âCome on, Grandma, weâve got to get to Mr. Lewis-â
Balfourâs tears had barely dried on Alyssaâs shoulder before he lifted his head, urgency in his voice.
âWe have to hurry. That guy found us, so Mr. Lewis might be in danger!â
Victoria snapped to attention at Balfourâs voice, rushing forward to grab the arm of a nearby officer.
âPlease, sir, youâve got to save my dad. Heâs still back there, and he could be in danger!â
Alyssa patted Balfourâs hand before turning to Victoria, âDonât worry, dear, weâre already on it. Weâve split into teams, and oneâs already on their way to find your father. We wonât forget him.â
No amount of reassurance seemed to register with Victoria, though. She looked dazed, and Alyssa quickly had someone help her into the car, âGet her some water, and letâs move. Balfour, you get in too.â
As for Monkey, even in cuffs, he was struggling, kicking up a fuss. He had tried to bolt, desperate to warn their Boss.
But they were up against a well-equipped police force, and Captain Aidan was taking no chances now that he knew who they were dealing with. All hands on deck to catch the bad guys-there was no chance this big fish was getting away.
Captain Aidan stood firm in front of Monkey.
âLooks like weâve got ourselves a reunion, eh? How many of you are out there?â
Monkey glared at Captain Aidan but kept his mouth shut. He was always a loner, stubborn to the core.
In the slammer, heâd somehow clicked with Jaxon and had been unwaveringly loyal ever since.
Jaxon trusted him implicitly, his right-hand man.
Expecting a tough fight, Captain Aidan was buoyed by the early capture of this key criminal.
Time was of the essence, so he led his team towards the courtyard, hoping for more good news, but when they arrived, the scene was a mess.
To everyoneâs surprise, all the perps were rounded up.
Sadly, Elton wasnât in good shape. He was barely hanging on. Victoria threw herself at her father the moment she found him. Covered in wounds, she didnât know where to touch him. âDaddy, please donât scare me. Whatâs happened to you? Get up, weâre safe now, we have to go home!â
Mara, staggering and falling to her knees beside him, cried out, âDad, wake up! Why wonât you look at me?â
Seeing her fatherâs battered condition and Victoriaâs performance, Maraâs tears soaked the ground.
She was livid/ slapping Victoria hard. âThis is all your fault! How could Dad end up like this if not for you? Pretending to be the victim, itâs all on you. Give me back my dad!â
Victoria took the slap without a fight, tears streaming down her face.
Mara was right; if not for her, how could her dad be so injured?
The officers were taken aback by the sudden clash between the sisters, quickly pulling Mara aside.
Enraged, Mara wanted to lash out at Victoria again, but Balfour stepped in to shield her.
âWhat are you doing? Think she hasnât suffered enough?â His words were few, but his eyes conveyed his disapproval. âEnough! If you want to hit or shout at someone, make it me. This is all because of me.â
Mara was already heartbroken, but Balfourâs reproachful gaze cut deeper.
Why did he look at her like that when it was Victoriaâs fault? What had she said that was so wrong?