Later that night, Manny saw a maintenance worker roaming about the hospital corridors. His uniform was convincing, but his rigid posture looked odd. He passed the nurses’ station unnoticed. Manny was about to step forward and question him when one presence sensed him immediately, long before he reached the girl’s room.
The dog’s growl erupted like an alarm, low and vibrating with fury. Manny sprinted into the hallway and caught Vale mid-stride. For a heartbeat, their eyes locked—predator and protector. Then Vale bolted, slipping into a stairwell before Manny or security could react, leaving only frantic footsteps echoing behind him.