Chapter 11 - THE WOMAN IN ROOM SEVEN
Victoria took them to an abandoned rehabilitation center forty miles outside town.
Arthur drove.
Victoria sat beside him.
Elena hid under blankets behind the back seat despite Victoria’s warning.
Detective Reed followed from far enough away that Daniel’s spotters wouldn’t see him.
At least, that was the plan.
The facility appeared through the rain like a dead hospital.
Broken windows.
Peeling paint.
A rusted sign.
MERCY HILL RECOVERY CENTER.
Arthur parked.
Victoria grabbed his arm.
“Once we go inside, you do exactly what Daniel says.”
“No.”
“Arthur.”
“No more.”
“He’ll kill Leo.”
“Then we make sure he doesn’t get the chance.”
Victoria looked at him.
“You sound like Nolan.”
Arthur’s eyes narrowed.
“Where is my brother?”
“I don’t know.”
“You left him bleeding in a truck.”
“No.”
Arthur stared at her.
Victoria swallowed.
“Daniel stabbed him.”
“Why?”
“He tried to get Leo out.”
Arthur looked away.
All those years he had thought Nolan was selfish, reckless, jealous.
Maybe he had been wrong about that too.
They entered.
The building smelled of wet concrete and disinfectant.
A camera moved above the front desk.
Daniel’s voice came through a speaker.
“Welcome home, Arthur.”
Arthur looked up.
“Show me Leo.”
“Drive.”
“Leo first.”
A monitor flickered on.
Leo sat in a chair inside a small room.
His wrists were tied.
Arthur moved toward the screen.
“Leo!”
The boy looked exhausted but alive.
Daniel’s voice continued.
“Now the drive.”
Arthur held it up.
“Come get it.”
Victoria whispered, “Don’t provoke him.”
Arthur ignored her.
“Come out, Dad.”
A door buzzed open at the end of the hall.
“Room Seven,” Daniel said.
Arthur walked.
Victoria followed.
Elena slipped silently out of the car outside and entered through a side door.
Room Seven contained another monitor.
Another chair.
And Daniel Mercer.
He looked older than Arthur remembered.
Thinner.
Gray hair.
But the eyes were the same.
Cold.
Measuring.
Arthur stared at him.
“You let me bury you.”
Daniel smiled.
“You buried a body.”
“Whose?”
“A man who owed me money.”
Arthur’s stomach twisted.
“You murdered him?”
Daniel shrugged.
“He was already dying.”
“You’re sick.”
“No, son. I’m practical.”
Arthur wanted to hit him.
Instead he held up the drive.
“Leo.”
“Soon.”
“You said—”
“I lied.”
Arthur laughed once.
“Of course.”
Daniel’s smile vanished.
“I need the password.”
“What password?”
“Your mother encrypted everything.”
“I don’t know it.”
“You’ll figure it out.”
“And if I don’t?”
Daniel looked toward Leo’s monitor.
“You’re motivated.”
Across the building, Elena followed a faint sound down a hallway.
Someone was singing.
Softly.
A song her mother used to sing while washing dishes.
Elena stopped.
Her entire body shook.
“Sofia?”
The singing stopped.
Elena opened a door.
A woman sat on a mattress.
She was pale and thin, her dark hair streaked with gray.
But Elena knew those eyes.
“Sofia.”
The woman stared at her.
Then whispered, “Elena?”
Elena covered her mouth.
“Oh my God.”
Sofia stood slowly.
Elena rushed to her.
They collapsed into each other’s arms.
“I thought you were dead.”
Sofia sobbed.
“I thought you stopped looking.”
“Never.”
Sofia pulled away suddenly.
“You have to leave.”
“I’m taking you with me.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Elena, listen!”
Footsteps sounded in the hallway.
Sofia’s face went white.
“He knows you’re here.”
“How?”
“He knows everything.”
The door opened.
Nolan stood there.
His shirt was covered in dried blood.
He held a gun.
Elena stared at him.
“You.”
Nolan raised the weapon.
Sofia screamed.
But Nolan didn’t aim at Elena.
He aimed past her.
May you like
And fired.
---
