Chapter 9 - A Nurse Among Wolves
The first thing I did was contact the investigator.
The second was call Mercy General.
"Emergency department, this is Dana."
"Dana, it's Emma."
"Emma! Are you okay? Everyone's been asking—"
"Listen carefully. Has anyone brought in a little girl today? Dark curly hair, around six years old, carrying a white stuffed rabbit?"
Dana paused.
"We've had several pediatric patients. Why?"
"I have reason to believe a child may be in danger. I'm sending information to the appropriate authorities. Please alert your charge nurse and hospital security."
"Emma, what's happening?"
"I'll explain when I can."
I ended the call and sent the photograph to Detective Olivia Reyes.
Reyes was a Brooklyn investigator in her early forties with cropped dark hair, tired eyes, and an obvious dislike of dramatic explanations.
She'd already interviewed me twice.
Her first question had been whether I understood that being associated with Adrian Russo could complicate an investigation.
My answer had been that I understood perfectly and wished everyone would stop reminding me.
Now she called immediately.
"Where did this come from?"
"Anonymous message from Catherine Vale."
"Stay where you are."
"The background looks like Mercy General."
"We'll coordinate with hospital security."
"Detective, the child—"
"I understand. Let us do our job."
I wanted to argue.
Instead, I gave her every detail I could identify.
Then I called Adrian.
He answered on the first ring.
"Emma?"
"Victor Hale found me."
A pause.
"Are you safe?"
"Yes. He offered me a million dollars to sign a confidentiality agreement."
"Did you keep the paperwork?"
"Copies. Detective Reyes knows."
"Good."
I took a breath.
"Adrian, who was the first woman you promised to protect?"
Silence.
Then he answered.
"Elizabeth."
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"You knew she was in danger?"
"Yes."
"And you failed her?"
"Yes."
I closed my eyes.
"What happened?"
"I arranged for Elizabeth and Thomas to meet an attorney outside the city. The transportation was intercepted before they reached the meeting."
"By whom?"
"I never found out conclusively."
"And Lucy?"
"I believed their child died with Elizabeth."
My eyes opened.
"You thought she was dead?"
"That's what I was told."
I remembered the photograph of Lucy behind the wooden door.
"Then someone lied to you."
"Yes."
His voice became quieter.
"Emma, I understand why you don't trust me. But I will help bring that child home. With or without your forgiveness."
I didn't answer immediately.
There were many things I still didn't know about Adrian Russo.
But I knew what it sounded like when a person was ashamed.
And he was.
Two hours later, Detective Reyes called.
Mercy General's security cameras had captured a woman resembling Catherine Vale entering the grounds in a dark sedan.
The little girl was visible in the back.
But the vehicle left without either occupant entering the hospital.
"They wanted us to see the building," Reyes said.
"Why?"
"We're reviewing the footage."
I sat at the small guesthouse desk, staring at my father's letter.
There had to be a connection.
Mercy General.
Nightjar Foundation.
The original Halcyon records.
Then I remembered something from the hospital's annual charity event.
Victor Hale had announced a new pediatric wing.
It was scheduled to open the following month.
One of its lead donors was the Nightjar Foundation.
I called Dana again.
"Do you still have the hospital's charity brochure?"
"Somewhere. Why?"
"Look for the photograph of the new pediatric wing."
I waited.
Paper rustled.
"Found it."
"Tell me what you see."
"Architectural drawings. Children's rooms. A playroom."
"Does the playroom have wooden doors?"
"Emma, that's a strange question."
"Please."
Another pause.
"Actually, yes. There's a picture of a children's reading room. The doors have decorative brass handles."
My pulse accelerated.
"What shape?"
"Flowers."
I stood.
"The same door."
"What?"
"The same door from Lucy's photograph."
Within minutes, Reyes had the information.
The charitable wing hadn't opened officially, but certain rooms were accessible to foundation staff.
The investigators obtained authorization to inspect it.
I wasn't allowed to accompany them.
That didn't stop me from waiting outside Mercy General, pacing beneath the entrance canopy while rain began again.
Adrian arrived twenty minutes later.
He didn't bring an army.
Only Marco and an attorney.
"You came," I said.
"You called."
"I didn't ask you to come."
"No."
He stood beside me, keeping a respectful distance.
For several minutes, we watched emergency vehicles enter and leave.
Then my phone rang.
Reyes.
"Emma, we found the room."
My breath caught.
"Lucy?"
"No."
My stomach dropped.
"The room appears staged," she continued. "But we found something addressed to you."
"What?"
"A child's drawing."
She sent a photograph.
The drawing showed a house, a tree, and three figures holding hands.
A little girl.
A woman.
A tall man dressed entirely in black.
Above them, in uneven handwriting, were four words.
PLEASE FIND MY MOMMY.
At the bottom, someone had written a telephone number.
Adrian leaned closer when I showed him.
His expression changed.
"What?"
He took out his own phone.
"Marco, trace the ownership of this number through lawful channels."
I stared at him.
"Do you recognize it?"
Adrian looked toward the hospital.
"Yes."
"Whose is it?"
He swallowed.
"Mine."
But it wasn't his current number.
May you like
It was a private number he'd stopped using eleven years ago.
The last person he'd given it to was Elizabeth Vale.
