“Chloe is with her grandmother,” Daniel said. “I am already in my car.”

“Just stay put, Victoria. We are going to handle this.”

The line went dead.

I lowered the phone, my heart racing.

I couldn’t believe he was coming back.

We barely knew each other.

But he had looked at me with such kindness in the hallway.

I walked out of the break room and down toward the lobby.

The hospital felt different now.

The quiet corridors felt menacing, as if the walls themselves were watching me.

I stood near the main entrance, watching the headlights sweep through the rainy parking lot.

A black sedan pulled up to the curb.

The door opened.

But it wasn’t Daniel’s silver SUV.

A tall man stepped out of the black sedan, holding a large umbrella.

He wore an expensive wool overcoat.

Even from a distance, I recognized the posture.

It was James Hendricks.

He closed his umbrella and walked through the sliding doors.

His eyes scanned the lobby, landing directly on me.

He didn’t look angry.

He looked amused.

He began to walk toward me, his leather shoes silent on the damp mats.