Chapter 6
The heavy silence in the interrogation room was broken by the sharp, persistent buzzing of Robert’s cell phone. He didn't break eye contact with Diana as he pulled it from his pocket. The caller ID flashed the name of the pediatric ICU doctor treating Emma.
Robert’s heart stopped. He answered the call, pressing the phone to his ear, completely ignoring Diana’s smug, venomous smile.
"This is Sheriff Ramirez," Robert said, his voice tight.
"Sheriff, it's Dr. Evans," the voice on the other end said, sounding exhausted and grave. "I need you back at the hospital immediately. Emma has taken a turn for the worse."
"What happened?" Robert demanded, springing up from the metal chair so fast it tipped over and clattered against the concrete floor. "You said she was stabilized!"
"She was, but the severe heat exhaustion caused acute renal failure," Dr. Evans explained rapidly. "Her kidneys are shutting down, Sheriff. The toxins are building up in her bloodstream, putting a massive strain on her already weakened heart. We are prepping her for emergency dialysis, but you need to be here to sign the surgical consent forms. And... you should be here in case she doesn't make it through the procedure."
Robert felt the air leave his lungs. The bright, stark colors of the interrogation room seemed to warp and bend around him. He looked down at Diana, who was listening intently, a twisted look of satisfaction dancing in her eyes.
"I'm on my way," Robert choked out, ending the call.
"Is the little stray finally expiring?" Diana asked, her voice dripping with cruel mockery. "Such a shame. She was quite spirited before the heat broke her."
Robert didn't yell. He didn't strike her again. He simply walked around the metal table, grabbed Diana by the collar of her expensive silk blouse, and hauled her entirely out of her chair. The handcuffs attaching her to the table violently yanked her wrists, causing her to shriek in pain.
"Listen to me very carefully, you pathetic monster," Robert growled, his face inches from hers. "If my daughter dies on that operating table, I am coming back to this cell. And I will not be wearing this badge when I do. I am going to rip you apart piece by piece."
He dropped her back into the chair, turned on his heavy duty boots, and stormed out of the room.
The drive back to the hospital was a blur of blaring sirens and ran red lights. Robert’s mind raced with terrifying visions of Emma’s fair, rosy face turning pale and lifeless. He burst through the ER doors, demanding to be taken to the surgical floor.
When he finally reached the observation window of the OR, he watched as a team of surgeons worked frantically over his tiny daughter. Her chest was completely exposed, tubes and wires snaking from her body in every direction.
Robert pressed his hands against the cold glass, tears streaming down his face unchecked.
"Don't give up, Emma," Robert whispered to the glass, his voice cracking with utter despair. "Please, baby. Keep fighting."
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Behind him, soft footsteps approached. He turned to see Mrs. Gable, the neighbor, holding a crumpled piece of paper. Her face was pale, her patterned blouse wrinkled.
"Sheriff," Mrs. Gable said quietly. "There's something I didn't tell your deputies. Something about Diana."
