Chapter 2
The obstetrician arrived before one in the morning.
Her name was Dr. Evelyn Park.
She checked Clara’s blood pressure, listened to the baby’s heartbeat, and examined the bruising with a face that grew more serious by the minute.
“The baby is stable,” she finally said.
Clara began to cry with relief.
“But she needs a hospital evaluation,” Dr. Park added. “Tonight.”
Clara shook her head.
“No hospital. Dominic has people there.”
I took her hand.
“The hospital is safe,” I said. “Federal agents will meet us.”
She looked at me.
“You already knew?”
“I knew Dominic was dangerous. I did not know how dangerous he had become to you.”
The truth was worse than I expected.
During the drive, Clara told me everything.
At first, Dominic had only criticized her.
Her friends were wrong for her.
Her clothes were too revealing.
Her mother asked too many questions.
Then he took her credit cards.
Then he checked her phone.
Then he made her cancel appointments and stop seeing friends.
When she became pregnant, he grew worse.
“He said the baby would make me obedient,” she whispered.
My heart broke.
At the hospital, federal agents stood outside Clara’s room.
They were not there because I had asked for special treatment.
They were there because Dominic’s organization had already been under investigation.
Agent Samuel Reed came to speak with me.
“The wiretap started at midnight,” he said quietly. “We already have conversations.”
“Is Dominic talking?”
“He is very angry.”
I almost smiled.
Good.
May you like
Angry men made mistakes.
And Dominic had no idea that every threat he made was becoming evidence.
