Chapter 16 - THE FATHER AT THE WINDOWKhloe remembered seeing the security guard near Grace’s incubator.
He kept his face turned away.
At the time, she assumed he was protecting the unit from reporters.
Now she understood why his posture had felt familiar.
Jonathan Hayes had watched his daughter suffer without revealing himself.
Police issued a nationwide warrant.
Isabella agreed to cooperate in exchange for prosecutors considering her testimony during sentencing.
She admitted Jonathan had manipulated her for months.
He promised Marcus would marry her after Khloe was gone.
He claimed Khloe planned to expose Isabella’s family for tax fraud.
He provided access to the hospital suite.
He also gave Isabella the crimson gown.
“Why did the dress matter?”
Detective Brooks asked.
Isabella looked ashamed.
“He said the cameras needed to see me clearly.”
Jonathan wanted unmistakable footage.
He expected Isabella to provoke Khloe into striking first.
When Khloe refused, Isabella lost control.
The kick had not been planned.
But the confrontation had been.
“Where would Jonathan go?”
Isabella hesitated.
“He talked about a house near the coast.”
“He said Khloe’s mother once dreamed of living there.”
Adrian recognized the place.
Their family owned a small beach house in North Carolina.
It had remained empty since Khloe’s mother died.
Police surrounded the property before dawn.
Marcus stayed at the hospital.
Khloe insisted she wanted to speak to Jonathan if they found him.
“You owe him nothing.”
Marcus said.
“I am not doing it for him.”
“I am doing it for the ten-year-old girl who spent years wondering why her father left.”
Brooks called from the beach house.
Jonathan was not there.
But they found letters written by Khloe’s mother.
The letters revealed she had discovered Jonathan’s criminal work.
She planned to leave him and take Khloe.
Jonathan threatened her.
Two weeks later, she died in a car accident.
Khloe stared at the report.
“Was it an accident?”
Adrian could not answer.
A nurse entered carrying a package.
It had been delivered by courier.
Inside was Khloe’s mother’s wedding ring.
A phone began ringing beneath the packaging.
Khloe answered.
Jonathan’s voice spoke softly.
“Hello, sweetheart.”
Khloe closed her eyes.
“Where are you?”
“Watching you.”
Marcus moved toward the window.
Across the street, a man stood on the roof of a parking garage.
May you like
He raised one hand.
Then he pointed something directly at Khloe’s room.
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