Page 127 of Ruined

"Mom, wait!" Evelyn shouts, but it's too late.

Mrs. Anderson bolts from the car, running towards the police barricade. I slam the SUV into park, cursing under my breath.

"Stay here," I tell Jessica but Evelyn's already out the door, chasing after her mother.

I follow, my hand instinctively reaching for my gun. The crowd of onlookers parts as I push through, keeping my eyes on Evelyn's back.

Ahead, paramedics wheel a stretcher toward an ambulance. A white sheet covers the body, but I can see dark stains seeping through. Mrs. Anderson tries to break past an officer, screaming her husband's name.

"That's my husband! Alexander! Let me see him!"

I reach Evelyn, gripping her arm. "Stay back."

"I need to help my mother," she says, trying to pull away.

Jessica appears beside us, ignoring my order to stay in the car. Her face is blank with shock as she watches her mother collapse against a police officer.

"I heard someone say he was shot," a woman next to us whispers to her companion. "Right in the chest. Poor man didn't stand a chance."

Another voice, louder: "The bartender said it was some Russian-looking guy. Walked right up to him at his table and—" The man makes a gun with his fingers.

"They're saying it's Alexander Anderson," someone else adds. "The investment banker."

Evelyn's body goes rigid against mine. I wrap my arm around her waist, holding her steady as the paramedics load the stretcher into the ambulance.

A detective approaches Mrs. Anderson, speaking in low tones. Her wail cuts through the night air like a knife.

"He's dead," Jessica says. "Dad's dead."

I watch Evelyn's face transform into something I've never seen before. Her eyes go distant, staring at the ambulance as it pulls away with her father's body. No tears. No screams. Just emptiness.

"Evelyn," I say, keeping my voice low. "We need to leave. Now."

She doesn't respond. Doesn't even blink.

"Evelyn," I try again, gripping her shoulders gently. "Look at me."

Nothing. It's like she's turned to stone in my hands.

I glance around, scanning the crowd. If the Russians hit Alexander, they might still be watching. Waiting for the rest of the family to show up. We're exposed here, standing in the open with police and witnesses everywhere.

"We need to go," I say more urgently. "It's not safe."

Her eyes remain fixed on the spot where the ambulance was. Her body is here but her mind is somewhere else entirely.

"Fuck," I mutter.

Jessica approaches us, tears streaming down her face. "Mom's going with the police to identify... to identify him."

I nod. "Get back to the car. I'll bring Evelyn."

Jessica hesitates, looking at her sister's frozen expression. "Is she okay?"

"No," I say honestly. "But I'll take care of her. Go."

As Jessica walks away I turn back to Evelyn. Her skin is ice-cold under my hands. I've seen this before—shock so deep itparalyzes. In my world, those who freeze like this don't survive long.

"Evelyn," I say, more firmly this time. "I'm going to pick you up now."

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