2Daddy put something inside my sister’s belly,” a seven-year-old girl told the desk officer. Then she clarified, “He made her swallow it and said not to tell.” Her twin curled around her stomach while the first girl produced an empty medicine syringe hidden inside her shoe. The officer called an ambulance and entered the pharmacy code into his computer. When their father’s name appeared as the prescriber, he quietly locked the station doors.

The interior of Room 304 was warm, lit only by the soft, ambient glow of the heart monitor and a single floor lamp in the corner.

When Daniel pushed the door open and stepped inside, Emma looked up instantly. Her eyes, wide and watchful, tracked his movements until he stopped three feet away from her chair.

"Hello, Emma," Daniel said, keeping his voice as gentle as possible. He crouched down so he was eye-level with the little girl. "How are you holding up?"

Emma took a slow sip of her apple juice, then set the paper cup down on the small rolling table beside her.

"Is Olivia going to wake up?" she asked.

"Yes, she is," Daniel answered honestly. "The doctors told me she’s resting, and the medicine they gave her is leaving her body right now. She’s going to be just fine."

Emma let out a breath she seemed to have been holding since they walked into the precinct hours earlier. She looked over at her twin, whose eyelids fluttered once before settling back into stillness.

"Daddy was mad," Emma whispered, her voice barely louder than the hum of the IV pump. "He said we ruined his trip."

"Your father isn't going to hurt you or Olivia ever again, Emma," Daniel promised her, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "You did an incredibly brave thing today. Hiding that syringe in your shoe... that saved your sister's life."

Before Emma could reply, the door clicked open behind Daniel, and the social worker, whose badge identified her as Sarah Jenkins, stepped into the room, holding a clipboard.

"Officer Reed, Detective Miller," Sarah greeted them quietly. "I’ve just finished a preliminary intake interview with Emma. Based on the medical toxicology report and the statements she provided regarding systematic chemical restraint, Child Protective Services has issued an emergency protective custody order. Both children are being placed under state wardship effective immediately."

"What about family?" Daniel asked. "Are there any grandparents, aunts, uncles?"

Sarah frowned, flipping a page on her clipboard. "According to the intake database, Michael Carter systematically cut off all ties to his extended family after the divorce. However, there’s an interesting notation in the older court files from three years ago. Elena Vance’s sister—the girls' aunt—tried to contest the custody arrangement, but her petition was dismissed due to lack of financial standing at the time."

Detective Miller stepped into the doorway, overhearing the exchange. "What’s her name?"

"Clara Vance," Sarah replied, reading from the notes. "She lives about two towns over. Works as a school administrator."

Daniel’s eyes narrowed slightly as a familiar name clicked in his memory, though he kept his focus on the present crisis. "Let’s get her contact information pulled up. If there’s a blood relative who can provide a safe, stable environment away from Michael, we need to notify her tonight."

"I'm already on it," Miller said, tapping his phone screen. "I’ll have a patrol car swing by her address and bring her up to the hospital once she verifies her identity."

As Miller stepped back out into the corridor to make the call, Daniel turned his attention back to Emma. The little girl had picked up a yellow crayon from the table and was absentmindedly tracing circles on the edge of a paper napkin.

"Emma," Daniel asked softly. "Did your father ever talk about your mother?"

Emma stopped drawing. She kept her eyes fixed on the napkin, her small shoulders tensing.

"He said she didn't love us," Emma whispered, her voice dropping to a near-silent hum. "He said she packed her bags one night and left us behind because we were too much trouble."

Daniel felt a fresh wave of anger surge through him, but he kept his expression calm. He knew instinctively that Michael’s story about the mother was just another layer of the fabricated prison he had built around his daughters.

"That wasn't the truth, Emma," Daniel said softly. "Sometimes adults tell stories to make themselves look better when they’ve done something wrong. Your mother loved you very much."

Emma looked up, her blue eyes searching Daniel’s face for any sign of deception. Finding none, she gave a tiny, almost imperceptible nod.

Just then, Olivia stirred on the bed.

A low, raspy cough broke the silence of the room. Emma scrambled out of her chair, rushing to her sister’s side, gripping the edge of the mattress with both hands.

"Olivia?" Emma whispered. "Olivia, can you hear me?"

Olivia’s eyelids fluttered open, revealing hazy, disoriented eyes. She blinked against the hospital light, searching the ceiling before her gaze locked onto her sister’s face.