Page 29 of Saving Hanna
“I hope you’re right, Hanna. While you were getting ready, I tried contacting my father. He isn’t answering his phone at Elite Exchange, nor his cell.” I had never heard Aiden sound so hopeless.
The ride into Houston was quiet. The only thing that could be heard was the tension from Aiden. His focus was on something other than his driving and it was evident by the way he was weaving in and out of traffic. If we managed to get to the Drake Building, it would be a miracle. People from all sides of the street were honking at him.
We reached the building without injury and Aiden exited the car. He was at my side of the car before I could get my seat belt undone. Assisting me out, we hurried to the garage elevators and waited until one arrived. As soon as the door opened, Aiden reached for my hand and led me inside. I think it was more for reassurance than anything. Pressing the button to the top floor, he swiped his corporate card and the elevator began to move. The elevator moved quickly and other than us, there was no one who needed to get on.
I had never been to his office, but when the doors opened, it was just as elegant as his home. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Leading down a long hallway. I could hear voices coming from the office at the end of the hallway. The door was closed, but there was no mistaking who was on the other side. I would recognize my brother's voice anywhere.
Aiden stopped just shy of the door and put his ear against it. From where I stood, I could only hear mumbling. When I tiptoed closer to Aiden, he held his hand out telling me to stop. I didn’t move and I held my breath as long as I could, afraid that even my breath could be heard. Backing away from the door, Aiden took hold of my hand and slipped into another office. Closing the door, my focus was on him.
“Your brother has gone crazy. He is holding my father at gunpoint and saying things that don’t even make sense. I need you to wait here, Hanna,” he commanded as I watched him walk behind the desk and pull something from the drawer.
Adjusting my eyes to the darkness, I was able to see what was in his hand. “Aiden, what are you planning on doing?” I asked, concerned as he pulled the magazine from the drawer and clicked it into place.
“Hanna, please just listen to me. Stay here.”
As Aiden left the room I had never been so scared in my life. Watching him walk down the hall, I felt completely hopeless. I didn’t know what happened to my brother and what could have made him so unstable. This wasn’t like him. He may have been a dreamer, but he wasn’t a killer. As Aiden came closer to the door, I could only think about what would be waiting for him on the other side. When he opened the door, I couldn’t breathe. The surrounding air got thick and it was as though I wasn’t getting enough air. Then the door closed.
It was silent and I had no idea what was happening behind the door. I couldn’t stand it. I knew Aiden told me to stay there, but I couldn’t. I needed to know just how unstable my brother was. Taking slow steps towards the end office, my focus was on the door and any type of noise coming from it. As I got closer, just like Aiden, I put my ear to the door to see if anything could be heard.
“You have ruined my life. Do you know how long it took me to raise the money needed to invest in your project? All I wanted was for my sister to be proud,” I heard my brother confess.
“Carter, please put down the gun. Killing my father isn’t going to solve anything. I told you we would work this out so that you can build a new life for yourself and Hanna. I don’t care about the farm. Your sister means everything to me, and to you too, if I’m not mistaken,” Aiden said.
“You think I’m stupid. I know exactly what you are trying to do. You’re worse than your father. There is only one way I’m ever going to please my sister and that is to get you out of her life once and for all.”
I couldn’t believe what I heard. I needed to do something. Opening the door, I heard a gun go off, and everything that Aiden and I shared together flashed in front of my eyes. My brother was going to kill him. I heard the shot, but at that moment everything moved in slow motion as I heard Aiden’s voice, “No, Hanna, God, no.”
Looking down at my body, I couldn’t feel a thing. The white of my blouse slowly turned a bright red. Carter had missed. Looking at him, I watched the gun fall from his hand, and as though my life was on rewind, I went back to when we were kids. He was the best brother a sister could ever ask for.
