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The metal slammed against the table and chairs crashed to the floor.

The door squeaked open.

“What’s going on?” Dr. Bennett’s voice boomed in the small room.

Her attacker released his grip, and her body dropped to the tile.

Something smashed into the wall and the door slammed shut.

Her eyes refused to cooperate. Would her attacker come back and finish the job?

“Jennie?”

The deep male voice sounded through her tunnel of thoughts.

She had to get up.

She tucked her arms beneath her torso and pushed.

Falling back to the floor, the last thing she heard was Dr. Bennett yelling for security and a gurney.

***

David slipped into the driver’s seat of the sun-warmed car parked in front of the home of the latest child they’d rescued. Sweat trickled down his back while his stomach threatened to revolt. How could people be so evil.

He stared out the windshield. “At least he’s alive.”

“Yeah. Too bad we didn’t find him sooner.” Brandon rubbed his temples with his index finger and thumb.

“It makes me sick to think what happened to that child. But the father is going away for a long time and the little boy is being placed in his grandmother’s custody.”

“He’ll need counseling.” David slid on his aviator sunglasses.

“Don’t they all?” His partner slouched in the passenger seat. “I just keep thinking about my own kids. I don’t know how I’d handle it if something so horrible happened to them.”

“That’s why we do this, man.” He rolled his neck.

Brandon grunted.

“I’ll admit, I’ll be seeing that four-year-old in my sleep for quite some time.”

“You and me both, brother.”

David’s radio crackled. “Unit 5, dispatch. Code 12-16”

David sighed. Great. An accident. “10-4.”

Three minutes later, David pulled up to the accident scene and stepped out of his vehicle.

A petite elderly woman stood next to her car wringing her hands. “Officer. I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Detective David Whitman, ma’am.” He held out his hand and she placed her delicate fingers into his. “Could you tell me what happened?”

The hipster thirtysomething man barged over. “I’ll tell you what happened. She wasn’t paying attention and plowed into me.”

“Excuse me, sir, but I was asking the lady.” The lack of manners, not to mention the guy’s attitude, put David on edge.

“Fine. You want to listen to her drivel go right ahead. But I’m late for a meeting. You need to take care of this quickly.”