Chapter 6 - Blood in the Water
Eleanor Callahan didn't say another word. Shaken to her core, her pride shattered by the truth of her son’s betrayal, she turned on her heel and practically fled through the front doors, her attorneys trailing behind her in stunned silence.
As the heavy doors clicked shut, the adrenaline that had kept me upright suddenly surged into a sharp, piercing cramp across my lower abdomen.
I gasped, my hand gripping the banister as my knees buckled slightly.
"Mara!" Arthur rushed forward, catching my arm before I could slip. Julian was at my other side within a second, supporting my weight.
"The baby..." I breathed, sweat immediately beading along my hairline. A wave of heat washed over my skin, followed by a tight, rhythmic pressure that I recognized all too well. "It’s too early. I’m only thirty-four weeks."
"Nora!" Arthur shouted toward the stairs. "Call the medical transport now! Have the private clinic in Portland prepare the suite!"
Within minutes, the tranquility of the sanctuary shattered into urgent, coordinated motion. Nora gathered the children, calming Owen who looked frightened by the flurry of adults moving around his mother.
"Mommy's going to the doctor to make sure your little sister is okay, sweet boy," I told him through gritted teeth, forcing a warm smile as Nora wrapped Lily in a blanket. "Aunt Nora is taking you to the beach cottage next door. I'll see you before bedtime, I promise."
Owen nodded bravely, clutching his toy car. "I love you, Mommy."
"I love you more than the whole sky," I whispered.
The ambulance arrived at the back driveway within fifteen minutes. As the paramedics transferred me onto the gurney, my contractions were already four minutes apart. The stress of the confrontation, the betrayal, and the relentless weight of the past forty-eight hours had pushed my body past its breaking point.
May you like
As the ambulance doors slammed shut and the siren wailed into the stormy Maine afternoon, my phone, resting on Arthur's seat, lit up with a notification from the city police alert system:
*WARNING: Grant Callahan has cut his ankle monitor. Suspect's current whereabouts unknown.*
