"Mr. Schultz, I went to pick up Miss Lawrence as instructed, but Mr. Dixon's men had already secured her medical parole."

Mitchel had arranged Nicole's medical parole? Jarrod pondered for a moment and connected the dots. Raegan must have spoken to Mitchel and asked for help.

He recalled Mitchel's call from the previous night, which he had neglected due to Jamie's distress.

This had to be the topic of that missed call.

He had never intended to detain Nicole for long. Doing Mitchel this favor seemed right.

"Forget it. Just take care of the remaining issues."

“Already done. The case against her has been dropped."

"Good."

After a pause, Alec added with concern, “But it appears Miss Lawrence sustained serious injuries..."

At this instant, a doctor, hurrying with a gurney, passed by Jarrod.

“Sir, please step aside."

Jarrod moved, his eyes briefly meeting the gurney as he asked Alec, "What did you just say?"

"Miss Lawrence was injured in the detention center," Alec responded.

A moment passed without an answer.

"Mr. Schultz, are you there?"

Jarrod's grip loosened, his phone clattering to the floor.

He stood, stunned and immobile, his gaze locked on the scene before him.

On the gurney, covered in blood, lay Nicole!

Her face was deathly pale, a stark contrast to the dark blood under her nails. Her arm dangled from the gurney, lifeless.

Blood soaked the lower half of her body, the horror of her ordeal evident against the stark white cloth.