Chapter 6 - THE FIRST FUNERAL
Daniel remembered almost nothing about his mother’s funeral.
He had been nine.
Claire had been fourteen.
Julian had been six.
Margaret Mercer supposedly died after complications from emergency heart surgery.
Daniel remembered rain.
A church.
His father holding his shoulder.
A closed casket.
Exactly like Samuel’s funeral years later.
Noah watched him from the passenger seat.
“You think your mother could still be alive?”
“No.”
Daniel answered too quickly.
Noah said nothing.
Daniel looked at the black case.
“The letter could mean something else.”
“Rebecca said Patient Zero was your father’s wife.”
“My mother died twenty-four years ago.”
“So did Claire.”
Daniel turned toward him.
Noah did not flinch.
The truth of the statement landed harder than Daniel expected.
For seventy-two hours, Claire had legally been dead.
Her body had been prepared for burial.
Everyone believed it.
What did death mean if the right drug could imitate it?
Daniel called Lakeshore Hospital.
Claire was awake.
He told her about Samuel’s letter.
Silence.
Then Claire whispered.
“I was afraid of that.”
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
“You suspected Mom was alive?”
“I found references to M.M. in Marcus’s files.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I didn’t know whether it meant Margaret Mercer.”
Daniel gripped the phone.
“What else haven’t you told me?”
Claire’s voice softened.
“Too much.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Start now.”
Claire explained that six weeks earlier she discovered payments from Northstar Biomedical to a private long-term care company called Evergreen Cognitive Services.
The payments began twenty-three years ago.
They continued every month.
The patient identifier was MM-01.
Daniel searched the name.
Evergreen operated three secure facilities.
One was less than ninety miles from Chicago.
Noah looked at the screen.
“You think she’s there?”
Daniel did not answer.
Claire said, “Don’t go yet.”
“Why?”
“Because Julian knows you found the box.”
“How?”
“He called me.”
Daniel sat upright.
“When?”
“Ten minutes ago.”
“What did he say?”
“He asked whether Dad left anything for you.”
Daniel felt anger flare.
“How does he know about Dad?”
“Daniel.”
Claire paused.
“Julian says Dad is alive.”
Noah stared at the phone.
Daniel whispered.
“Where?”
“He wouldn’t tell me.”
“What does he want?”
“The case.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
“He said if we give him the research archive, he’ll take us to Dad.”
“And you believe him?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“But I believe he knows where Dad is.”
The call ended.
Daniel turned the car toward Lakeshore.
They never reached it.
Three blocks from the hospital, a black SUV ran a red light and slammed into Daniel’s rear quarter panel.
The car spun.
Noah struck the window.
Daniel fought the wheel.
Another SUV boxed them against the curb.
Two men exited.
Daniel recognized one.
The tattooed man from the hospital basement.
Noah whispered.
“That’s him.”
Daniel shoved the metal case beneath his seat.
“Run.”
They exited opposite sides.
The tattooed man moved toward Noah.
Daniel tackled him.
Pain exploded through Daniel’s shoulder.
The second man grabbed Noah.
Noah twisted free and ran toward an alley.
Daniel punched the tattooed man once.
The man barely reacted.
Then police sirens sounded.
Both attackers retreated.
Their SUVs disappeared into traffic.
Daniel lay beside the curb.
Noah came back.
“You okay?”
“No.”
Daniel pushed himself upright.
“Case?”
“Still there.”
A police cruiser stopped.
An officer approached.
Daniel almost told him everything.
Then he remembered Claire’s warning.
Do not call the police from your own phone.
Why?
Before Daniel could decide, the officer looked into the damaged car.
His eyes settled on the black case.
For less than a second, recognition crossed his face.
Daniel saw it.
The officer reached toward his radio.
“Dispatch, I have Mercer—”
Daniel ran.
Noah followed.
They abandoned the car.
Behind them the officer shouted.
Daniel did not stop.
They crossed an alley and entered a crowded train platform.
Noah was breathing hard.
“Police too?”
“Maybe one cop.”
“That’s enough.”
Daniel looked toward the station entrance.
The officer appeared.
Daniel grabbed Noah’s sleeve.
“Train.”
They jumped aboard seconds before the doors closed.
The officer reached the platform too late.
As the train pulled away, Daniel looked through the window.
The officer was already on his phone.
Not his radio.
His personal phone.
Daniel’s own phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A man spoke.
Older.
Weak.
But unmistakable.
“Daniel?”
Daniel’s knees almost gave way.
He knew the voice.
“Dad?”
Samuel Mercer inhaled shakily.
“Don’t go to Evergreen.”
Daniel stared at Noah.
“How do you know—”
“Because that’s where they want you.”
“Where are you?”
“Listen carefully.”
“Dad.”
“Your mother is alive.”
Daniel gripped the pole beside him.
People moved around the train as though the world had not just split open.
Samuel continued.
“But she isn’t at Evergreen.”
“Where is she?”
“I can’t tell you over the phone.”
“Then tell me where you are.”
Silence.
“Dad?”
Samuel whispered.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For letting Julian believe you were the dangerous one.”
Daniel frowned.
“What does that mean?”
The line suddenly filled with another voice.
Julian.
“Hello, Daniel.”
Daniel’s blood went cold.
“Where is Dad?”
“With me.”
“Let him go.”
Julian laughed softly.
“You still think you understand what’s happening.”
“You tried to bury Claire.”
“No.”
Julian’s answer came immediately.
“I delayed her burial.”
Daniel stopped.
“What?”
“If I wanted Claire dead, Daniel, Noah never would have reached that casket.”
Daniel stared down the train car.
Julian continued.
May you like
“You’re running from the wrong brother.”
The call ended.
