With a pounding heart, she watched the truck’s headlights getting closer.
Mrs. Bennett and Claire hurried back into the living room.
“It isn’t the police,” Mrs. Bennett said. “They’re sending a patrol car, but it’s fifteen minutes away.”
Hannah took a deep breath. “We need to go to the basement. Where’s Dave?”
“Here.” He sped into the room. “I’ve got my gun.”
Mrs. Bennett’s eyes widened. “I don’t want anyone getting hurt.”
Dave turned off the living room lights. “Don’t worry. I’ll be careful.”
Hannah made sure the rest of the lights were turned off before running toward the basement. Brett had told them what to do if this happened. At the time, she thought he was overreacting, but not now. No one visited a ranch this late unless they were looking for trouble.
When Pat’s new security system had been installed, the basement was chosen as the safe room. With a quick tug, Hannah pulled their first line of defense into place. The security door and triple lock would keep more than your average burglar away. But with the door closed, the staircase was plunged into complete darkness.
“I’ve already pushed the panic button,” Mrs. Bennett said from somewhere below her.
The beam of Mrs. Bennett’s flashlight settled on the stairs and Hannah quickly moved toward her.
Dave was standing beside one of the best-kept secrets in the entire house. When Fletcher Security was here, Pat had shown them a hidden, underground tunnel. The first section connected the main house to the barn. During the Prohibition, it had been used by bootleggers to move alcohol between the two buildings. The second section was too damaged to use, but would have given them even more escape options.
With the crates pushed away from the tunnel’s opening, they were ready to leave the building. “Brett said not to go into the tunnel unless we’re sure the barn is safe,” Hannah said quietly. “If the person in the truck stops at the barn, we stay here until they make a move.”
“How do we know where they are?” Claire asked.
Hannah pulled out her cell phone. “Brett gave Dave and I a link to the cameras Fletcher Security installed. If anyone triggers one of the cameras, we’ll know their location right away.” She tapped the security app and waited. A series of infrared images appeared on her screen. “Once we’re in the tunnel, my Internet connection won’t work. We need to make sure we don’t leave the house too early.”
Claire sat on a crate. “I hope the police or someone from Fletcher Security arrives soon.”
So did Hannah.
***
Brett turned off his phone and walked toward Ida’s room. Pat was in front of him, standing beside a nurse. She’d already told them about Ida’s new treatment plan and how each machine was helping her.
But no words could describe the utter helplessness he felt as stood in the doorway of her room. The woman who had filled his life with endless patience and love was as fragile as a sheet of glass.
With tears in his eyes, he moved closer to Pat.Apart from the hiss of the ventilator as it sent oxygen into her helpless body and the beep of a monitor, the room was otherwise silent.Drugs, strapped to a pole, dripped into her narrow veins. Everything in the room had a purpose, except perhaps, Brett and Pat.
Pat sat in a chair beside the bed and held his wife’s hand.
Her eyes stayed closed.
Brett took a deep breath. Ida was so still, so pale, that he was worried she’d already left them.
After a few minutes, the nurse touched Pat’s shoulder. “If you need me, press the red button beside the bed.”
Pat nodded, not taking his eyes off his wife’s tired face. With a heart-wrenching sigh, he leaned forward and kissed her hand. “I’ll be back soon, my love,” he whispered, and left the room.
Brett kissed Ida’s cheek before following him.
He found Pat outside the ward, sitting in a black plastic seat.
More tears filled Brett’s eyes. The big-hearted man who had given him so much was bent in half, sobbing into his chest.
