His old fear surged back, the same icy dread rooted in the case he’d never solved. He recognized the pattern: the quiet escalation, the subtle threats, the suggestion of fire. He understood immediately that this wasn’t a random warning. It was personal. Vale wanted him off the case, silenced.
Manny hurried to the hospital, checking the girl’s room. The dog paced in circles, ears pinned back, muscles tight with unease. It kept glancing toward the hallway as if expecting danger to appear around the corner. The tension in the room felt electric, a storm poised to break at any moment.