Chapter 77. Suspect

Aaron POV

I stayed at the hospital day after day, only switching shifts with Rhoda to go home, shower, and change. I didn’t bother going to the office. It was either home or the hospital—nowhere else.

When I walked into Joan’s hospital room, the sterile smell hit me first—antiseptic, mixed with the faint metallic tang of IV fluids. The steady beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound aside from Rhoda

humming under her breath, wiping Joan’s forehead with a damp cloth.

“Hey,” I muttered, my voice rough.

Rhoda glanced up, offering a tired smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Hey,” she replied softly, letting out a long sigh as she dipped the towel back into the bowl of warm water, wringing it out with trembling fingers before dabbing Joan’s pale skin again.

“How’s she doing?” I asked, lowering myself onto the edge of the bed since Rhoda occupied the only chair. I’d had the doctors move Joan to a private ward—I couldn’t stand the thou