you, Ben Whitman, and I know you care about every victim. You always put your whole self into righting every wrong you encounter, but it leaves you drained afterward. I’m afraid the stress of your job is going to get to you after a while, and I don’t want that to happen. The people of this county need you, and I think I just realized today how much Faith and I need you, too. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”
He smiled and gave her hand a squeeze. “I’m glad you think of me that way—as someone you can count on. I always promised Shane that I would look after his girls while he was away, and I’ll never break that promise. You can count on me.”
She smiled and closed her eyes. After a moment he realized she had drifted off to sleep. He glanced over his shoulder at Joe. “Is it okay for her to sleep?”
Joe nodded. “Yeah. We used to think that anyone with a head injury should be kept awake, but that theory has been proven untrue. Now doctors believe healing starts when the patient is asleep. She’s hooked to a monitor that’s checking her blood pressure and heart rate. So I’ll let her rest until we get to the hospital.”
Ben turned back to Hannah, but he didn’t let go of her hand. He held it as he watched her sleep, all the way to the hospital.
Hannah opened her eyes, but she couldn’t figure out where she was. She felt pressure on her hand and turned her head to see Ben sitting beside her with his hand wrapped around hers. A frown pulled at her forehead, and then the memory of what she’d endured returned.
Noticing her open eyes, Ben leaned forward and smiled. “We’re at the hospital, Hannah. Joe is getting ready to take you into the emergency room, but I’ll be in the waiting room while the doctor examines you.”
She smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Ben. Would you do something for me?”
“Sure. What is it?”
“I had only intended to run a few errands before going home. Valerie is with Faith. She must be worried by this time. Will you call and let her know what happened and ask her to stay with Faith until I can get home?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
“We’re ready to take you in, Hannah.” Joe’s voice from the back of the ambulance interrupted them. “Ben can come back to the exam room as soon as the doctor is through checking you out.”
Hannah smiled up at Ben. “Then I’ll see you later.”
He nodded. “Later.”
Ben looked as if he wanted to say more, but he turned and climbed from the ambulance. Joe and his partner pulled the gurney out, and she caught one last glimpse of Ben before they rolled her through the emergency bay of the hospital.
Inside they were met by a nurse who ushered them to an exam room. As soon as they had her situated in a bed, Joe gave the nurse the information about her vitals and the extent of her noticeable injuries, and then he disappeared into the hallway. The nurse leaned over the bed and smiled. “Hi, Hannah. My name is Cindy. The doctor will be with you in a moment. Are you feeling pain anywhere?”
Hannah touched the cut on her head that Joe had placed a temporary bandage on. “This cut on my head stings, but that’s the worst of it.”
Cindy examined the cut and nodded. “That doesn’t look too bad, but I’m sure it stings. I’ll get that cleaned up before the doctor sees you.”
Hannah winced and bit down on her lip as the nurse began to wipe at the cut. The pain subsided as a cool ointment of some kind was spread across her forehead and then a gauze pad applied. Before either one of them could say anything, the door opened, and a middle-aged man wearing a white lab coat and a stethoscope around his neck walked into the room.
He stopped at the side of the bed and waited for the nurse to move out of the way before he smiled and stepped closer to her. “Hello, Mrs. Riley. I’m Doctor Denton. I hear you’ve had quite an experience this afternoon. Are you in pain anywhere?”
Hannah shook her head. “Nothing serious—just some soreness from cuts and bruises.”
“That’s good.” He glanced at the monitors beside her bed and nodded before turning back to her. “Your vitals look good, but you do have the cut on your head. Let me look at it.”
Hannah didn’t move as he pulled the bandage back and examined the cut. “Is it very deep?”
He shook his head and pressed the gauze back in place. “No, it should heal very cleanly. Of course, we need to make sure there aren’t any other injuries you haven’t yet noticed. I’ve ordered a CT scan to determine if you have any internal injuries. As soon as I’ve looked at it, I’ll be back to examine you further. Do you have any questions?”
“No. I did wonder, though, when I’ll be able to see my friend.”
“Sheriff Whitman? I talked with him in the waiting room. He’s very anxious to find out if you’re okay. I’ll let him come back soon.”
For the moment there was nothing else Hannah could do but accept the doctor’s decision. If she’d had her way, Ben would have been with her every minute since she got to the hospital. He was the only person she’d been able to depend on since Shane died. He had been there the minute he heard and hadn’t left her side during the days leading up to the funeral. Since then, he’d done everything he could for her and Faith whenever they needed him. She didn’t know what she’d done to deserve a friend like Ben, but she was thankful for him.
Thirty minutes later, the tests were completed and Hannah was settled back in the bed in the emergency room as she waited for the doctor. He didn’t keep her waiting long. When he walked in, he was smiling, which she took to be a good sign. He didn’t waste time telling her what the results of the tests were.
“Well, Mrs. Riley, the CT scan shows no internal injuries. You’re a very fortunate young lady to have survived a car crash like that with nothing worse to show for it than cuts and bruises.”
“I know,” Hannah said. “I’m very thankful. Everyone here has been extremely nice to me, but I hope you’re going to let me go home now. I have a daughter I need to see about.”
He nodded. “I know. Sheriff Whitman told me. I’m not going to keep you, but I suggest you take it easy for a few days. Come back to the emergency room if you have any problems, though.”
“I will.”
“Now, I’m going out to tell the sheriff he can come back to see you. The nurse will be in to discharge you.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” she said as he turned and walked from the room.
She lay back on the bed and waited for a few minutes, and then she heard Ben’s footsteps in the hallway. She smiled at how she had come to recognize the sound his boots made as he walked. The doctor had left the door open, and Ben stopped before he entered and let his gaze rake over her.
He held the Stetson hat he always wore in his hands, and his fingers clutched the brim. He almost looked as if he was afraid to enter. She pushed up in bed and smiled. “Are you going to stand there, or are you coming in?”
The muscles in his throat constricted as he swallowed. Then, without taking his eyes off her, he walked over to her bed. “How are you feeling?” She smiled and reached for his hand. He wrapped his fingers around hers and held them tightly. “I’ve been going out of my mind in that waiting room,” he admitted. “I was afraid you were hurt badly and they weren’t telling me.”
The rasp in his voice surprised her, and she let her gaze move over his face. She’d known Ben for years, but she’d never seen the look in his eyes that she saw now. It was so much more than just concern. It looked like he had just experienced agony, and her heart pricked. Had he really been that worried about her?
“Ben,”