Chapter 4

Susan was still in the ICU, tubes connecting her to beeping machines.

The doctors spoke of long recovery times, physical therapy, possible permanent damage.

The medical bills piled up on the kitchen counter, a mountain of debt Emily had no way to pay.

Her small savings were gone in days.

There was one last thing.

Her father' s SGLI. Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance.

The money he' d left for her and Susan, for emergencies.

This was an emergency.

Emily sat at the bank, signing the withdrawal slip, feeling like she was betraying his memory.

This money was supposed to be for her education, for Susan' s future, not to clean up the O' Doyles' mess.

She had to do something.

The police wouldn' t help. The DA wouldn' t help. The town was scared.

Emily took out her phone.

She still had the security footage.

She uploaded the clearest segment of the attack to a local Oakhaven community page on social media.

Her fingers trembled as she typed a simple caption: "This is what Paddy O' Doyle did to my mother, Susan Callahan. The police won' t help. Please share."

For a few hours, there was a flicker of hope.

The video got views. Shares. Angry comments directed at the O' Doyles.

People started talking.

"I always knew Paddy was a thug."

"This is outrageous!"

"Someone needs to stop them."

Emily watched the numbers climb, a small, desperate hope blooming in her chest.

Maybe, just maybe, public pressure would force someone to act.