Arrange Devotion | SS

Chapter 22. Guarded Hearts

"When exactly did this happen?" the officer asked.

"I don't remember, Officer," Ms. White replied, her voice trembling slightly.

"One moment, I was asleep. Then I got up to drink some water. I walked into the living room, and that's when I saw him—a man with his face masked, wearing a black coat. He was trying to take that painting—" she pointed a shaky finger to the expensive artwork hanging behind the officer.

He turned briefly to look. Of course. It looked valuable.

She continued, "I screamed and ran to stop him. But he pushed me. I fell and hit my head. Then he escaped through that window..." Her voice wavered as she motioned toward the shattered glass.

The officer sighed, his hand resting on his belt as he clicked his tongue in irritation. "Ms. White—"

"Officer, she’s hurt!" Joshua interjected sharply, stepping between them. "She’s got a cut on her forehead. Instead of accusing her, maybe you should be helping her! It's as if you think she staged this herself."

His tone was biting, eyes narrowing as he gazed at the officer, who held his gaze, unflinching. Joshua could feel the officer's eyes sweep over him, appraising and dismissive. It made his skin crawl.

"We’re just doing our job, sir," the officer replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "We need to ask questions. It's a standard procedure."

"You—" Joshua began, but Ms. White cut him off.

"You can check the CCTV footage," she said weakly. "Mr. Rodriguez lives behind my house. He has cameras on his property, in the backyard..." She squeezed Joshua's hand as she spoke, her grip surprisingly firm for someone so shaken.

"Dylan, go check that out," the officer ordered, his voice curt. The other officer, presumably Dylan, nodded and quickly left the room. The lead officer turned his attention back to the scene, surveying the damage with a critical eye.

"How did this happen? Are you okay, Ms. White?" Joshua asked gently, handing her a glass of water. She took it, nodding as she sipped, her hands trembling slightly.

"What else did you see, ma'am?" the officer pressed. "Was there anything unusual? Anything different from what you'd expect?" His tone was more measured now, a slight shift from the earlier sharpness.

"I... I didn't see anything else. It all happened so fast..." she murmured, her voice trailing off. Joshua placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, feeling her slight frame tremble under his touch.

He glanced around the room, his heart still pounding. A robbery right next door was unsettling, a stark reminder of how quickly life could turn dangerous. One wrong step, one twist of fate, and the target could have been him.

He glanced at Ms. White, feeling a pang of sympathy. A retired woman living alone, relying on her pension, with children who only visited on holidays—it was a lonely existence. The thought of her being attacked like this, in her own home, was heartbreaking.

And yet, it was also deeply unsettling. She had always been so kind to him, offering cookies and pastries on Easter and Friday mornings. The idea that someone would violate the safety of her home was a bitter pill to swallow.

Joshua’s mind wandered to the masked man she had described. Someone who had been bold enough to break in and try to steal the painting, right under her nose.

His gaze drifted toward the window, its shattered glass glistening in the light from the street lamp outside. The curtains fluttered slightly in the breeze, a reminder of how exposed the room was now.