Chapter 17 - Returning to the Light
While the federal prosecutors locked away the remaining co-conspirators, I drove back to St. Bernard Hospital.
When I opened the door to Abigail’s room, she was sitting up against the pillows, eating a light breakfast with a soft, genuine color finally returning to her cheeks. The bruises on her arms were fading into a pale yellow, but the heavy, hunted look in her eyes was completely gone.
She looked up, and for the first time in weeks, she smiled—a bright, unburdened smile that reached all the way to her eyes.
“They caught her, didn't they?” Abigail asked softly, setting her tray aside.
I crossed the room, pulled up a chair beside her bed, and took her hands in mine. Their warmth felt grounding.
“Patricia’s flight never left the ground,” I said, squeezing her fingers gently. “And Nicholas signed a full confession detailing every crime, every cover-up, and every threat they ever made against you. It’s over, sweetheart. They will never touch you again.”
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A single tear slipped down Abigail’s cheek, but she was laughing. She leaned forward and buried her face in my shoulder, her arms wrapping tightly around my neck.
“Thank you, Mom,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “You really brought me home.”
