rsery floor, the cold seeping into her bones. At dawn

es. She thought of her father, Arthur Ross. He was in a long-term care facility, his own he

A mask of health. Concealer, blush, mascar

her purse when

i. Her father

reath caught

ospital. Now." Maria's voice was strained.

from her grasp, clattering against

h hos

the frantic prayer repeating in her m

d found Maria pacing, her face streaked with

ritical condition. He needs an emer

t need t

rembled. "How... ho

is around five hundr

a chair to steady herself. Every penny she had was

at her wat

ped outside into the ambulance

sharp. "What now, Ser

ing. "I need the money. Now. My father... he'

Just give me the half-million for the surg

. Then, a cold, d

knew you were desperate, but to invent a sto

"You think I'm a fool? This is just another on

s streaming down her face. "He's

n you decided to leave. I'm not your ATM, Seraphin

ne wen

zen, the phone stil

g again. It w

to surgery now. We'll worry about the payme

lief, sharp and sudde

choked out. "Th

surgical wing. The hours crawled by. Finally, the light above the

ccess. He's stable fo

ed all at once. She slumped forward, b

ed thousan

choed in her min

at he would not

e had

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