She knew, deep down, this would be thest time she saw Bailey.


    Once the verdict came in, with everything Bailey had done, there was no way he''d ever walk free again. Even if he escaped the death penalty, he''d spend the rest of his life behind bars.


    But being alive in a prison cell was still different from this, from him suddenly copsing with a heart attack, hovering between life and death.


    She looked up at the sky, the thick, heavy clouds piling up like the weight pressing on her chest. All she felt was exhaustion.


    A ck car sped up and screeched to a stop outside the station. Hank jumped out, looking frantic. He spotted Reese and rushed over. "Reese, Dad... is he okay?"


    Reese barely nced at him and shook her head. “I don''t know. They''re still trying to save him. The ambnce just arrived."


    Right as she spoke, the paramedics came out carrying Bailey on a stretcher. He waspletely unconscious, his face pale as paper, lips blue, eyes tightly shut.


    Hank''s eyes widened in shock. He staggered forward. "Dad! Dad!”


    He tried to follow the stretcher but one of the medics stopped him. "Please don''t get in the way. Just follow the ambnce to the hospital."


    Hank nodded, scrambling into the ambnce. The doors shut, the siren wailed, and the ambnce sped off toward the hospital.


    "Should we go after them?" Matthew asked, catching the sh of sadness in Reese''s eyes.


    "No." Reese shook her head.


    What was the point? She wasn''t a doctor. There was nothing left between her and Bailey except a trace of shared blood.


    "Let''s go back to the hospital."


    Derek still hadn''t woken up, and Matthew was only here because he''d taken emergency leave.


    "Ms. Meyer."


    Reese stopped and turned. Roman was hurrying out of the station, looking serious.


    "Mr. Sanchez." Reese gathered herself. "Is something wrong?"


    Roman took a file from his briefcase and handed it to her. "There''s an update on the Dylon case. We''ve officially pressed charges."


    "Thanks to the evidence you gave us, we''ve finished the investigation into his maniption of Ramos Corporation''s stock."


    "We also found proof of embezzlement, contract fraud, illegal asset transfers, and a list of other financial crimes."


    "All the evidence is solid. The case will go to trial.”


    Reese barely nced at the file before handing it back to Roman. Her expression was calm.


    "Thank you, Mr. Sanchez."


    Once Dylon was convicted, Tara and Rosie would be done for too.


    "If you need anything else from me, just reach out."


    Roman watched her steady face and thought of Bailey''s total breakdown in the


    interrogation room. His feelings wereplicated.


    "We''ll let you know as soon as there''s news."


    "I need to get to the hospital, so I''ll head out."


    "Okay."


    Roman got into a police car and followed after the ambnce. Reese and


    an got in their own


    car


    and soon disappeared down the street.


    Outside the hospital''s emergency room, Hank was sitting on a bench with his hands clenched tight. His face was tense with worry.


    The doctors had already given him a critical condition notice. He knew things didn''t look good for Bailey.


    The light above the emergency room finally switched off, and a doctor came out.


    "Doctor, how''s my dad?" Hank asked. He rubbed his face, hurrying over.


    The doctor took off his mask. He


    looked tired, his voice heavy. "We


    things aren''t looking good et


    managed to resuscitate him, things aren''t looking good.


    "He already had severe heart problems. This heart attack did adot of damage. He''s in the ICU now Whether he makes it or not depends on the next seventy-two hours.”