Chapter 17 - She Came for Him Herself
The alarm was fake.
Someone had pulled the manual station near the west stairwell.
Hospital protocol kicked in immediately: doors opened, staff moved, alarms flashed, and confusion spread.
Exactly what Corrine wanted.
I locked our room door.
Alora held our son against her chest while I stood between them and the entrance.
"Don't leave us," she said.
"I won't."
A shadow moved beneath the door.
Then someone knocked.
"Hospital security. Mr. Sterling, open the door."
The voice was male.
I checked the camera feed on the security app provided by the hospital.
The hallway outside showed a man in a security uniform.
But his badge number didn't match the roster.
"Back away from the door," I said.
The handle moved.
"Sir, this is an emergency evacuation."
"Then identify yourself to the officer at the nurses' station."
Silence.
Footsteps ran.
Real officers intercepted him near the stairwell. He had no weapon, but police found cash and a burner phone on him.
The most recent message read: GET THEM OUT OF THE ROOM.
Sent by Corrine.
Minutes later, security spotted her on the fourth floor wearing a housekeeping uniform.
I saw the arrest through the room's camera feed.
My mother tried to run.
She made it six steps.
Two officers took her to the ground without ceremony.
Even through the silent video, I could see her screaming.
When they brought her past our secured hallway, she caught sight of me through the glass door.
Her face changed.
For one second, she looked like the mother who held my hand at my father's funeral.
Then the mask disappeared.
She pointed at me and shouted loud enough for everyone to hear.
"She stole you from me!"
Alora stood behind me, holding our newborn.
I looked at Corrine.
"No," I said. "You threw me away the moment you decided my wife and son were things you could own."
Officers pulled her toward the elevator.
She screamed my name until the doors closed.
I thought that was the end.
It wasn't.
Because the next morning, the district attorney called and told us Corrine had requested one person before she would speak.
May you like
Not a lawyer.
Me.
