Chapter 5 #3
“She’s got a ride,” we hear from the doorway as Beckett stands there in a different outfit than when he left.
“Good, because she’ll need to be monitored for a few more hours,” the nurse tells us.
“I’ve got her covered.”
Something flickers out from the corner where the window is, and I turn my head towards it.
The sun is starting to rise and panic settles in.
I didn’t go home last night. Oh my gosh, this is going to be bad.
Once someone realizes, they’ll send people to look for me and find out who I was with and what I was doing.
I always leave my car at the preschool with the phone Papa gave me to use so that they can’t track me, but this is what is going to tip the scale and get me locked up on the farm.
“Hey, Angel, take a deep breath. Everything is gonna be fine.” I feel the bed dip and a warm hand against my cheek. My eyes focus on his face, and I do as he says. “What just happened there?”
Shaking my head, “I’ve got to get to my phone. It’s morning, and I’ve been gone all night.”
“Yeah, because you were hurt,” he says slowly.
“You don’t understand. I’m in big trouble, and if they find out about last night, I’ll never be able to leave,” I say without taking a breath.
“Leave? Why are you trying to leave, Sutton?”
“You wouldn’t understand,” I plead. “Please, I need to get to my car. It’s at work.”
He must sense how important this is because he nods. “Okay, we’ll leave here and go right over there.”
I start nodding my head as Dr. Melissa comes in with a bag.
“I thought you could wear this since we had to cut your clothes off when you came in last night.”
“Thank you so much,” I say. Getting up, I take the bag and walk slowly to the ensuite bathroom. My body aches with every step, but I know this is nothing compared to what’s going to happen when I get back home.
After we check on Raegan who hasn’t woken up yet, Beckett helps me into his truck and takes me over to the preschool. My car is the only one in the parking lot at this early hour.
“Let me come around to help you,” he offers when he puts the gear in park.
Helping me out, we walk over to my car, and I pop the gas tank where I store the key, too afraid the fob has a tracker inside it.
After opening the door, I pop the console lid and reach in for the phone.
I’m expecting the worst, but when there’s only a single missed call it feels as though a rock drops to the bottom of my stomach. It could be a good thing, right?
Pressing the call back number, I wait for three rings before it gets picked up. The sound of Judy’s voices puts me at ease slightly.
“Meyers’ residence, this is Judy,” I hear her say.
“Hi Judy—”
“Sutton,” she whisper shouts. “Have you lost your mind not coming home? Where have you been? Shepherd Walter asked this morning why your car was already gone. I told him that you left before the sun rose.”
I let out the breath I was holding and feel the heat from Beckett’s body at my back. “Thank you, Judy, for covering me. I was in an accident last night and spent it at the hospital.”
She gasps, “Are you okay?”
“I am now. A little banged up, but with some rest I should be fine,” I tell her.
“Don’t come back here until later this evening,” she says, and I can hear voices in the background. “Stay late at work if you need to, but don’t come home before dark. Something is happening, and it’s best you keep off the farm as much as possible.”
“Yeah, okay,” I agree, too tired to ask why. “Thank you, Judy.”
A female’s voice calls out her name in the distance. “I’ve got to go. Stay safe, Sutton.”
The call drops, and I let my muscles relax. I was not expecting Judy to cover for me.
“Everything okay?” Beckett asks, startling me out of my thoughts.
I turn and find him inches from me.
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Mind telling me why you have to check in and were so panicked before that call?”
I sigh and look around.
“Can we talk about it after we get to your place?” I ask.
He raises an eyebrow at my stall tactic but then nods.
“Martha can take Zane to preschool to give us some quiet around the house.” He starts texting on his phone. “After you rest, you are telling me everything, Sutton.”
I nod knowing that it’s only right to give him an explanation about what my plans are.
“Okay.”
“Do you want to leave your car here or follow me back home?”
I shake my head. “No, it’s better to leave it here,” I say then toss the phone on the floorboard and lock the door before shutting it. I replace the fob in the gas tank and see Beckett shaking his head at me when I look up at him, ready to leave.
“You know that’s not smart, right? Thieves check there,” he tells me.
“Right now, that’s the least of my worries,” I mumble as I walk past him to the passenger side door of his truck.
He beats me to the handle and helps me up in my seat. “I can’t fix anything if you don’t tell me what’s wrong.”
I give him a small smile as he helps buckle me in, then pecks me on the lips before closing my door.
I hope telling him is the right thing to do. The last thing I need right now is for things to get worse than they already are.