Chapter 32 - The Man Outside the Window
Night had fallen by the time investigators finished processing the hidden room.
Evidence boxes filled two police vans.
The warehouse was sealed.
Officers established a twenty-four-hour perimeter.
Ethan was finally transported back to Riverside Children's Hospital under armed escort.
Detective Harris personally remained outside Ethan's room.
No visitors without authorization.
No exceptions.
Maya was already asleep.
For the first time in days, the hospital corridor felt peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Around midnight...
A rookie officer making rounds paused outside Maya's window.
Something caught his attention.
A faint reflection.
Someone standing in the hospital garden.
Completely motionless.
The officer narrowed his eyes.
The figure wore a long dark coat.
Hands in pockets.
Watching the children's ward.
The officer immediately reached for his radio.
"Possible suspicious individual outside the east garden."
Within seconds, three officers rushed downstairs.
Searchlights swept across the lawn.
But when they reached the spot...
No one was there.
Only wet footprints leading toward the outer fence.
Detective Harris arrived moments later.
"What did you see?"
The rookie pointed toward the ground.
"He was standing right here."
Crime-scene photographers documented the footprints.
One technician crouched beside them.
"Size eleven."
"Expensive leather shoes."
Then he noticed something lying in the grass.
A single white lily.
Fresh.
Its stem had been carefully wrapped with black thread.
Harris stared at it.
"What does it mean?"
No one answered.
Back upstairs...
Completely unaware of the search outside...
Maya slowly opened her eyes.
She looked toward the dark window.
Smiled faintly.
And whispered to herself,
"He's back."
The nurse sitting beside her bed looked up.
"Who, sweetheart?"
May you like
Maya continued staring into the darkness beyond the glass.
"The man who never smiles with his eyes."
