Adams stood in the doorway, his expression darkening the instant he saw Joel's pale face. A sense of foreboding gripped his heart.
"What did you just say?" he asked, unsure if he had heard him correctly.
Joel opened his mouth again, but the words refused to come out. His throat felt tight. "Boss..." he finally managed to say, yet his voice trembled.
"Joel, can you speak, or are you turning dumb?"
Joel swallowed and gathered himself before he began. "Young Miss... something has happened to Young Miss."
For a brief second, Adams did not react. He simply stood there staring at Joel. The silence stretched between them.
Then something in Joel's expression caused Adams' face to change, as though he finally understood what Joel was trying to tell him. The blood drained from his features.
His eyes sharpened immediately. "What happened?"
The question came out dangerously calm. Joel swallowed, and his throat felt dry. "Fred and I found her unconscious."
