Chapter 2 - The Man Everyone FearedBelle survived the night.
Barely.
At the hospital, doctors rushed her into surgery.
Harlan stood outside the operating room for nearly three hours without sitting.
I stayed too.
I wasn't sure why.
Maybe because Belle kept asking for me whenever she woke.
Maybe because leaving felt wrong.
Or maybe because something about Harlan Voss made me feel that if I walked away, I'd never know whether the little girl lived.
At 3:18 a.m., the surgeon finally came out.
“She made it through.”
Harlan closed his eyes.
Only for a second.
Then he asked:
“When can I see her?”
“Soon.”
The doctor looked at me.
“And you should probably know something.”
I frowned.
“Her medication was missing.”
Harlan's face changed.
“What?”
“The emergency medication she was supposed to carry wasn't in her bag.”
“I packed it myself.”
“Then someone removed it.”
Silence.
Harlan turned toward his security chief.
“Lock down the hospital.”
The man nodded.
Then Harlan looked at me.
“Did anyone approach Belle before you?”
“No.”
“Think carefully.”
“I heard her coughing. Nobody else was there.”
“Did you see a vehicle?”
I shook my head.
Then remembered something.
“Actually…”
He waited.
“There was a black sedan near the exit.”
His eyes sharpened.
“License plate?”
“No.”
“Anything else?”
I thought.
“A green sticker on the rear window.”
Harlan immediately turned.
“Find it.”
Two men disappeared.
I watched him.
“You think someone hurt her?”
“I think someone wanted her dead.”
My stomach turned.
“Why?”
He didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at my purse.
“Why were you walking through that garage?”
“Because I missed my bus.”
“Where were you going?”
“Home.”
“Do you have a car?”
“No.”
He glanced at my shoes.
Then the eviction notice.
“Where is home?”
I didn't answer.
He understood.
“You're being evicted.”
My face burned.
“That isn't your business.”
“No.”
He paused.
“But my daughter's life is.”
I crossed my arms.
“She isn't my business either.”
Belle's voice suddenly came through the hospital room.
“Rue?”
I turned.
She was awake.
I walked inside.
Belle reached for my hand.
“You stayed.”
“I said I would.”
She smiled.
Harlan stood behind me.
Belle looked between us.
“Daddy?”
“Yes?”
“Rue can come home with us.”
Harlan stared at her.
Then at me.
I immediately shook my head.
“No.”
Belle frowned.
“Why?”
“Because your dad is terrifying.”
Harlan's eyebrow lifted.
Belle giggled.
“He's nice.”
I looked at him.
“You're apparently the only person who thinks so.”
For the first time, Harlan Voss smiled.
It lasted less than a second.
May you like
But I saw it.
And somehow, that frightened me more than his anger.
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