we’re finished.”
“I’ll take our plates to the kitchen. It appears the little girl has tired herself out,” he said, glancing at the bed where Nine lay onher back with her legs in the air and tongue hanging out of her mouth.
Hannah grinned. She rose and walked over to her. “Goodnight, Nine. We need to find you a better name,” she said, rubbing her soft belly. Brody moved to her side and placed his paw on her leg. She knelt and kissed his head. “Thank you for your pinecone gift, Brody. I’m thankful you found me,” she whispered.
Cole slipped the leash onto Nine’s collar and signaled Brody to his side. “Goodnight, Hannah. You did a fantastic job today. You’re stronger than you think,” he encouraged before walking out.
Hannah watched them go, wishing he planned to return. Once she started talking, the words didn’t want to stop. What happened when everyone left? Would her body raise its walls again?
