Hidden

Chapter thirty

Chapter Thirty

Allie could hardly contain her excitement and was ready to get back to the hotel and give Michael the gifts that she had found for him. While she hadn't had money to buy him anything, Allie had managed to get some scrap lumber from the sawmill for free and the post office clerk had given her a few scrap sheets of paper. The only thing she'd been unable to find were any pencils but thankfully there was one in their hotel room.

Allie knew how much Michael loved to carve and so he would be able to do that with the scrap wood and her knife, and he would even be able to do a bit of drawing and see how he liked that.

"Hopefully he hasn't already carved your name and little hearts into the hotel walls," Amelia teased as they stepped through the hotel door and into the entryway.

Allie rolled her eyes, "I'm sure he hasn't, I talked to him about carving on walls. And even if he were going to carve something, I'm sure he wouldn't waste his time on my name and a few hearts."

Amelia snickered, "I doubt he'd see it as a waste of time. He's in looooove with you, remember?"

Allie was unable to stop the glow of happiness that she was certain shone out of her. Yes, she remembered. Michael loved her, even the bad things about her, and for that Allie was beyond grateful.

The sisters were just about to head down the hall to their room when Martha came bustling out of the café and toward them with a look of complete worry on her face, "Allie, thank heaven you're back!"

"What's wrong?" Allie demanded. "Has something happened to Michael?"

Martha nodded and wrung her hands, "I have no idea what came over the man. We were sitting in my office talking, he was eating his breakfast, and then suddenly this look of terror just came over him and he shoved himself to his feet and ran away as quickly as he could. He went to your room and locked the door and wouldn't answer when I knocked... I could have used my spare key and opened it but I didn't want to scare him more. I truly don't know what happened to him."

Allie didn't waste time listening anymore. She raced toward their hotel room and unlocked the door quickly, "Michael?" she called when she entered and didn't see him.

"Allie?" his whispering voice came from behind a changing screen and Allie closed the bedroom door after Amelia had entered.

Allie dropped her gifts for Michael into the chair beside the door and walked to the screen he was behind, "Michael, why are you hiding? What's wrong?"

"It's n..not safe here," Michael's voice was shaking.

Allie slipped around the curtain and her heart hurt when she saw him sitting on the floor, leaning back against the copper tub with his arms wrapped around his knees. Allie dropped to her knees beside him and took his face in her hands. His blue eyes were wide and his face had paled considerably.

"Why isn't it safe? What happened? Did Martha do something to you?" Anger flared to life inside Allie. If that woman had done something to hurt Michael she would pay dearly for it.

"She's one of them." Michael whispered earnestly. "She's one of those monsters."

Allie was confused, "What monsters?"

Michael licked his lip and his gaze flicked to the left when Amelia came around the curtain as well, "She's a Tr..Treadwell."

Aware that her heart seemed to have ceased beating, Allie swallowed hard and shared a look of shock with her sister. Martha was a Treadwell? That didn't have to mean that she was related to Michael's family--but given the proximity of this town to their house it certainly seemed likely.