Chapter 5 - Someone Inside the Hospital
Marcus found him in eleven minutes.
Not because the man was careless.
Because he wanted to be found.
His name was Victor Sloane.
For seventeen years, he had worked financial operations inside the Blackwood organization.
Adrian’s father had hired him.
Adrian had trusted him.
And seven years ago, Victor had been one of only five people with access to Adrian’s security schedules.
“He left the hospital eight minutes ago,” Marcus said.
Adrian stared at Victor’s personnel photograph on the tablet.
“Why would Sloane threaten Claire?”
“We don’t know.”
“I want him alive.”
Marcus nodded.
Claire folded her arms.
“No.”
Both men looked at me.
Adrian frowned.
“No?”
“You’re not turning this hospital into a battlefield.”
“I said alive.”
“And I know what that word means when you say it.”
He lowered his voice.
“My son is upstairs.”
“Exactly.”
I stepped closer.
“You want to be his father? Start making decisions like one.”
Marcus suddenly became interested in his phone.
Adrian stared at me.
“What are you suggesting?”
“Police.”
Marcus looked up.
Adrian almost laughed.
“No.”
“Federal investigators.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then hospital security and evidence.”
“Claire—”
“Ethan cannot wake up tomorrow and learn his father started a war in the parking lot.”
Adrian’s jaw flexed.
Then a small voice came from behind us.
“She has a point.”
We turned.
Ethan stood in the doorway wearing hospital socks and holding his IV pole.
I rushed to him.
“What are you doing out of bed?”
“Listening.”
“You’re supposed to be sleeping.”
“You two talk loud.”
Adrian looked at me.
“We were whispering.”
“You whisper loud.”
Ethan looked at Adrian.
“Are you going to kill somebody?”
The question landed like a grenade.
Adrian crouched.
“No.”
Ethan studied him.
“Promise?”
Every instinct in Adrian seemed to resist.
Then he said, “I promise.”
“Good.”
Ethan yawned.
“Because I just got a dad. It would be stupid if you got arrested.”
Marcus covered his mouth.
Adrian pointed toward the room.
“Back to bed.”
“You’re bossy.”
“So I’m told.”
After Ethan returned inside, Adrian stood.
“Call Detective Alvarez.”
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
“The LAPD detective?”
“The same one who has spent twelve years trying to put me in prison.”
“Adrian.”
“He’s honest.”
Marcus smiled faintly.
“That must hurt to admit.”
“Call him.”
Two hours later, Detective Mateo Alvarez walked onto the pediatric floor.
He looked around at Adrian’s security men.
“This feels like a trap.”
Adrian handed him the tablet.
“Then enjoy it.”
Alvarez watched the footage.
“Victor Sloane.”
“You know him?”
“I know the name.”
Adrian explained the threats.
The doctor’s office photograph.
The security schedules.
The medical chart access.
Alvarez looked at me.
“You kept none of the letters?”
“No.”
“Understandable.”
Adrian glanced at him.
“That’s it?”
“She was terrified, Blackwood.”
“I know.”
Alvarez looked toward Ethan’s room.
“So Sloane learned the boy existed today.”
“That’s our assumption,” Marcus said.
“Why care after seven years?”
That question stopped everyone.
Why now?
Why had Victor risked exposing himself?
Dr. Mercer stepped out of Ethan’s room.
“There’s something else.”
We turned.
“Ethan asked for his backpack from school. A nurse brought his belongings from the ambulance intake.”
She held up a clear evidence bag.
Inside was Ethan’s blue backpack.
And something else.
A folded piece of white paper.
“I found this in the outside pocket.”
Alvarez put on gloves.
He opened it.
Three words were printed across the page.
HE SHOULD’VE STAYED HIDDEN.
My knees weakened.
Adrian caught my arm.
Alvarez’s expression hardened.
“This isn’t about revenge against you, Blackwood.”
“What is it?”
“It’s about the boy.”
Marcus’ phone rang.
He answered.
Then went pale.
“Adrian.”
“What?”
“We found Sloane.”
“Where?”
“He walked into LAPD headquarters.”
Alvarez frowned.
“He surrendered?”
Marcus shook his head.
“He asked for protective custody.”
“From whom?”
Marcus stared at Adrian.
“Your uncle.”
Adrian went still.
I had heard the name only once before.
Samuel Blackwood.
Adrian’s father’s younger brother.
A man Adrian had exiled from the family years ago.
Adrian’s voice became very quiet.
“Samuel died six years ago.”
Marcus shook his head.
May you like
“Apparently he didn’t.”
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