Hunter held his eyes. “I will.”

CHAPTER 15

The day dragged on.

Hannah didn’t dare tell Michael’s brothers, but the sound of the gunshots still reverberated through her head. The gruesome pictures he’d sent her still waited on her phone. Even now, she couldn’t close her eyes without seeing them.

Layne, Gabriel’s girlfriend, and her little brother, Simon, had joined them at the table half an hour ago. Gabriel had looked so relieved to see them that Hannah had been surprised he didn’t run out to hug them both.

Layne’s father had been with them, but he hadn’t lingered. David Forrest had left his kids at the table, saying he’d be back soon.

And then he’d hustled off.

He’d brought a new level of emotion to the table, though. Where before there’d only been thinly veiled panic, now there was a shred of something like hope.

Gabriel’s hand was linked with Layne’s, identical to the way Nick held on to Adam. He’d leaned into her and whispered, though not quietly, “I can’t believe you got him to help.”

Layne had leaned back into him. “Sometimes he surprises me.”

Simon, who was deaf, had watched this, then made a disgusted noise. He signed something.

Gabriel had smiled thinly. “Whatever.” He’d flicked a pretzel at him.

“What did he say?” Hannah had asked.

“ ‘Get a room.’ ”

And now they were waiting again.

It had been almost twenty-four hours.

When Hannah’s father walked into the cafeteria, she almost did a double take. He was here? He’d been right here in this hospital and he wouldn’t answer her calls?

He didn’t look happy to see her either.

“Hannah. How long have you been here?”

She put the cards down. “Since last night.”

“Who has James?”

“Mom. Who do you think?”

Michael’s brothers watched this exchange like a game of tennis. Back. Forth. Waiting for something substantial to be said.

But her father was still fixated on James. “Have you talked to her? Is James okay?”

Something in his voice made her frown. “Yeah, he’s fine. Why?”

His expression darkened. “You should be at home. You shouldn’t be here.”

“Have you seen Michael?” said Nick.

The question derailed her father’s anger. His shoulders seemed to sag. “Yes. I’ve seen him. You can go up. He’s in room forty-four-fifteen. He wants to see you.”

They almost knocked the table over in their rush for the elevator.

Her father got in their way and put his hands up. “Family only.”

Layne and Simon drew back to wait with Adam, but Gabriel got in her father’s face. “Fuck that,” he said. “They can all come. We’ve been waiting all day—”

“He’s not alone,” said her father. “For right now, family only.”

That shut them up.

He’s not alone. Her father’s voice was full of foreboding. What did that mean? What had happened?

Hunter stepped back. His face was a little pale. “It’s okay,” he said. “Text me. It’s okay. I can wait.” When they hesitated, he gave Gabriel a shove. “Go!”

They went.

Hannah stood there for a minute, then moved to follow them.

Her father caught her arm. “You need to go home,” he said. Then he looked past her, at the others. “You all need to go home.”

“What’s going on?” said Adam.

Hannah couldn’t figure out the note in her father’s voice, but it wasn’t good. “What happened?” she whispered. “Is he dying?”

“No,” he said. “Physically, he’ll be fine.”

Physically.

She jerked free of his hold. “What happened? What aren’t you saying?” He wasn’t responding, and it took everything she had not to hit him. “What did you do?” she demanded. “What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything, Hannah.” He sounded tired. Exasperated. Weary. It wasn’t a tone she was used to hearing from him. “There are laws here. Procedures I have to follow. This has nothing to do with me.”

The elevator dinged, and David Forrest walked out. Apparently Layne thought she’d get more information from her father than Hannah had hope of getting from her own, because she rushed forward, full of questions. “Dad? Is he okay? What happened?”

Layne’s father put his arm across her shoulders and squeezed. “He’ll be fine. I’ll tell you on the way home.” He looked at Hunter. “Have you called your mother? I can drive you home.”

Hunter had looked pale a minute ago, but now he looked positively sick. “No. Why do I need to call my mother?”

“Would someone please say what’s going on?” said Adam.

Mr. Forrest glanced at him, then at Hunter. His expression was grave. “Given the events of the past two days, and considering his brothers are under eighteen, the county has stepped in.”

Now Hannah felt sick. The county couldn’t do this. They couldn’t.

“No,” she said. “Can you stop them?”

“They have a court order. The Merrick house is unlivable and Michael is in the hospital. I can’t stop them. It’s temporary, but—”

“No,” said Hunter. His voice was shaking now. “They can’t.”