Page 99 of Hart of Hope
Fuck.
I waited for the operator to respond, but when I checked the phone, the signal was gone. I jogged toward the barn cautiously, not seeing anyone. Because of the rain, the guard was probably inside.
I found a spot behind a tree and looked through the contacts on Josh’s phone—no one I knew. Then I remembered that Janet Welby had called Josh before she showed up at Brian’s condo. So that would have been between eight and eleven p.m. last night. I brought up recent calls and found the only number that fell within that time frame.
No signal.
I held up the phone toward the sky. One bar popped up. I tapped on the number.
“Hello,” Janet said. “Josh?”
I almost cried. “Janet, it’s Grace.”
She shuddered. “Oh, my. Where are you?”
“Can you patch Brian through?”
“He’s on his way to Freetown. He and your brother decided to search for you while BPD tries to pinpoint a few locations.”
“They’re coming?” I cried.
“Hold on. I’ll call Brian and conference him in.”
I quickly peered around the tree. Still no one outside. But I didn’t have much time.
Come on, Janet.
I glanced at where I’d left Josh, but I couldn’t see that far.
“Grace.” Brian’s voice sounded like butter, melting my damn soul.
After everything—the fear, the running, the fighting—just hearing him say my name brought tears to my eyes. He was my anchor in the storm, my safe place.
“I don’t have time to explain. You need to find us. I called 911, but I lost the signal. I might lose you too.” My voice cracked.
“Whoa!” he said. “Slow down. Where’s Fran? Is she okay? Please tell me she’s fine.”
I squeezed my eyes closed, his concern for his daughter making my chest ache.
“She went for help at a farm maybe two miles from this one. We’re in the Freetown Forest. Horse farm. Not sure where. I did see a For Sale sign outside the house. I’m sorry I don’t know more than that.”
“Baby girl, stay strong.” The tenderness in his voice nearly broke me. Even now, with everything going wrong, he still believed in me.
“I’m on Josh’s phone.” I fought to keep my voice steady. “Maybe the authorities can ping his cell.”
“I have his number,” Janet chimed in.
“Sis, you’re on speaker. I’m here with Brian,” Duke said. “Ted tried that already, and it didn’t work. It might be because of the storm. Or Josh could’ve had his phone off. Ted is working on finding farms for sale, but you said there’s a farm two miles from where you are.”
“Duke.” Hearing my brother’s voice added another level of relief. “That’s right. Weeping… I don’t remember now. I have to save the others.” My throat closed up. “Brian, I love you, and I’m so sorry.”
The silence that followed felt like a knife to the heart. The signal was gone, taking with it my last connection to the man who’d shown me what real love was—something pure and strong and worth fighting for.
I banged my head on the tree. I was slowly losing my fight, but I couldn’t let the fear and grief overwhelm me.
Brian’s words echoed in my mind. “Baby girl, stay strong.”
I couldn’t fail him. I couldn’t fail the girls in the barn either.
