Chapter 11 - The Doctor’s Secret
They did not let Ethan go alone.
Randall arranged an unmarked vehicle.
Brooks drove.
Maya refused to stay behind.
“You’re not trained for this,” Ethan told her.
“Neither was I when Noah went into the pool.”
He had no answer.
The clinic looked abandoned.
One light burned on the second floor.
Police surrounded the property.
Ethan entered wearing a wire.
Maya watched from the command van.
His footsteps echoed through the clinic.
“Vanessa?”
No answer.
Then crying.
Noah.
Ethan ran.
“Slow down,” Randall warned through the earpiece.
He opened a treatment room.
Noah was inside a crib.
Alive.
Alone.
Ethan grabbed him.
“My boy.”
Maya closed her eyes.
For the first time all night, she breathed.
Then a man stepped from behind the curtain.
Dr. Leonard Chase.
He held a gun.
“Put him down.”
Ethan froze.
In the van, Randall shouted, “Move!”
Police rushed toward the building.
But Chase pressed the gun against Noah’s head.
“Stop them.”
Ethan stared at him.
“You’re helping Vanessa?”
Chase’s hand shook.
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain.”
“Your father discovered the transfers months ago.”
“He knew?”
“He threatened to expose everyone.”
“So Vanessa poisoned him?”
Chase swallowed.
“Slow doses. Nothing dramatic. Enough to make him confused. Weak. Easy to control.”
“And you helped?”
“She had evidence against me.”
“What evidence?”
“I was taking pain medication from hospital inventory.”
Ethan looked disgusted.
“You risked a baby’s life to save your medical license?”
Chase’s eyes filled with shame.
“I never agreed to hurt Noah.”
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
Footsteps sounded outside.
Chase panicked.
“Tell them to back off!”
“Okay.”
Ethan raised his hands.
“Noah doesn’t belong in this.”
The doctor’s gun lowered slightly.
That was enough.
The door slammed open.
Brooks tackled Chase.
The gun fired.
Maya screamed from the van.
The bullet shattered a window.
Ethan dropped over Noah.
Police flooded the room.
Chase was arrested.
Noah was safe.
But Vanessa was gone.
Again.
Randall searched the clinic.
In a locked recovery room, they found Richard Cole connected to an IV.
Alive.
Barely.
Paramedics rushed in.
Richard opened his eyes when Ethan approached.
“Dad.”
Richard struggled to speak.
“I’m sorry.”
“Save your strength.”
“No.”
He grabbed Ethan’s wrist.
“I helped her.”
Ethan’s face hardened.
“I know.”
“I thought she wanted the company.”
“She did.”
Richard shook his head.
“No.”
His breathing became shallow.
“She wanted something else.”
“What?”
Richard looked toward Noah.
“She wanted the boy.”
Maya felt her skin turn cold.
Ethan stared at him.
“Why?”
May you like
Richard whispered three words.
“Because he’s hers.”
