“Why did you do that?” Luke’s voice cut through the silence like a knife. He stood beside Mindy, who was still unconscious on the floor, her breathing shallow but steady.
He looked toward Viola with confusion written all over his face. “You hate her. You made that clear from the start. You wanted her gone. So why protect her now?” His tone was low, rough around the edges, carrying something close to hurt.
Viola did not answer him. She did not even turn around. She simply walked out of the building as if the question meant nothing.
Luke stared after her for a second, then bent down and carefully picked up the dropped item near Mindy’s hand. He slid one arm under her shoulders and lifted her gently before following Viola outside.
The night air hit hard after the thick smoke and grime o
