Hearing Gayle's breathless voice, Hanley assumed she had just arrived at the hospital and swallowed the reprimand he was about to give her for not notifying him sooner.
"Send me the hospital's location. If I don't make it, tell her not to draw too much attention when she wakes up. As soon as she's stable, she needs to get back to the apartment."
Hanley gave his instructions quickly, glancing at the time as he spoke.
Ten o'clock. The night was deepening.
He rubbed his temples and decided to head back to the bedroom.
But as soon as he pushed open the door, he found that the figure who had been lying on the bed was now sitting up.
Frieda stared at the tense-looking Hanley. "Where are you going?"
She was clutching the sheets so tightly that her knuckles were white, her eyes fixed on him.
Hanley was startled. He swallowed hard and said awkwardly, "Just going to the bathroom. I got a call, but it was just a spam call."
"But I thought I heard a child's voice. Do kids make spam calls now?"
Frieda clearly didn't believe him, her gaze sharp as it bored into him.
Hanley had one hand on the doorknob and the other clutching his phone tightly against his leg. He felt like he was on pins and needles.
"Don't you trust me?"
He forced a smile, flexing his stiff fingers as he moved back to the bed and wrapped his arm around Frieda.
"Let me see your phone."
Frieda felt a tightness in her chest, as if a heavy stone was crushing her, making it hard to breathe.
Hanley's expression changed at her words. "What's wrong with you today?"
"Give it to me!"

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