Chapter 21: The Keen Instincts of a Police Officer

Late at night, a car slipped out of Pinecrest Village, headlights off until it was a good 12 miles away.

The car didn't take the main road but snuck out via a side road, showing the driver knew the area like the back of his hand.

"Marshall, this road's a bit rough. Hang tight!" said Soren Stevens, the driver and Everett's son, a big guy in charge of security in the village.

Even though Pinecrest Village was small, its security was tight. Strangers trying to get in would be chased off by Soren and his crew.

Marshall, strapped in with his seatbelt, was about to lose his lunch from all the bumping around.

"Soren, stop the car. I'm gonna be sick!" Marshall yelled.

Soren hit the brakes hard, and Marshall couldn't hold it anymore. He flung the door open and puked without even unbuckling his seatbelt.

Marshall, being older and not in the best shape, couldn't keep up with someone like Soren. Soren didn't say anything, but his face showed his disgust.

If it weren't for the fact that Marshall held the villagers' fate in his hands, Soren wouldn't have bothered taking him out.

"Marshall, you okay?" Soren asked.

Marshall waved him off, knowing they couldn't waste any time and had to get moving. "Let's go, quick!"

Soren got out to check the area and let Marshall rinse his mouth. Just as he was about to start the car again, the place lit up with headlights. The blinding light made Soren freeze for a second. When he realized what was happening, he grabbed a long knife from under the seat and stabbed towards the back seat.

Marshall, scared stiff, thought he was about to get killed. Just then, the backseat door was yanked open, and Marshall was dragged out, leaving the knife stuck in the seat.

At the same time, the driver's door was opened, and Soren was pulled out and pinned to the ground. The sound of handcuffs clicking echoed as he was cuffed and taken away.

Marshall wasn't so lucky. The sudden shock gave him a heart attack, and he was rushed to the hospital.

With a shortage of police personnel, Olivia was sent to the hospital to keep an eye on Marshall.

Henry and his team grilled Soren, but he kept his mouth shut.

"Soren, you think we're stupid? You weren't trying to kill Marshall with that knife; you were trying to cut his seatbelt. Do you think we're fools, or do you really think we have no evidence? Did you forget there's a camera in your car?" Henry asked.

Soren's face changed. The cops were right; there was a camera in his car, meant to stop captives from escaping. He never thought it would be used against him.

But Soren clammed up after that, which was a real headache for Henry and his team.

"Olivia, how's it going over there?" Henry asked.

Olivia was in the ward, not in her uniform, choosing a private room to avoid drawing attention. "Mr. Phillips, I'm fine. Marshall's vital signs have stabilized, but he hasn't woken up yet."

Olivia's words didn't ease Henry's mind. Instead, he rushed out of the police station and jumped into his car.

Seeing this, William followed him into the car. "Mr. Phillips?"

"To the hospital!" Henry ordered.

The car sped off, and William quickly buckled his seatbelt.

"I shouldn't have let her go alone!" Henry angrily punched the steering wheel, and William took a moment to react.

"Is Olivia in danger?" William's voice shook as he reached for his phone, but Henry stopped him. "Remember what I said, once inside, keep a close eye on Olivia and make sure she's safe, got it?"

William nodded, his hands and feet trembling with tension.

Henry's gut feelings were always spot on. The moment Soren clammed up, Henry had a bad feeling. He knew that Soren wasn't speaking because he was waiting for news—the news that Marshall had been silenced.

"Stay sharp. Don't trust anyone in the hospital, not even the medical staff!" Henry warned.

This was a small town where everyone seemed to be related. Henry had seen it before. They'd catch criminals only to have them killed in the hospital, with help from relatives working there.

After hanging up, Olivia quietly walked to the door of the hospital room. Everything seemed normal outside, with medical staff hurrying about. Just as she sat back down, a nurse came in with a tray.

"We need to give Marshall another injection to prevent a heart attack," the nurse said, taking out a syringe and starting to prepare the medication. Olivia frowned slightly and quietly held the IV line.

Seeing Olivia didn't suspect anything, the nurse calmly tidied up the tray and left. As soon as the door closed, Olivia quickly removed the needle, tied a knot in the IV line, and put the IV equipment in the bedside cabinet.

Olivia went to the door again and looked out through the glass, seeing the nurse leave the office after putting down the tray.

Olivia took a deep breath and checked all the hospital rooms. When the medical staff weren't looking, she placed the heart monitor on Marshall's bed and wheeled the bed to a ward at the end of the hallway.

Soon after, Henry's phone rang. Seeing it was Olivia, he answered immediately.

"Which room?" Henry asked.

"Room 17, Cardiology!" Olivia replied, understanding his intentions without an explanation.

Fortunately, the hospital wasn't far. Two minutes later, Henry and William arrived. A nurse ran over as they entered.

"Sir, is something wrong?" the nurse asked.

"Where's the surveillance room?" Henry suddenly asked. The nurse was taken aback and pointed upstairs.

"On the west side of the second floor," she replied.

Henry glanced at William, who headed straight for the cardiology room.

Henry entered the surveillance room, showed his badge, and started checking the footage, not missing any corner since Marshall entered the hospital.

William found Olivia in the ward. Seeing him, Olivia quietly sighed in relief.

However, in the next moment, the door was kicked open, and someone with a shotgun burst in.

Olivia quickly pushed the bed away and pulled the curtain. As the gunshot rang out, Henry rushed out of the surveillance room.

A shooting in such a remote town caused panic in the hospital.

William drew his gun and shot back, hitting the intruder in the arm. Olivia quickly pulled Marshall off the bed and wrapped him in a bedsheet.

Marshall, who had been unconscious, woke up to the sound of gunfire. Upon waking, he thought it might have been better to stay unconscious.

"Someone's trying to kill you, Marshall. Listen to me, I'll take you to a safe place, but you need to stay quiet. Think about your daughter. She's in school here. Her mother is gone. If you die too, who will she have left?" Olivia urged.