Page 37 of Sawyer
“You need to come here.”But it’s Kevin’s panicked voice on the line.
“Kevin?”I frown, sitting forward as my concern rises.“Everything okay?”
“Ma hurt herself.You need to come,” he says, and I’m already standing.
“Hurt herself?I’m coming.I’ll be there as soon as I can.”He doesn’t say anything else, just hangs up, and a rush of nerves moves through me.
“What’s going on?”Tanner asks, the three of them already on their feet.
“That was Kevin, said Annabelle has hurt herself.”
“Let’s go.”Hudson strides out the door without another word, clearly in doctor mode, and we’re quick to follow.
“She needsto move closer to town,” Tanner mumbles as we turn up her long driveway.It’s pitch-black out here.Even the moon offers little solace.
“It took us fifteen minutes to get here.Way too long in an emergency, if you ask me.”I spot Connor and Hudson in front of us, pulling up to the house.“She’s in the middle of nowhere.With no neighbors nearby, a single mom with two kids…” I trail off, getting worked up just thinking about it.
“Well, would you look at that.You do care about this town and its people,” Tanner says sarcastically as we jump out of my truck and walk up the door that Kevin now has open for us.
“What happened?”Hudson, doctor bag in hand, walks straight to Annabelle, who’s sitting in her armchair, Noah on her lap.
“We’re fine.Sorry, Kevin panicked.”
Kevin stares at me, a serious look on his face.I don’t like it.I don’t like it at all.Noah is wiggling around on Annabelle’s lap, and I see her wince a little.
“She went outside to lock up.I heard a noise and her yelling and found her with her head cut and bleeding,” Kevin says, and Annabelle doesn’t meet anyone’s eyes.Something feels off.Like they’re not saying something.
“It was just the animals.”Annabelle flicks her gaze to Kevin.One thing about working in law for so long and growing up how I did, I know when someone is lying.
“You said you tripped over the hoe?”Kevin calls her out.
“Yes, I did.After the animals made a noise.”She recovers badly, and my nostrils flare as I clench my jaw tight.
“I noticed the gate out front is damaged?”Connor asks her, and I look at him.I hadn’t noticed anything, but to be fair, I have no idea how a gate on a farm is supposed to look.I lift my gaze and glance around the house.Everything else seems in order, her usual chaotic self on display with things everywhere, but otherwise, nothing seems amiss.
“Bears or coyotes, probably.”She holds a towel to her head.Her hand finds her hair, her fingers twirling it in her grip as another lie falls from her lips.My shoulders tighten even more.
“Looked like the lock was cut with bolt cutters,” Tanner says, and I have no idea how they noticed all that when it’s so dark outside.She needs more lights around the house, around her shed.Shit, even all the way up her driveway.
“It was rusty.”She has an answer for everything, apparently.
“Connor and I will go take a look around, just in case.Check the animals.”Tanner and his son share a look, their commanding presence felt around the room before they walk past me and straight out the door.
“Alright, I might as well take a look at your head while I’m here.”Hudson steps toward her with his doctor bag.Annabelle turns, her eyes settling on me, and I keep her gaze until Noah wiggles again and I spot another wince she tries to hold back.
“Let me take him.”My feet move before my mind actually thinks about what I’m doing.
“It’s fine.”She’s stubborn, even now.
“I’ve got him.”I don’t listen to her as I scoop up Noah, who proceeds to slap both my cheeks and giggle.
“You know that stings, right?”I tell him, this time holding him closer to my body.
“Like a beeeeeee,” he says, and I chuckle.
“Okay, well, it’s a good size gash on your forehead there.”Hudson pulls my attention to Annabelle, and I see a large wound across her forehead.I grit my teeth harder, not liking seeing her hurt.
“I just tripped.I’m sure it will heal fine,” she says, as Hudson wipes away a little of the blood.
