“The man who was supposed to hold onto you for me, out-bided me. I couldn’t outright kill him without repercussions. So, I waited. Every time you were sold, I was there, but I never got you. I’m out of patience now. You’re coming with me.” Sheriff Little pulled out a roll of duct tape and walked toward her.
Hannah hoped Ben and Adam were okay and this manhadn’t done anythingto them. She screamed at the top of her lungs and backpedaled for the bedroom. She had left her knife on the dresser. That was twice now she had forgotten it. Sheriff Little was fast for his age and easily caught up to her. He pulled her to his chest and froze when there was a pounding on the front door. “Looks like its plan B, my dear.”
“I’ll never go anywhere with you. You’ll never get away with this. They know who you are.” Hannah spat, trying to get away from him.
The Sheriff squeezed her tight, cutting off her air supply, and pushed her towards the window in the bedroom. “I’ve waited too long for this. I won’t be stopped now.” The Sheriff threw the window up, and all but shoved Hannah through the window. Before she could pull herself up the Sheriff landed behind her and dragged her into the woods. It was early fall, the air was cool and crisp but not frigid. She had a long sleeve on, but she didn’t know how long they would have to walk for. Since there were no lights the woods were pitch black and the forest thick. Sheriff Little seemed to know where he was going as he guided her expertly around trees. It took a minute for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Watching the ground so she didn’t trip she also looked for a fallen branch or anything she might be able to use as weapon.
“Why are you doing this?” Hannah panted trying to keep up with him. The Sheriff was taller than her, and his long legs covered the ground quicker than her shorter legs.
“Because I always get what I want, and I have wanted you since you were 12 years old.”
Hannah thought she would be sick. This man had been lusting after her for over half her life? The Sheriff’s fingers bit into her arm, and she knew there would be a bruise there come morning. She hoped Ben was coming for her.
“Stop right there, John,” Adam said popping out of the woods in frontof them,with a pistol drawn.
“Adam, this doesn’t concern you. Stand down, or I’ll put you down.” The Sheriff growled and pulled Hannah closer to his chest, using her as a shield.
“You’re the buyer, aren’t you? That’s why we couldn’t ever find any evidence.”
“You’re sticking your nose into business that doesn’t concern you. Back off. Where’s Ben?” The Sheriff looked around, but the woods were silent.
“It doesn’t matter where he is. There is no way you can get away with this.”
“Why not? I have been for years with no one the wiser.”
“You were the one keeping Harvey Guthrie’s sex trade open.” It wasn’t a question. Harvey was Garrett’s girlfriend Lillian’s uncle. He had abused her since he gained custody of her as a child. She had finally had enough and turned him over to the police. Recently Harvey came after her with a vengeance and took her to a cabin not far from here. It was where he was pimping out women of all ages. When he had rescued Lillian, she had mentioned a buyer, but no one found a trace of him, only a dead woman a mile from the cabin.
Sheriff Little didn’t answer. His silence was answer enough. “Last chance, Adam. Get out of my way.”
“Not going to happen,” Adam told him as he cocked his gun.
Several things happened simultaneously, and for Hannah, it seemed to happen in slow motion. The Sheriff pulled out a gun from behind him and shot Adam before Adam could fire at the Sheriff. A shadow from the right flew at them knocking Sheriff Little to the ground and took Hannah down with them. Hannah looked up to see Ben standing over the sheriff and holding a hand out to her. The Sheriff raised his gun at Ben, and a shot rang out. Hannah covered her ears the noise was so loud and looked at Ben to see if he had been shot. Ben still stood over the sheriff, now laying on his back staring up at the sky. She saw that Bendidn’t have a weapon. So, who fired the shot? She looked to where Adam was and saw him lying on his stomach with his gun aimed in their direction.
“Hannah,” Ben called to her, helping her up. “You okay?”
Hannah nodded and clung to Ben. She was so tired of people trying to kidnap her or pulling guns on her. “You came for me.”
“I’ll always come for me.” He stated before kissing her with a fierce passionthat had hertoes curling.
“If you two don’t mind before clothes go flying, I’m bleeding and could use an ambulance,” Adam yelled at them, holding his shoulder with a grimace.
Hannah separated herself from Ben and rushed over to Adam.Benwas a little slower and pulled out his phone to call paramedics. Adam was treated for a gunshot wound to the shoulder. It wasn’t life threatening but the bullet hadn’t gone straight through, so they had to do surgery to remove it. Adam would be in a sling for a few weeks before he could resume his duties as now acting Sheriff.
Chapter Twelve
Benstood with Hannah on her parent’s threshold outside the front door of her parent’s house. He kept a hand on her lower back giving her his support. Due to Adam’s injury, Hannah had tried to delay this family get together, butBenrefused, saying they were already there.
“We can go back to the cabin,” Hannah suggested.
Benwas sorely tempted, but she had been putting off this reunion long enough. He knocked on the front door for her and smiled at her gasp of shock.
“Ben,” she whispered in horror. “I’m not ready.” She would never be ready if she had her way.
Before she could make a run for the rental car they had to make her getaway the front door opened and there stood her parents and her two brothers behind them. Hannah was so stunned to finally see them, she just stood staring at them like a statue. Ben gave her a gentle nudge, and she was immediately engulfed in her parent’s arms, who hugged her close and cooed over her.
“My precious girl,” her mother said.
“I always knew you’d come back” her father said. It was a touching reunion and even hadBena little choked up. And like an outsider looking in. He stepped back to give them room, but Hannah reached out and grabbed his hand.
