“Something’s wrong,” Delaney said, already unbuckling.
They rushed in, pushing through the front doors and down the corridor toward Olivia’s room. Raised voices echoed ahead, followed by a sharp yell.
They rounded the corner just in time to see Olivia shouting at Grant. Her face was flushed with anger, her arms flailing. “You liar! You said you didn’t know anything about it!”
Vivian was between them, trying to calm herdaughter, but Grant was yelling back, his hands raised in defense. One of the officers stepped in, urging them to lower their voices, but Olivia lunged.
“Get away from me!” Olivia screamed and tried to slap him.
Eli moved fast, grabbing Olivia’s wrist before the strike landed. “Whoa. Easy.”
Her breath came in sharp gasps, tears brimming in her eyes. “He lied to me. He lied about everything.”
Delaney stepped in beside him, her voice calm but firm. “Let’s take a breath, Olivia.”
The two cops exchanged looks, hands still on their belts but not moving to interfere. Grant backed up a step, red-faced and angry. “She’s unstable. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid.”
Eli stepped in beside Delaney as the yelling inside Olivia’s hospital room reached another pitch. Olivia was on her feet, fists clenched, her eyes blazing. Grant stood a few feet away, hands up, trying to look calm, but the smugness in his expression grated.
“You liar!” Olivia shouted. “I heard you on the phone. You said you wereatthe institute. A month ago. While I wasthere.”
Grant’s face went pale. “You misheard me, Olivia. I never—”
Delaney stepped forward and pulled out her phone. “I can call Hale right now. Ask him directlyif you’ve ever stepped foot on his property.”
Grant’s mouth opened, then closed. His gaze darted to Vivian, and he tried for a softer tone. “Okay. I did go to Hale. But it wasn’t like that. I didn’t know the girls were there. I swear.”
Olivia’s laugh was sharp. “Right. Because it’s just acoincidenceyou were visiting the one place our grandfather had us locked away in?”
Vivian’s eyes searched Grant’s face. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she pled.
Grant turned toward her, laying a hand lightly on her arm. “Because I didn’t want to upset you. I found out about Lawrence’s connection to Hale and I went looking for answers. I was trying to find out where he put your daughters. I had no idea they were in that place until after Olivia escaped.”
Eli crossed his arms and watched Grant closely. He had the tone of a man covering his tracks, not one seeking the truth. Maybe parts of the story were true. But it still stunk.
So did the way Vivian’s shoulders dropped in quiet relief.
“I believe him,” she said, gently touching Olivia’s shoulder. “Honey, he didn’t know.”
But Olivia wasn’t buying it. She stepped back from both of them, her voice hoarse. “You’re all so quick to forgive lies. I’m not.”
Eli exchanged a look with Delaney. He didn’t buy it either.
And the uneasy flicker in Delaney’s eyes told him she’d be checking into Grant’s visit herself.
Delaney gently touched Olivia’s arm. “Come on,” she said in a low voice. “Let’s go back inside. Sit down. Take a breath.”
Olivia hesitated, eyes still burning with anger, but then gave a jerky nod and let Delaney guide her back into the room. Eli watched them go, then turned to the two local officers standing just inside the door.
One of them, a young deputy with a square jaw and nervous hands, gestured toward the hallway. “Nurses called us. Said there was a disturbance they couldn’t de-escalate.”
“We’ve got it now,” Eli said calmly, showing his Crossfire Ops badge. “The situation’s under control. Appreciate you coming out.”
The older officer gave him a long look but finally nodded. “We’ll clear out. Just make sure it stays calm.”
“It will,” Eli promised.
As they left, Eli turned to find Grant and Vivian still hovering near the door like they planned to follow him in.
