Chapter 17 - The Hallway
Renee killed the lights.
Lena pulled the curtain around my bed even though we both knew cloth would not stop anyone.
Detective Chen drew her weapon and moved toward the door.
My daughter kicked hard beneath my ribs.
“Stay with me,” I whispered to her.
The handle moved.
Once.
Twice.
Then Ethan’s voice came from the hallway.
“Claire, open the door.”
I stopped breathing.
Chen called out, “Ethan Bennett, step away from the door and show your hands.”
Silence.
Then running footsteps.
Chen and two officers went after him.
I heard shouting, a crash, then someone yelling, “Hands! Let me see your hands!”
A minute later, Detective Chen returned.
“We have him.”
My whole body sagged.
But before relief could reach me, a violent contraction seized my abdomen.
I cried out.
Renee rushed to the monitor.
Another contraction came almost immediately.
Then the baby’s heartbeat slowed.
The room changed.
People moved fast.
Dr. Patel appeared, checked the monitor, and said, “Claire, I need you to listen to me. We’re going to the operating room.”
“No.”
“We need to deliver her.”
“Is she okay?”
“She needs help now.”
They rolled my bed into the hallway.
At the far end, Ethan was on his knees in handcuffs surrounded by officers.
He looked up as I passed.
“Claire!”
I turned my face away.
“Is the baby okay?” he shouted.
The elevator doors opened.
I grabbed Renee’s hand.
“Don’t let him near her.”
“I won’t.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise.”
The doors closed on Ethan’s face.
In the operating room, lights burned above me.
Dr. Patel squeezed my shoulder.
“We’re moving quickly.”
I heard instruments. Instructions. My own heartbeat.
May you like
Then nothing from the monitor for one endless second.
And I screamed, “Why can’t I hear her?”
