Where Is Annie: Return to the Aspens Series, #1

By Elizabeth Sherry

Continue enjoying the heroes and their brave women that you loved in The Aspen Series, as well as new lovable characters in the Return to the Aspens Series. Where Is Annie is book 1.

Brad and Hannah have been happy the past year, and with their beautiful four month old daughter, things could not be more perfect. that is, until strange things began to happen on more than one occasion. Then one morning Baby Annie was gone. Follow Brad and Hannah and their whole family hunt for little Annie, as Hannah prays to hold her baby again soon and that the madness will end.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scarecrow Books
• Release date: Jan 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781507020173

Book preview

Where is Annie?

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Elizabeth Sherry

Prologue

Glen and Rick went in the ER first, after parking in the emergency parking lot. Brad followed with Hannah a step behind.

Glen turned to Brad and Hannah and said, I’m going to ask questions here; you and Brad go to Pediatrics. Let us know if the baby is Annie.

Brad walked briskly down the hall with Hannah close behind, but she had only taken a few steps when she was grabbed around the neck, and she felt a knife to her throat.

Brad! Hannah yelled.

As Brad stopped and turned, he saw the man who must be Scott’s brother holding Hannah at knifepoint. He also noticed Glen and Rick had stopped to see why Hannah yelled. This didn’t look good. Brad said a prayer that his wife would get out of this and hold her daughter again.

Chapter 1

It was a very nice evening. Don’t you think so, Brad? Hannah asked her husband.

Brad pulled Hannah close and wrapped his arms around her and their three-month-old daughter, who was being held in Hannah’s arms. Yes, it’s always great spending time with Sher and Glen and Lynn and Rick, especially since we won’t see Lynn and Rick for a week as they’re leaving in the morning for their week-long cruise.

I’m so glad your sister and Glen bought the cabin outside of Estes Park, and since it’s right on the Big Thompson River, I know all of us will have many fun-filled days on the water. Hannah smiled at Brad as she juggled her squirming daughter in her arms.

Okay, it’s bathtime for you, young lady. Honey, could you hold her while I get her bath ready?

Come here, little princess. While Mommy is getting your bath prepared, you and I will have Daddy time.

A few minutes later, Hannah took Annie, and Brad could hear both giggling over Annie’s splashing. He knew from experience that Hannah would be soaked by the time the bath was over, and he smiled. Brad remembered how terrified he was four months ago with Hannah’s delivery date less than a month away. Looking back, he chided himself for his nervousness. He was now a devoted husband and father and couldn’t be happier. Annie was a treasure to be around, and the minute she was delivered, she stole his heart completely.

Annie, give Daddy kisses goodnight, then it’s off to bed with you, young lady.

Brad softly kissed Annie’s cheek and told his daughter goodnight. Hannah carried Annie to the nursery for her nighttime story.

Hannah loved this time of night when she could curl up in the rocking chair with Annie lying against her breast while Hannah read to her. Although it was a very short book, Annie fell asleep before Hannah was halfway through it. Hannah continued to hold her daughter as her thoughts went back into the past. She found it hard to believe that after everything the three couples went through over a year ago, they all have had a very peaceful past year. She recalled how her sister-in-law, Sher Mason, and Glen Sanders barely made it out of some harrowing events. Then how Sher’s brother, Brad, and Glen came within a thread of losing their lives at this very cabin. Also, she couldn’t forget how Glen’s police partner, Rick David, had saved Sher’s best friend, Lynn Rayne, from kidnappers on more than one occasion. Since those nightmares ended, the six of them have had peace and happiness. Hannah knew they were all blessed. Now she was married to Brad and had the most beautiful baby.

Looking down at her sleeping child, she brushed Annie’s thin red hair off the baby’s forehead. Gently getting out of the rocker, Hannah laid Annie in her crib and covered her with her favorite pink blanket. As she covered Annie, Hannah noticed a new stuffed animal sitting in the corner of the crib. It was a border collie that was almost the spitting image of Hannah’s two dogs, Jonas and Jack.

Reaching for the new toy, Hannah noticed a note was pinned to the dog’s collar. The note said for our precious little angel.

Hannah smiled as she carried the fluffy, soft animal out of the nursery and quietly closed the nursery door partway.

Brad, look what I found in Annie’s crib. He’s adorable, but I wonder why Sher or Lynn didn’t tell us they got this for Annie? Hannah said, as she handed the dog to Brad. I guess they wanted it to be a surprise. I should call Sher and thank her.

Brad read the note still attached to the fluffy dog’s collar and smiled back at Hannah. It’s very late, and besides you and I are both tired after such a long but wonderful day. Why don’t you call Sher in the morning? Let’s get some sleep while we can. We both know Annie won’t sleep for long.

Hannah smiled at her husband, and knowing the kitchen had been cleaned before their visitors left, she took Brad’s hand and together they walked to their bedroom.

The first thing Brad always did upon entering their bedroom for the night was make sure the baby monitor was turned on and working. Since Hannah was a nurse, she was probably over-conscious, but also realistic to the problems that could arise during the night with a little one. Neither she nor Brad wanted to take any chances with their precious daughter.

They both crawled into bed with peace of mind that all was quiet, and since they both had a long day, they soon fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Hannah and Brad weren’t asleep for very long when both dogs woke them with their barking. Hannah could hear the faint cries of Annie as they came through on the monitor.

Brad was the first to reach the nursery door, with Hannah close behind him.