Chapter 176: Strangers in the Alley

Richard and Isobel spent most of the day at the orphanage.

It was the monthly birthday celebration, a small tradition the orphanage kept for all the children whose birthdays fell within the month.

The dining hall was filled with laughter, bright paper decorations, and the excited chatter of children waiting for their turn to blow out the candles.

Isobel moved easily among them, laughing as she helped arrange the food and gifts. Later, when one of the caretakers asked her to sing, she obliged.

She sang a few songs, her voice filling the room as the children clapped along.

Richard stood a short distance away, watching her.

There was something different in his gaze today—something quiet and intense that lingered whenever she wasn’t looking. He watched the way she smiled at the children, the way she bent down to speak to them at eye level, and the way her face softened whenever one of them tugged at her hand.

Isobel caught him staring once.

Their eyes met.

Richard didn’t look away immediately.

For a fleeting moment, neither of them said anything.

Then a child called her name, breaking the moment, and Isobel turned away with a small smile.

By the time they were ready to leave, it was already mid-afternoon.

Richard drove Isobel toward the Foster mansion, one hand resting on the steering wheel while the other occasionally tapped against his thigh. He had been unusually quiet since they left the orphanage.

Just before they reached the mansion, his cellphone vibrated.

He glanced at the screen.

The change in his expression was immediate.

The warmth that had been in his eyes moments earlier disappeared, replaced by something darker.

"I wanted to invite you for dinner," he said, still looking at the message. "But something came up."

Isobel studied him.

She could tell he was trying to sound casual, but something was troubling him.

"It’s okay," she said gently. "We can go next time."

Richard finally looked at her.

"Do you want to go back to the orphanage on Saturday?"

"Let me check. We might be bringing the babies to the beach," Isobel said.

"Then let me know the next time you want to visit." His voice softened. "I’ll come with you."

Isobel nodded.

"Okay."

The car soon stopped in front of the enormous gates of the Foster mansion.

Richard got out and walked around to open her door. Isobel stepped out, and for a moment they simply stood there, facing each other.

"I’m sorry, Bel. I can’t go back with you."

"It’s all right, Richie." She gave him a reassuring smile. "Go attend to whatever you need to."

He nodded, though he didn’t look completely convinced.

Richard returned to the driver’s seat.

Isobel remained by the gate, watching until Richard’s car disappeared from view.

She lifted a hand and waved one last time.

"Take care," she mouthed.

Richard glanced at her through the rearview mirror. For a moment, his expression softened.

Then his cellphone vibrated.

He ignored it.

A second vibration followed.

Richard’s jaw tightened.

At the next intersection, he pulled the car to the side of the road and picked up his phone. He stared at the screen for several seconds without moving.

Then he read the message again.

The color slowly drained from his face.

His fingers tightened around the phone.

Whatever was written on that screen, it was something he had never expected to see.

Richard looked back in the direction of the Foster mansion. ℯℯ𝑙.

His eyes darkened as mixed emotions consumed him.

Then, without another word, he started the car and drove away.

...

Isobel left the mansion again.

She found out that Morgan and Kristine had taken the twins shopping for new clothes. Julian, Leanne, and Judy had tagged along, leaving the usually busy mansion strangely quiet.

Since she needed to do some shopping herself, Isobel decided to take an ordinary sedan Albert used to shop.

She checked her navigation app.

"There is a car accident at the intersection of 2nd and 3rd Streets. Expect snail-paced traffic," the robotic voice announced.

Isobel rolled her eyes.

"I really need to convince Morgan to improve the voice on this app. It sounds like crap."

She followed the directions, turning left, then right, then left again.

A few minutes later, she frowned. The road ahead grew narrower.

Soon, she found herself driving through an alley barely wide enough for two cars to pass each other.

Isobel gripped the steering wheel.

She silently cursed.

"This damn app really is crap."

She glanced at the screen.

"As a Foster, I’m ashamed to be associated with this product."

She was still grumbling when something suddenly darted across the alley.

A boy.

He was thin—far too thin for his age—and he was dragging a little girl by the hand.

Isobel’s eyes widened.

"Hey!"

The children froze for half a second.

Then the boy pulled the girl toward the other side of the alley.

Isobel screamed.

She slammed her foot onto the brake.

The tires screeched against the pavement. The car jerked violently to a stop.

For one terrifying second, everything went silent.

Isobel’s hands trembled on the steering wheel.

She couldn’t see the children.

"Oh, my God."

Her heart slammed against her chest.

"Did I hit them?"

She threw open the driver’s door and stumbled out.

"Hey!"

She hurried around the front of the car.

Her breath caught.

The boy was still there.

He stood only inches from the hood, his back pressed against the vehicle as though he had thrown himself in front of it.

But he wasn’t looking at Isobel. He was looking down.

His thin arms were wrapped tightly around the little girl, shielding her with his entire body.

The girl looked even younger than Isobel had first thought.

She was painfully thin, her bare arms little more than bones beneath her dirty clothes.

Isobel stared at them, frozen.

"Are you hurt?"

The boy didn’t answer.

He only tightened his arms around the girl.

Then Isobel noticed something.

There was blood on the little girl’s dress.

Her eyes widened.

"Where did that come from?"

The boy finally looked up. His face was pale. His eyes were terrified.

But it wasn’t Isobel he was afraid of.

He glanced past her. Toward the entrance of the alley.

Isobel slowly turned.

There was no one there.

Only an abandoned building, a rusted fire escape, and the distant sound of footsteps.

Then she heard it.

A man’s voice.

"Where are they?"

The boy’s face went white. He pulled the little girl closer.

Isobel’s blood ran cold.

The footsteps were getting closer.

And whoever was coming was looking for the children.