en
e Sanctuary, my assistant, Sierra, was waiting. Her eyes widened at the sigh
said immediately. "Anesthetics and
Take the children to the lounge. Make sure
his sister's hand and leading h
l clothes and scrubbed in, the methodical ritual calming my frayed nerves. As I pulled on the sterile
of the heart monitor, a rhythm far too slow and erratic for my liking. Un
flesh thick in the air. Using a set of custom-made, non-metallic inst
le. Then a second, smaller piece near his ribs. The third and largest piece was the problem. It was embedded perilously dee
as the only metronome for my work. Hours passed. Sweat beaded on my forehead, threatenin
fragment came free. I dropped it into a sterile evidence bag
the twins a tired thumbs-up. Aria cheered, while Caleb just g
ecovery suite. He was still unconscious, but his
onger in the lounge. A knot of unease tightened in my stomach. I foun
e bathroom. In her hands, she held a warm, damp washcloth, and she was
be in here," I started to
th, Aria stopped. She tilted her head, her little brow furrowed in concentration. She looked
man. Then she look
lips. She turned to me, her eyes
med, her voice clear and
forward, my heart beginning
just lik
w. My gaze snapped to the man's face
The thin, firm line of his mouth. And most of all, th
unmistakably the same. It was the face I saw every single day, jus
my lungs. The blood in
had been too terrified to even ask, clawed its way ou
otel room. The strong back,
it b
ause Caleb rushed to my side, his small
nswer. I cou
in, her voice full of childish innocence. "Mommy, do you think he
, but a sledgehammer, shattering the ca
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