Chapter 63 - Holden

I was not prepared for what I saw when I opened the hospital room door. Mayson was on a ventilator and so many other machines. Her skin was paler than normal. Her parents were in chairs next to her bed. They looked as if they had aged years in just a night.

“Martha. James. I am so sorry this happened. I should have protected her.” I felt like I had let all of them down. James had given me his permission to have his daughter’s hand in marriage. With that permission my responsibility was to take care of her. I failed in just one night of receiving his trust. Martha came and hugged me.

“Holden, we do not blame you for what happened. We both know that there would be no way you would ever hurt her. We are furious that the police even took you into custody. It had to have been a robbery at your house and Mayson got home at the wrong time. When I talked to her on the phone, she had heard a car door and thought it was you. She told me what had happened at your dinner. She was hurt but she