Read Online Forget Me Not: A Novel (Crossroads Crisis Center) by Vicki Hinze - Free Book Online
Authors: Vicki Hinze
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had a catastrophe that would rival 9/11. Fortunately, someone at Homeland Security put the pieces together, and they nearly got the mall evacuated in time. Minimal casualties but a lot of shaken-up people.”
“Terrorist attack?”
“It’s all over the news. Some group called NINA is taking responsibility,” Peggy said. “Emergency Management is asking us for help. They’re short on counselors.”
“Don’t even ask.” He didn’t counsel anymore. He didn’t go to the center anymore. Not since Susan and Christopher …
“Computer conference it is, then.” Peggy sighed. “I’ll set it up.”
Somewhere deep inside, the hope that this would lead to something that revealed the truth flickered to life.
Ben snuffed it out.
He’d follow through. He’d always follow through. But his days of being suckered into hoping he wouldn’t just hit another dead end were over.
He cradled the phone and pressed his hands over his eyes. A man could only survive that hard a fall so many times.
By nine thirty Sunday morning, the adrenaline surge that kept Susan’s pain minimal subsided. Every conceivable part of her body ached. But at least she had the comfort of knowing she suffered no permanent physical damage—and, while being attacked had been a violation, she was spared that type of violation women most fear.
She felt safe at the crisis center; at least, she had until Dr. Harper and Dr. Talbot and Peggy Crane brought her into this sterile conference room and some guy no one bothered to introduce appeared on a computer screen placed at the far end of the long table. He came out glaring at her, and he still hadn’t stopped.
He appeared to be in his early thirties, and he was indisputably a handsome man with black hair, gray eyes, and a strong, angular face that was far more interesting than perfect. The only thing that wrecked his appeal was the bitterness etched into its every line.
The glare and that bitterness warned this wasn’t going to be pleasant, and right now she just didn’t need the added stress of being subjected to another hostile man. As it was, she felt half a beat from jumping out of her skin.
Be patient with him
.
She stilled. Digested.
Yes, Lord
. She whispered that response in her mind. When what she’d done dawned on her, she inwardly gasped.
God?
No response. And yet she knew it had been. Here, now, God was with her.
Her heart beat fast, hard in her chest.
Be patient with him
, He’d said. Determined to try, she rubbed her gold cross necklace for comfort.
Dressed in olive green Dockers and a golf shirt, Dr. Talbot leanedforward and folded his hands on the conference table. His gold watch glinted in the strong overhead light and reflected in the table’s sheen. “Ben, thank you for joining us. Shall I brief you?”
So Mystery Man’s name was Ben. She sat up a little straighter. Did he work here too?
“No, thanks, Harvey.” On the screen Ben kept his gaze fixated on Susan. “You brief me.”
Definitely not pleasant.
Why?
“Excuse me?” She hiked her chin. “Not to be rude, but I don’t even know you.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Peggy said. “Totally my fault, Susan. Benjamin Brandt owns Crossroads Crisis Center. He used to be a counselor here.”
Susan Brandt’s relative? He didn’t look at her like a husband or a brother, and she wasn’t sure what to make of that.
Peggy swiped her bobbed hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear, and looked from Susan to her boss. “Ben, Dr. Talbot—”
“Can relax a moment.” Ben tipped his chin toward Susan. “Go ahead.”
His arrogance wasn’t at all becoming. “I’m the victim, Mr. Brandt. I don’t believe I work for you, and from my lack of familiarity with your processes, I’m guessing I’m not a psychiatrist either. So I have no idea what you want to know.”
Unless he was chiseled from stone, the man had to know her nerves were ready to snap, and aggression wouldn’t help. She didn’t deserve it any more
“Terrorist attack?”
“It’s all over the news. Some group called NINA is taking responsibility,” Peggy said. “Emergency Management is asking us for help. They’re short on counselors.”
“Don’t even ask.” He didn’t counsel anymore. He didn’t go to the center anymore. Not since Susan and Christopher …
“Computer conference it is, then.” Peggy sighed. “I’ll set it up.”
Somewhere deep inside, the hope that this would lead to something that revealed the truth flickered to life.
Ben snuffed it out.
He’d follow through. He’d always follow through. But his days of being suckered into hoping he wouldn’t just hit another dead end were over.
He cradled the phone and pressed his hands over his eyes. A man could only survive that hard a fall so many times.
By nine thirty Sunday morning, the adrenaline surge that kept Susan’s pain minimal subsided. Every conceivable part of her body ached. But at least she had the comfort of knowing she suffered no permanent physical damage—and, while being attacked had been a violation, she was spared that type of violation women most fear.
She felt safe at the crisis center; at least, she had until Dr. Harper and Dr. Talbot and Peggy Crane brought her into this sterile conference room and some guy no one bothered to introduce appeared on a computer screen placed at the far end of the long table. He came out glaring at her, and he still hadn’t stopped.
He appeared to be in his early thirties, and he was indisputably a handsome man with black hair, gray eyes, and a strong, angular face that was far more interesting than perfect. The only thing that wrecked his appeal was the bitterness etched into its every line.
The glare and that bitterness warned this wasn’t going to be pleasant, and right now she just didn’t need the added stress of being subjected to another hostile man. As it was, she felt half a beat from jumping out of her skin.
Be patient with him
.
She stilled. Digested.
Yes, Lord
. She whispered that response in her mind. When what she’d done dawned on her, she inwardly gasped.
God?
No response. And yet she knew it had been. Here, now, God was with her.
Her heart beat fast, hard in her chest.
Be patient with him
, He’d said. Determined to try, she rubbed her gold cross necklace for comfort.
Dressed in olive green Dockers and a golf shirt, Dr. Talbot leanedforward and folded his hands on the conference table. His gold watch glinted in the strong overhead light and reflected in the table’s sheen. “Ben, thank you for joining us. Shall I brief you?”
So Mystery Man’s name was Ben. She sat up a little straighter. Did he work here too?
“No, thanks, Harvey.” On the screen Ben kept his gaze fixated on Susan. “You brief me.”
Definitely not pleasant.
Why?
“Excuse me?” She hiked her chin. “Not to be rude, but I don’t even know you.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Peggy said. “Totally my fault, Susan. Benjamin Brandt owns Crossroads Crisis Center. He used to be a counselor here.”
Susan Brandt’s relative? He didn’t look at her like a husband or a brother, and she wasn’t sure what to make of that.
Peggy swiped her bobbed hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear, and looked from Susan to her boss. “Ben, Dr. Talbot—”
“Can relax a moment.” Ben tipped his chin toward Susan. “Go ahead.”
His arrogance wasn’t at all becoming. “I’m the victim, Mr. Brandt. I don’t believe I work for you, and from my lack of familiarity with your processes, I’m guessing I’m not a psychiatrist either. So I have no idea what you want to know.”
Unless he was chiseled from stone, the man had to know her nerves were ready to snap, and aggression wouldn’t help. She didn’t deserve it any more
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