Free Vanished (The Saved Series, A Military Romance) by Lorhainne Eckhart Page B

questions going through his mind. The fact was that he was so close, with his first real lead to finding Abby in way too long. He was angry over the wasted time, hours, minutes, and most of all he couldn’t shake his feeling of hurt that Abby hadn’t called him. No matter what happened, she had always come to him. She was his wife—he loved her. She was the mother of his son and Rachel, their dark-haired little girl. He felt everything turn to anger, unable to understand how she could just walk out.
    Eric turned when Sister Carmen strode down the hall with a piece of paper and a frown on her face. As she approached, she started shaking her head before she stopped in front of Eric. “She’s gone. She was set up with a counselor at a transitional house. Here’s the name.” She handed the paper to Eric, and as he stared at the name written there, Rick Blaney, he couldn’t help the flash of jealousy that shot through him.
    “I left a message for Rick. Th at’s his office address, and he’s there most days.”
    “It’s a start , Eric. Sister Carmen, thank you so much for all your help,” Terri said, but Eric couldn’t take his eyes off this nun who had seen his wife, talked to her, and was trying to tell him she was a different Abby than the one he knew. Abby was strong. She’d been through hell. She was a survivor. This didn’t make any sense.
    “I hope you find your wife , and I hope you get her some help. Whatever happened, I’ve seen enough victims and people at the end of their ropes, barely getting through each day, to recognize PTSD. It’s not just soldiers it happens to. She was fleeing from something bad, at least in her mind, anyway. Talk to Rick,” she said, starting to walk away.
    Eric was at a loss as he tried to absorb what this woman was saying about his wife. “Sister Carmen, what makes you so sure? Maybe she’d had enough of the kids and me and she just left,” he said. He couldn’t believe he had just blurted out the fear that was in the back of his mind, which hurt more than anything.
    “Eric , your wife is in trouble. I could see that. We all have this fight or flight instinct inside us, and our brains sometimes do the oddest things to protect us. She was reacting. I can’t say for sure, Eric, but I don’t think it’s as black and white as you may believe. You need to hold on to that. Just prepare yourself, because I’ve seen soldiers who are in pretty bad shape walk away from their families and never return.”
    “Come on , Eric,” Terri said. She touched his arm, and he glanced at the room full of people and started toward the door.
    “I hope you find your wife ,” someone called. It was the old homeless woman, who was standing near the door, holding a cup of coffee.
    “What’s your name?” Eric asked , seeing something in her that softened his heart.
    She seemed surprised for a minute before saying, “Betty.”
    “How long have you been living on the streets?”
    “ Lost track. One day is the same as any other. They start to blur after a while,” she replied.
    “You don’t have a family, someone you can call?” He didn’t know why, but there was something about her that had him wanting to know more. He couldn’t just turn his back, because he didn’t understand how people could end up here and choose to be on the street.
    “No one who wants to hear from me. You’d best go find your wife,” she said before finally looking away. When Eric didn’t leave, she said, “Well, I should go help Frank. Take care of your family, Captain.”
    Betty walked away. Eric watched her and had no doubt she appeared far older than she was. The street could be hard and unforgiving, and he couldn’t help wonder what her story was.
    “Ready?” Terri asked.
    Eric didn’t say a word as he stepped out the door, resting his arm on the roof of Terri’s car as he watched her walk around to the driver’s side.
    “ I still don’t understand why Abby didn’t try to get a hold of