For a moment, her eyes moved. Just barely. But they moved. Up. Toward me.
My hands started shaking as I scooted even closer, pressing my knees into the wall separating us.
“His name is John Myers,” I whispered quickly.
Her eyes locked onto mine. God, have mercy. For the first time in weeks, Lacey was actually looking at me. Really looking at me.
“He … he—” I stuttered. Then got hold of myself. “He was seen that night. Covered in blood and—”
“Time’s up,” the guard barked.
“No, wait!” I shot to my feet so fast the chair tipped backward.
But the guard had already grabbed Lacey’s arm, trying to pull her up, and she resisted. She actually resisted!
There was still life in her!
She pushed against the guard’s grip, and her thin body went rigid.
“Wait!” I shouted. “I found him, Lacey. You hear me?”
Her eyes were wide now. She shook her head. Hard. Over and over. Like she was terrified.
“Wait!” I yelled again, barely noticing the guard next to me.
“Ma’am, you need to calm down,” she ordered. She was a short woman with a tight, shiny bun. She gripped my arm.
Lacey was fighting now. Pushing against the guard, her eyes never leaving mine. Her head was shaking violently.
Another guard rushed in to help drag her away. It should have been easy, considering her weight.
It wasn’t.
By God, my daughter was fighting.
“Please wait!” I shouted after them.
But the heavy metal door slammed shut behind her. The sound echoed back to me.
And she was gone.
I stood there, shaking.
“Ma’am, please leave,” the guard next to me demanded. Her fingers dug into my arm harder.
I tore myself free. “I’ll leave.” I raised my hands in surrender. “I’ll leave.”
The guard walked me out of the visiting room. The heavy door swung open and heads turned, curious eyes following me as I passed.
Dylan was waiting in the hallway.
“Everything okay?” he asked the second he saw me.
“You good?” the guard with the bun asked me in a brisk tone.
I nodded.
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t pull this shit again, or your visitation rights will be revoked.”
