her, Erik, first unless there was an

e n

e was far too chee

other returning

umbers for the North

almost

d them

me two

have

"You always did know h

't tryi

sappeared from Erik's voice, replaced by

back in his

the invest

mind drifted to someo

ar

the thou

t the report

o end the call whe

ai

n didn't hang

ll handles emergency

rows drew tog

ask you for

ome out of

ounds o

help someone who was

ession didn't

He was attacked yesterda

licked in L

Hospital

ed against the ed

ou kno

rik paused. "I

ened. "What does his sis

rks for

mind connecting the pieces, but he refused to m

en it happened. She's trying to c

w m

't kno

are you

undation is for. Helping peo

emained calm. "W

ra H

landed be

breathe. Not because he didn't

re you sti

himself back

out Noah to know what had happened. And yet Lucien cou

hed harder. "Se

ed genuinely surprised. "No

details." Lucie

followed. Suffoc

k Zain to submi

th

o know first." Erik sti

need to k

still going t

voice. His eyes darkened. "The Foundation w

corporate way

is a corpora

ine. I'll send e

bout to end the call wh

ea

omise her

rom other lin

't plan

he North Distri

all e

ral seconds, he remained still. Then he turne

rgency assistance fi

E,

FULLY

ssed that morning. There w

leane

t that

n there was a problem. A small satisfaction settl

Erik had

s gaze

from St. Gabriel. He could hav

walked into the hospital, spoken to the doctors himse

he h

aw him there, ques

ut Noah? Why would a man she'd never

itude. He wanted her ignora

e knew she would do whatever it took to keep Noah in that h

one standing in the

s jaw t

e part he d

to her without r

take care of herself. He could stand there and

es

ack at the file

o

doing, Noah's medical expense

that was enough. At lea

St. Gabriel Medical Center,

Visiting hours were nearing their end, and the steady flow of fami

d outside

as steady now, the bruising on his face

d something in

oing to

ne was enough to

fore heading toward the admissions desk. Inside was everyt

withdrawn that afternoon. But it

uld negotiate, ask for more tim

even

up with a polite smile

ke a payment fo

over Noah's a

or several seconds. Then

heart

l me it's more t

through another page be

. H

es

account has alrea

at her. "..

has been pa

ply stood there. "The

t shook her hea

charge that had appeared on the scree

A

edication. Observation

ryt

ely stepped clos

er page. "It was processed th

ed. "What f

table foundation that helps patie

lied for anythi

n apologetic smile. "The Foundation reviewed your brot

er was...

es

d at the sc

't have access to

ist of charges. Everything

the problem she'd spent the

th someone from

requested complet

ngered. Con

r voice. "Do the

f violent crimes and em

o.

n't un

d her. Instead, it left

bag. The money she'd spent the entire day tr

admissions desk and stopp

beginning to disappear b

had quietly change

't even know