She Steps Out Of Betrayal's Shadow To Rebuild Her Broken Home novel · Chapter 5 of 24

Chapter 5: Questions From the Sheriff

Melinda opened the door herself.

She stood in Zachary's flannel shirt and his wool socks, with a mug in her hand. The cold came in around her ankles.

There were two officers on the step. Leland stood behind them in his grey coat.

Bianca waited at the car with the engine running.

"Mrs. Crane," the older officer said. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I walked out of the hospital on my own."

"Your husband says you're injured and don't know where you are."

"I'm in Rhinebeck, in the gatehouse of my father's house." She set the mug on the sill. "It's ten past two in the morning. It's March. I'm twenty-nine years old and I can't remember the last ten."

The younger officer wrote it down.

"Mindy," Leland said gently. "You're shaking."

"I'm cold. That's a different thing."

The older officer lifted his chin at the cottage.

"Mr. Maddox. Mr. Crane says you've had a run-in at the hospital before."

Zachary stood in the doorway at her back.

He didn't move and he didn't answer.

Melinda noticed that, and she put it away to think about later.

"Officer, I'm an adult," she said. "Is it a crime to leave a hospital?"

"Not unless a doctor has her committed, ma'am. Has a doctor done that?"

"My husband holds her medical proxy," Leland said quickly. "She signed it herself six months ago."

He took a folded paper from inside his coat and handed it over.

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