Chapter 10 - The Unseen Observer
By 3:00 AM, the hospital had settled back into its eerie, synthetic quiet.
Patrick Ror had been successfully moved back to a heavily secured private suite on the cardiac floor—a suite now guarded by four of Callum’s most trusted men in the hallway, with local state police officers stationed at the perimeter exits.
I sat at the nurses’ station, finishing my shift chart documentation, the blue light of the monitor reflecting off my wire-rimmed glasses. My shift was technically over twenty minutes ago, but I couldn't bring myself to leave yet.
Footsteps approached down the corridor.
I looked up. Callum walked toward me, his coat back on, looking tired but composed. He stopped at the edge of the counter, leaning slightly against the laminate surface.
“Your shift ended half an hour ago,” he noted.
“I like to finish what I start,” I said, closing the chart binder with a crisp thud. “How’s your father?” Resting?”
“Sleeping like a rock,” Callum said, a genuine, soft smile touching the corner of his mouth. “The cardiologist says the stent placement was a complete success. He’ll be back to yelling about his espresso by Monday.”
I let out a soft exhale of relief. “Good.”
Callum reached into his pocket and placed a small, heavy silver key onto the counter between us.
I looked down at it, then back up at him, raising an eyebrow. “What’s this?”
“The private penthouse loft on the east side of the city,” Callum said quietly. “Overlooking the harbor. It has secure parking, bulletproof glass, and an alarm system tied directly into my private detail.”
I stared at him, bewildered. “Callum, I have an apartment three blocks from here. Why on earth would I want your penthouse?”
“Because Malcolm’s lawyers and his associates know where you live,” Callum said, his voice hardening with absolute seriousness. “You helped dismantle an assassination attempt on a Ror family member tonight, Audrey. Even with Marcus in custody, Malcolm is desperate. He knows you’re the one who pulled the digital access logs. You aren't safe in that little apartment anymore.”
I looked at the silver key, then back into Callum’s dark, unyielding eyes. The weight of his offer hung in the air—an acknowledgment that my quiet, predictable life as a hospital nurse had just been permanently obliterated.
Before I could answer, my desk phone at the station buzzed sharply.
I picked up the receiver. “Cardiac floor, Nurse Hail speaking.”
There was no voice on the other end. Just a heavy, rhythmic breathing sound... and then, a chillingly familiar voice whispered through the static:
“Enjoy your shift while it lasts, nurse. You just backed the wrong horse.”
The line went dead with a click.
I froze, the receiver still pressed to my ear, my blood turning to ice.
May you like
Callum saw the shift in my expression instantly. He leaned across the counter, his eyes flashing with sudden, razor-sharp danger.
“Who was that?”
