Chapter 2 - The Child Nobody Reported Missing
Adrian had built his fortune by moving things quickly: cargo through ports, money through accounts, decisions through rooms where hesitation was considered weakness. Yet when Eli said his sister had been taken, Adrian did not move at all. He remained crouched beside the scratched car while the police lights painted the hotel windows blue and red.
“Who took her?” he asked.
“I don’t know.” “Where was she?” “At St. Agnes Children’s Hospital.” “Why was she there?” Eli swallowed.
“Her lungs are bad. She had another attack last night.” Tomas came around the car.
“We need to get the boy away from the street.” “Call St. Agnes,” Adrian said.
Tomas already had his phone out. He listened, asked two clipped questions, then lowered it.
“The hospital says there is no patient named June Mercer.” Eli lunged at him.
“She was in Room 418!” Adrian caught the boy by the shoulders before he could reach Tomas. Eli fought with startling force, kicking at the polished shoes, twisting until Adrian had to hold him firmly.
“Let go of me!” “If she is there, we will find her,” Adrian said.
“You don’t find people. You make them disappear!” The accusation drew the attention of two uniformed officers running toward them.
Adrian released Eli, who stumbled backward and wiped his face with both hands. The first officer recognized Adrian and immediately changed his posture.
“Mr. Vale, is this the child who damaged your vehicle?” “Yes,” Adrian said.
“We’ll handle it.” Eli stared at Adrian, waiting to see which part of him would answer: the wealthy man, the victim, or the person who had just heard that a child was missing from a hospital. Adrian looked at the photograph lying on the pavement.
The flames behind his car seemed to move even though the image was still.
“No,” he said.
“You won’t.” The officers blinked.
“This boy is under my protection until I understand what happened to his sister.” “Sir, you can’t simply—”“I can,” Adrian interrupted.
“And if you arrest him, every camera outside this hotel will record you putting an eleven-year-old in a cruiser while a hospital denies his sister ever existed.” The officer’s face hardened. He knew Adrian was right.
The cameras had already begun to gather near the curb. Tomas opened the rear door of the Orison.
“Inside.” Eli refused to move.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” “You came to me,” Adrian said.
“I came to make you look.” “Then keep looking.” Adrian held out the photograph.
Eli hesitated, then took it. The boy climbed into the damaged car, keeping his back against the opposite door as though Adrian might suddenly become dangerous. Tomas drove them through the rain toward St. Agnes.
The hospital administrator met them in a private corridor, pale and sweating. Her badge identified her as Dr. Lena Ortiz. She looked from Adrian to Eli and then to the photograph.
“There is no June Mercer registered here,” she said.
“Check again,” Adrian replied.
“We have no record under that name.” Eli pointed toward the elevators.
“Room 418. She has a blue inhaler and a stuffed fox with one eye.” Dr.
Ortiz glanced at a nurse.
“Search the patient directory.” The nurse tapped her tablet. Her expression changed.
“There was a child in 418,” she said.
“Admitted under a temporary emergency number. The chart was closed at 9:12 this morning.” “Closed how?” Adrian asked.
“Transferred.” “To where?” The nurse looked at the screen again.
“There’s no destination.” Eli grabbed the administrator’s sleeve.
“Who signed her out?” Dr. Ortiz did not answer quickly enough.
Adrian saw the fear in her face. It was not fear of him. It was fear of someone who had already warned her what would happen if she talked.
“Show me the room,” he said. Room 418 was empty except for a hospital bracelet beneath the bed.
Eli picked it up. The name printed on it was not June Mercer. It read JUNE-7, followed by a string of numbers. On the wall beside the bed, a strip of blue paint had been scraped away.
Beneath it was a mark: one long line crossing a small arch. Eli stopped breathing for a second.
“That’s the mark,” he said. Adrian looked at him.
“What mark?” “The one I put on your car.” Dr. Ortiz backed into the hallway.
“I never saw that.” “Who did?” Adrian asked. The doctor’s mouth trembled.
“A man came before dawn. He had papers from HavenBridge.
He said the child was part of a protected relocation.” “Who was the man?” “I don’t know.” Tomas stepped into the room. His eyes fixed on the blue mark.
“This is a security issue.” Adrian turned.
“You recognize it.” “It’s a children’s drawing.” “No,” Eli said.
“It means someone is watching the door.” The boy walked to the window and looked down at the ambulance bay. A white van was pulling away from the curb.
Its rear doors bore a faded blue bridge and star. Eli struck the glass with his palm.
“That’s them!” Tomas reached for the radio. Adrian grabbed his wrist.
“Don’t call the police yet.” Tomas looked at him with controlled surprise.
“Why not?” “Because someone inside this hospital told them exactly when to come.” The white van disappeared into traffic.
Adrian felt the old machinery of his world shift into motion, but this time it was not obeying him. It was moving around him, quietly and efficiently, taking a sick child out of a hospital room while leaving behind a number instead of a name.
Eli turned from the window.
“You said you’d find her.” Adrian looked at the blue mark on the wall.
“I will.” His phone rang. The caller ID showed Celia Hart, his chief legal counsel.
Adrian answered without speaking.
“Adrian,” Celia said, “you need to come back to the hotel. The police have arrested Mara Mercer for arson, theft, and attempted extortion.” Adrian looked at Eli.
“They say they found the lighter in her apartment,” Celia continued.
May you like
“And they found a note with your name on it.” Eli’s face went white.
Then Celia added, “The note says you ordered the fire.”
