Nora Roberts Land(110)
Running inside to get dressed, he then grabbed his phone and bundled Hugo into the car.
He wasn’t letting anyone harm Meredith.
Chapter 47
Jill curled up on the couch and watched Clueless, a box of tissues her only companion. The comfort movie wasn’t doing much to remove the horrible pain in her chest, but it had erased the intolerable quiet in the house after Meredith’s departure.
God, how could her sister have kept something like this from her? Didn’t Meredith know how hard she was taking Jemma’s death? Now she wasn’t sure she could live with herself. She could have stopped it. She should have listened to her grandpa. She shoulda…
She didn’t know. More tears welled. She brushed them aside.
When a pounding sounded on the door, she dashed off the couch. Part of her hoped it was Meredith—or Grandpa.
Checking the peephole, she saw neither. It was only Asshole Tanner.
She flung open the door. “What do you want?”
“Where’s Meredith?”
His commanding voice raised her hackles. “What the hell do you care? You broke her heart.”
He placed his hands on his hips and stepped closer, menacing in the outdoor light. “This is serious, Jill. Where’s her car?”
“What do you care?” Tired of asshole men in general, she grabbed the door’s edge. “Get out of here.” She let the door fly.
He caught it. “Dammit, Jill. Where the fuck is Meredith?”
His tone froze her insides, just like when she’d learned that her dad had been rushed to the hospital after a heart attack.
“We, ah,…had a fight. I told her to stay at Mom and Dad’s or Grandpa’s.” The cold turned her bare feet to ice. “Barlow and Kenny don’t have her, do they?” She gripped his fleece.
“What did she tell you, dammit?”
Her lip curled. “Everything.”
“Christ! Call her. Put her on speaker.” He stepped inside and slammed the door behind him.
Running into the den, she found her phone, and hit Mere’s number. When it went to voicemail, a blanket of worry rolled over Jill like a hurricane cloud.
Tanner’s body seemed poised to leap or hurl something.
“When she’s upset, she doesn’t answer. Had it off for five days after the divorce,” she blabbed. “Scared us to death.”
“Call your grandfather’s landline.” Tanner paced like a caged panther in the Denver Zoo.
Grandpa Hale picked up on the second ring. “Jillie? Why are you calling so late? What’s wrong?”
“Grandpa,” she said, the mere sound of his voice reassuring.
“Arthur, it’s Tanner. Is Meredith with you?”
“No. Heavens, what’s going on?”
“Long story. I’ll let Jill explain. Is your car in the garage?”
“Yes. Tanner, what’s going on?”
“Is it locked?”
“No, Dare’s a safe town. Now, tell me what’s going on.”
“All right, keep watch on it until I get there. Either Barlow or Kenny visited my house and tried to cut my brake line.”
His story made Jill tremble. My God, how could this be happening?
“I’m going to your son’s place and see if Meredith’s there. Check her car. Then, I’ll come check yours.”
“I can take care of myself,” he growled. “Jillie, why isn’t she with you?”
She swiped her runny nose with her sleeve. “Gramps, we had a big fight. I know about Jemma and Ray, and I’m so scared.”
Tanner put a calming hand on her arm. “Nothing’s going to happen, Jill.”
“Absolutely right,” Arthur muttered and clicked off.
Jill dialed her parent’s landline, each ring of the phone drilling into her skull.
“What?” Meredith answered finally, her tone hostile. “You throw me out and then call me?”
“Meredith,” Tanner immediately said. “Where’s your car?”
“Tanner?” Her voice cracked.
“Your car? Is it in the garage?”
“Yes. Why? What’s happened?”
“Someone tried to cut my brake line. I’m coming over.”
There was a long moment of silence. “They wouldn’t know I’m here.” Her voice couldn’t be chillier.
“I don’t care. You don’t have to see me. I’m not taking any chances.”
“I don’t think—”
“Too bad.” He snapped the phone shut. His eyes closed for a moment.
Jill rubbed her arms, her mind spinning. “Can you tell me how you’re this upset after crushing her to pieces?”
He pinned her with a stare that could have wilted flowers and stalked over to the door. His cold-reddened hand yanked it open. When he stepped into the harsh porch light, his face turned menacing again. “Just because I broke her heart doesn’t mean I want her dead.”