Point Blank

He held the Stetson hat he always wore in his hands, and his fingers clutched the brim. He almost looked as if he was afraid to enter. She pushed up in bed and smiled. “Are you going to stand there, or are you coming in?”

The muscles in his throat constricted as he swallowed. Then, without taking his eyes off her, he walked over to her bed. “How are you feeling?” She smiled and reached for his hand. He wrapped his fingers around hers and held them tightly. “I’ve been going out of my mind in that waiting room,” he admitted. “I was afraid you were hurt badly and they weren’t telling me.”

The rasp in his voice surprised her, and she let her gaze move over his face. She’d known Ben for years, but she’d never seen the look in his eyes that she saw now. It was so much more than just concern. It looked like he had just experienced agony, and her heart pricked. Had he really been that worried about her?

“Ben,” she said as she squeezed his hand, “I’m okay. The doctor says there are no serious injuries. So quit worrying.”

He released a long breath and closed his eyes for a moment. “Hannah, when that car went off the road, I knew if you died it would be my fault because it was my bullet that hit the tire. I don’t think I could’ve lived with myself if I was the cause of you being killed.”

She smiled and swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I prefer to think that you saved my life. If it wasn’t for you, that guy would have killed me.” When she was standing in front of him, she put her arms around him and gave him a hug. “Thank you for being there again for me, Ben.”

Slowly his arms encircled her, and he gave her a quick hug before he pulled back. “Anytime, Hannah. All you have to do is call.”

She laughed. “That’s good to know. Now could you do something else for me?”

“What?”

“Take me home. I’m ready to get out of this place.”

He opened his mouth to speak, and then a look of horror flashed across his face. “I can’t.”

She stared at him and frowned. “Why not?”

“Because I left my car out at the crash scene for Luke, and yours is still smashed into that tree. We don’t have a way to get either of us home.”

She laughed and shook her head. “Did it not occur to you to drive your car and let Luke ride back with one of the other deputies?”

He grinned and shook his head. “All I was thinking about was getting you to the hospital, and I didn’t want you out of my sight. So Joe let me ride in the ambulance.”

She placed her hands on her hips and arched an eyebrow. “Well, what do we do now?”

Ben turned his mouth to his shoulder mic. “Officer needs a squad car at the hospital emergency-room door to transport a victim home.”

The radio crackled, and the dispatcher’s voice answered. “Ten-four. Escort on the way. By the way, how is Hannah?”

Ben grimaced. “Clara, this is an official channel. It’s not for personal use. Over and out.”

Hannah couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re going to have to give up on trying to make Clara more professional. From what my grandfather told me, she’s always been the biggest gossip in these hills.”

“I know,” Ben grumbled. “But she doesn’t need to be spreading gossip about you right now. We need to keep you out of the spotlight as much as possible until we catch this guy who kidnapped you. Until that time, I’m going to keep a closer check on you.”

His words startled Hannah, and she gasped. “You think this might have been more than a random abduction?”

“I don’t know, but until we find out one way or the other, you have to watch your back. I’ll be there to help.” He glanced at his watch. “Now let’s go to the emergency-room entrance and wait for our ride.”

Hannah nodded and walked from the room with Ben right behind her. For a moment there she’d felt relief and a sense of security that her ordeal was over. But Ben had just reminded her that it wasn’t.

She frowned as she tried to remember the words of her kidnapper when she’d asked him why he was doing this. Her heart raced as she recalled what he’d said. All you need to know is that it’s payback time.

Payback for what? She hadn’t gotten a close look at his face, just his eyes. They hadn’t seemed familiar in that moment, but now she knew she would recognize them anywhere as she would the sound of his voice.

If someone had a grudge against her, then Ben was right. Her kidnapper wouldn’t give up after one failed attempt. He’d be back, and the next time she might not be rescued as she’d been today.

From now on, she needed to be on guard every minute of the day.

* * *

Ben and Hannah reached the entrance to the emergency-room door just as the squad car pulled into the parking lot. He recognized the vehicle right away. It was the car he and Luke had been in when he received the call about the kidnapping. He frowned and glanced at his watch. It had been only two hours since the car crash. If Luke was back, that meant the search around the crash site was over. Why were they done so soon? Did they have the suspect in custody?

Luke pulled to a stop at the door, and Ben and Hannah stepped outside. As they approached the car, the passenger-side window rolled down. Ben leaned over to peer inside. Before he could speak, he noticed another vehicle driving into the parking lot. It was his truck.

“What’s going on, Luke?” he asked. “Why aren’t you out at the crime scene?”

Luke exhaled and shook his head. “The dogs lost the scent at a road on the other side of the woods. The handlers tried to find it again, but it looked hopeless. We figured he must have had a car waiting there.”

Ben didn’t like the sound of that. If the suspect had a car parked, or a getaway driver waiting, then Hannah’s abduction had been planned in advance. Perhaps the plan had been to drive onto a mountain trail and kill her before escaping in another car that the police wouldn’t be looking for. Chills raced down his spine at how easily that could have happened if things had gone just a little differently.

“So they’ve given up the search?”

Luke shook his head. “No. We may not be able to catch the guy tonight, but there’s still a chance he left some evidence behind—something we can use to track him down. I came into town to get some more equipment for the search. I happened to be at the station when you called in. I’d already told Andy Walker to go back with me to join in the search, so I thought we could drop your truck off here, and he could ride out there with me.”

Ben glanced at the newest deputy on the force as Andy climbed from his truck and walked toward him. “Evening, Sheriff,” he said as he came to a stop beside him. “I left your truck running.”

Ben nodded. “Thanks, Andy.” He turned his attention back to Luke. “I’ll see that Hannah gets home safely, and then I’ll join you out there.”

“Take your time, Sheriff. We’ve got it under control,” Luke said as Andy got into the car.

They waved as they drove out of the parking lot. Ben turned to Hannah and took her by the arm. “Let’s get you home.”

She smiled. “Thanks, Ben. I’m beginning to feel tired.”

He helped her into the truck before he walked around and got in on the driver’s side. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her lay her head back on the headrest and close her eyes. He turned his head and stared at her for a moment.

He remembered the first time he’d seen her. He’d stopped by her grandfather’s ranch to check on him that day, and she’d arrived just after he’d gotten there. She was fresh out of college and excited about her future. He could still remember the blue sundress she’d been wearing and how her eyes lit up when she caught sight of her grandfather. She’d run to him and thrown herself into his arms.

Ben had stood there, watching the reunion, unable to move. He didn’t think he’d ever seen a more beautiful woman, and for a minute he couldn’t speak. Then she’d turned to him, her dimple winking at him, and smiled. “You must be Ben Whitman. Grandfather has told me so much about you. I know we’re going to be great friends.”

She’d been right. Over the years they’d grown close. He’d been there for her when she lost her grandfather, and then again when she’d lost her husband. He’d loved her daughter as if she were his own. But she’d been there for him, too. When his mother passed away unexpectedly not long after Hannah was widowed, she had put aside her own grief to be by his side. Her positive attitude and encouragement had helped pull him through those dark times. The thought that he might have lost her in his life today hit like a punch to the stomach every time he thought about it.

As they approached the turnoff to Tumbling Creek Ranch, she roused, blinked and sat up. “Oh, we’re almost home. I’m sorry I wasn’t better company on the ride.”

“No problem,” he said. “I wish I could come in and see Faith, but I need to get out to Wears Valley and see if the search team has found anything. I’ll check in with you tomorrow to see how you’re feeling.”

“I’m sure I’ll be fine, but you know it’s always good to hear from you.”

“You be sure and follow the doctor’s orders. You know he wants you to get all the rest you can. So take it easy for a few days. You have Valerie to take care of Faith, and you can turn the horses over to Dusty.”

She nodded. “I’m going to try. It’s good that I have backup I can count on. Valerie’s only been with us a few weeks, but she’s doing a great job as Faith’s nanny. As for Dusty, he was with Grandfather before I came, and he knows how this ranch is run. I was fortunate to have him after I lost my grandfather.”