Sophie continued her gentle vigil. “She came to me in a dream last night,” she explained with the earnestness only a child could muster. “She told me to wear my princess dress today and be ready to help her daddy’s friend.”

Helen, standing a few paces back, felt a chill run down her spine. She had always believed children had a connection to things adults couldn’t understand, but this was beyond anything she had imagined. The other bikers stood in a silent semicircle, their tough exteriors softened by the little girl’s bravery and the situation’s eeriness.

The police had arrived by then, trying to maintain order as the crowd grew larger. An officer approached, gently attempting to coax Sophie away. “Little one, we need to move back now,” he said kindly. “The paramedics need to work.”

But Sophie, undeterred, shook her head again. “Not until his brothers are here,” she insisted. Her small hands, stained with blood, never wavered from their task. The officer was about to press further when Hawk intervened.

“Let her be, Officer,” Hawk said quietly. “If Isla spoke to her, then she’s meant to be here.”