The same hollow eyes that had stared at Will turned on her.
Savannah tried to soothe her. “Everything’s going to be okay. You’re safe. It’s all over.” She extended a hand. “Let’s get you out of here. They’re gone now. They can’t do anything more to you.”
Lowering her head, Megan pressed her eyes to her knees.
Savannah reached back for Sam, who was quickly beside her. Her fingers dug into his arm. “We need a doctor,” she whispered. “Something’s very wrong.”
Will was trying again, sounding more frightened by the minute. “Talk to me, Meggie. You know who I am. I’ve been waiting so long for you to come home. Look at me, Meggie. Talk to me.”
Easing Savannah aside, Sam hunkered down in her place. He held up a hand to quiet Will, inched closer to Megan, whose face was still buried, and said in a very low, very gentle voice, “My name is Sam Craig, Megan. We’ve never met, but I’ve been wanting you home, too. I know that this is overwhelming—all the police cars and lights and strange men standing around. We can take you away from this as soon as you want. It’s up to you to say the word.”
He touched her hair. When she didn’t object, he began to lightly stroke it.
“You’ve been through so much,” he continued on in that same soothing voice. “You need a rest. A warm bed. Something hot to drink. I can get you all that. Come with me, Megan?”
She didn’t answer. Nor did she pull away from the hand that was gently, gently stroking her hair.
“I’m going to come a little closer,” he said, matching the act to the words. “I’m going to pick you up and take you back to my car.” As he carefully lifted her, he said, “Will and Savannah will be with us. Susan, too. We’ve all been very worried.” She buried her face against his chest as he started toward the car.
His eyes gave commands to the others as he walked, and all the while he talked softly into Megan’s ear. “You feel chilled. You’ll be warmer in the car. Everything’s going to be fine, Megan, just fine. When was the last time you ate? Are you hungry?” He slid her in past the steering wheel of his car and slid in right after her. Savannah took up her other side, Will and Susan climbed into the back. Putting an arm around her shoulders, Sam said, “Lean against me, Megan. You must be exhausted. Sleep if you want. I’m going to take you to see the doctor. Then I’ll take you home. Everything’s going to be fine now. Everything’s going to be just fine.”
His words were highly optimistic. Megan remained silent during the drive to the hospital. Looking frightened and frail, she didn’t move, not even to take back her hand when Savannah held it gently. It was as though she despaired of something which none of them quite understood.
The hours that followed were long and tense. Megan was examined by doctors and counselors trained to handle crisis situations. The verdict was that she had been abused for nearly three days. Megan wasn’t offering any details herself, though. She nodded or shook her head, even occasionally murmured a word or two in response to questions, but she had to be carefully led to each answer and she didn’t volunteer a thing.
Over Will’s objections, but at the doctors’ insistence, she was admitted to the hospital. It was nearly two in the morning before the physical and mental prodding was done, nearly three before she was taken to a private room, nearly four before she’d been bathed and made comfortable, nearly five before she fell asleep, and then only under sedation.
When Will finally left to go home for several hours, Savannah stayed to talk with Sam, Hank, and the other law enforcement people they had finally been able to bring into the case. It was after six when she punched out the number that was written on the slip of paper she’d pushed into the pocket of her coat.
The voice that came through the receiver was as good as a lifeline. “Yes?”
“Jared?”
There was a moment’s silence, then a deep and relieved, “I’ve been worried. Is everything all right?”
Eyes closed, she concentrated on the low, sandy sound that soothed her so. It was the sanest thing she’d heard all night.
“Savannah?”
“I’m at the hospital,” she said quietly.
“Is Megan back?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Is she okay?”
“I don’t know.” She took an unsteady breath. “I’m so tired. I want to go home, but I don’t have my car.”
“I’ll be right there.”
“You don’t mind?”
“I’ll be right there.”
Within ten minutes he was at the hospital entrance. Savannah left the step she’d been sitting on and by the time she reached the Pathfinder, he’d leaned across the seat and opened the door. Climbing up, she pulled the door shut, put her head back against the seat, and closed her eyes.
“Get me away from here,” she whispered. “Please.”
