Chapter 6 - THE HOSPITAL DEBT
Dominic had two cars moving toward Cicero within thirty seconds.
Clara insisted on going.
“No.”
Dominic blocked the doorway.
“That’s my mother.”
“And whoever attacked this house may be waiting for you.”
“I’m going.”
Dominic stared at her.
Clara did not look away.
Finally he said, “Stay beside me.”
They arrived at Helen’s apartment twelve minutes later.
The door was open.
Furniture overturned.
Blood on the kitchen floor.
“Mom!”
Clara ran inside.
No body.
Dominic’s men searched every room.
Marcus found a broken syringe near the stairwell.
“They took her alive.”
Clara covered her face.
Dominic looked through the kitchen.
Nothing.
Then Noah, who had refused to stay at the mansion, walked toward a cupboard.
He pointed.
“Blue.”
Clara opened it.
Old cereal.
Canned soup.
A blue tin behind the flour.
Inside were medical documents.
Tyler’s surgery records.
Clara frowned.
“These aren’t ours.”
The hospital invoices showed every outstanding balance had been anonymously paid.
Three months earlier.
Forty-seven thousand dollars.
Clara stared at Dominic.
“Did you do this?”
“No.”
A note was folded beneath the invoices.
Clara opened it.
Evelyn’s handwriting.
Helen, if I cannot return, protect Clara. One day she may be the only person Noah trusts.
Clara stopped breathing.
Dominic read the line again.
“How could Evelyn know that?”
“I never met Noah.”
Dominic looked at her.
“Maybe you did.”
Clara shook her head.
“No.”
Noah tugged Clara’s sleeve.
Then touched the burn scar on her wrist.
Clara’s scar came from a kitchen accident when she was sixteen.
At least that was what she remembered.
Noah touched the same spot on his own arm.
Then whispered, “Fire.”
A memory cracked open inside Clara.
Smoke.
A crying toddler.
A woman shouting.
Clara staggered backward.
“I remember…”
Dominic stepped closer.
“What?”
Clara pressed a hand to her forehead.
“When I was sixteen, my mother took me somewhere.”
“Where?”
“I thought it was a babysitting job.”
Fragments returned.
A frightened woman.
A little boy.
A burning curtain.
Clara wrapping her arm around the child to pull him away.
Her wrist touching hot metal.
Clara stared at Noah.
“You were there.”
Noah nodded.
Dominic looked stunned.
“Evelyn brought you to him?”
Clara whispered, “Only once.”
She remembered Evelyn kneeling in front of her.
If anything happens, remember his face.
Then Clara remembered someone entering the room.
Pearl brooch.
Gray dress.
Mrs. Hargrove.
And behind her stood a man Clara had seen many times since arriving at the estate.
Dominic’s security chief.
Marcus.
Clara slowly raised her eyes.
May you like
Marcus stood near the apartment door.
His hand was already moving toward his gun.
