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Hannah shook her head, still looking disbelieving that anything I could say would make an impact.
“She told me things got bad with her dad?”
“You think I didn’t care? Her father used to invite people to the house that wouldbeat her up. She used tostealto eat. She never knew kindness from the time her mother died, until she met you!”
Hannah’s face turned red, but I kept going.
“And then, she thought she could trust you! Do you know who attacked her last night? The man who tried tokillher two years ago, just for trying to escape that miserable life! I am tired of you using your mother and the money as an excuse for acting like you’re superior to people. You think you can’t trust people because you have money? Try trusting someone when everyone in your life has either died or abused you!”
“Did she ask you to speak to me?” Hannah sneered, actuallysneered.
“Jesus Christ, Hannah! No! She’s fucking gone, okay! She’s going out west, and I have no idea where! Because you couldn’t get off your high horse and see that maybe this wasn’t all about you!”
Hannah deflated suddenly.
“She’s gone?”
“Yes!”
“Do you know—”
I handed her Evelyn’s note, and her eyes filled with tears as she read.
“I need to find her, Hannah,” I said, slightly calmer, “Because I have only been in love like this once before in my life, and it was with your mother. She isn’t asking me to choose, she’s asking you, as herfriend,to accept that she’s happy, and has found a place where she feelssafe. It hasnothingto do with money. I know she would love me even if we were broke.”
Hannah rubbed her hands over her face, and then the tears were gone, a look of determination on her face.
“I know Evelyn. She wouldn’t have been planning this. She would have just wanted to get away, so I need you to call the airport. Find out which plane left heading west most recently. Get us tickets, and we’ll follow her. I’m not going to say I totally understand, but I’m not letting her throw her life away.”
I nodded, and pulled out my cell phone, when Harriet came back.
“You might want to look outside,” she said. “I heard your plans, and they might not be possible.”
I strode over to Hannah’s window, only to find, with dismay, that the heavens had opened, and a blizzard was taking place.
“Maybe she’s been grounded,” I whispered.
Hannah joined me at the window, and swore under her breath.
It took us almost two hours just to get to the airport from our house. The blizzard was so heavy that Tony couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of us at a time, and had to go slow on the slick roads for our safety. Hannah didn’t speak to me, just tapped her fingers anxiously on her legs. I was distinctly reminded of the time she stole a lollipop from a candy store when she was eight. I’d made her bring it back and apologize, and the whole way to the store, she had been anxious, scared of the consequences. This was way bigger than a lollipop though, and I couldn’t help but still be a little angry with her. I was angry with myself as well though. I had gone wrong, somewhere along the way, if I made her believe that it was okay to say whatever made Evelyn leave. I could only imagine how outcast she had felt.
When we finally reached the airport, there were plenty of tourists perched on backpacks and suitcases, grumbling about being grounded during the blizzard. I hadn’t been able to get to someone who could help me on the phone, so I strode to the ticket desk, where a tired looking woman was making calls. I waited for her to finish her call.
“Hi, I’m looking for a girl that might have come through here,” I said, holding a hand up “About this tall, long brown hair, brown eyes. Might have looked… tired or injured?”
I didn’t want to mention the marks on her neck, but it was a distinguishing feature.
The woman’s eyes grew hard.
“I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t give away any passenger information.”
Hannah walked up behind me and put her hands on the desk.
“Oh, for God’s sake,he’snot the one that attacked her!” she hissed.
I was shocked at the assumption, but then realized how it might have looked. They thought I was some asshole, chasing the poor girl I’d hurt.
“I’m sorry,” the woman said grimly, “But I still cannot give out any information.”
