Chapter 13 - Shadows in the Hospital
The night brought a eerie silence to the hospital corridors
the busy daytime rush replaced by the soft hum of machines and occasional footsteps of nurses.
I stayed by Megan's side
pulling a heavy armchair up to the edge of her bed.
She was sleeping fitfully
her hand still gripped tightly in mine as if she feared I would vanish if she let go.
Outside the window
the Wisconsin night was dark and cold
the parking lot lights casting long shadows across the asphalt.
I looked down at our joined hands
thinking about how much our lives had changed in just twenty-four hours.
We were refugees in our own country
fleeing from the person who was supposed to love me unconditionally.
Around two in the morning
the door to the room creaked open slowly.
I sat up instantly
my muscles tensing as a figure stepped into the dim light.
It was a nurse
carrying a tray of medication.
"Just checking her vitals
sir,"
she whispered softly
giving me a reassuring smile.
I nodded
relaxing slightly as she adjusted the IV drip and checked the monitor.
But as she turned to leave
she dropped a small piece of paper onto the bedside table.
"A gentleman outside asked me to give this to you,"
she whispered before slipping out of the room.
My heart pounded against my ribs as I reached for the note.
I opened it under the dim light of the monitor
my eyes scanning the short message.
"The warrant won't save you
Jake. Look out the window."
I stood up slowly
walking over to the glass and looking down into the parking lot.
Underneath a flickering street lamp
a lone figure stood beside a black SUV.
It was my mother's lawyer
holding a phone to his ear
staring directly up at our window.
He raised his glass in a mock toast before turning around and getting into the vehicle.
They were playing psychological games with us
trying to break our resolve before the legal system could catch up to them.
I closed the blinds tightly
refusing to give them the satisfaction of watching me look.
I went back to Megan's side
feeling a deep sense of anger burning in my chest.
They thought they could intimidate us into submission
but they didn't understand the power of a father's love.
I picked up my phone and called Detective Miller
who was staying at a hotel down the road.
"Miller
they're outside the hospital,"
I said as soon as he answered.
"The lawyer just sent a note up to our room through a nurse."
"Damn it,"
Miller swore over the line.
"She's trying to provoke you into doing something stupid
Jake."
"Don't take the bait."
"The DA just confirmed the warrant is being signed right now in Chicago."
"By morning
the Illinois State Police will be knocking on her door."
"Just hold on for a few more hours."
I hung up the phone
but the unease remained deep in my gut.
My mother was not a woman who accepted defeat easily.
If she knew the warrant was coming
she would do something drastic to protect herself.
I looked at Megan's peaceful face
May you like
promising myself that no matter what happened
I would be her shield against the storm.
