Chapter 7 - The Woman in the Hospital BedThe photo wasn't old.
The timestamp was from two days ago.
My mother was in the image.
Alive.
Healthy.
Sitting beside Noah.
The boy looked about three.
Maybe four.
And there was something else.
The woman in the hospital bed wasn't my mother.
I zoomed in.
Her face was blurred.
But I recognized the bracelet on her wrist.
The same clinic bracelet.
The same hospital.
Claire took the phone.
“This is from Hale Medical.”
“Why is my mother there?”
“I don't know.”
My mother suddenly said:
“You have to burn that phone.”
I stared at her.
“No.”
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain it.”
She looked at Evelyn.
“She’s the reason.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.”
My mother stepped toward me.
“Your wife was never the victim you think she was.”
I felt rage rising.
“Enough.”
“She knew about the registry.”
“I said enough.”
“She knew children were being moved.”
“Stop.”
“She helped them.”
Evelyn suddenly shouted:
“I had no choice!”
Silence.
My mother looked at her.
I stared at my wife.
“What did you do?”
Evelyn began crying.
“They took Noah because I threatened to expose them.”
“Who?”
“The people my father worked for.”
“Your father?”
She nodded.
“My father was part of the network.”
Everything shifted.
“What network?”
“The one your father was fighting.”
Claire whispered:
“Julian, your father didn't build the system.”
I turned toward her.
“He tried to destroy it.”
The room went still.
Claire continued.
“That's why he died.”
I stared at her.
“My father died in a car accident.”
“That is what the report says.”
“You think it was murder?”
“We know it was.”
I couldn't speak.
My mother had tears in her eyes.
“I tried to tell your father to stop.”
“But you didn't.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because they had Noah.”
I stared.
“What?”
My mother whispered:
“They threatened to kill him.”
My mind couldn't process it.
“You knew he was alive.”
“Yes.”
“For three years?”
“Yes.”
“And you let me believe my son died?”
She began to cry.
“I was trying to keep him alive.”
I stepped backward.
“You kidnapped my child.”
“I protected him.”
“You stole three years from me.”
“I saved him.”
Evelyn collapsed into a chair.
“I was supposed to take Noah back.”
“Then why didn't you?”
“Because every time I tried, they showed me what they could do.”
“What did they show you?”
She looked at me.
“A grave.”
My skin prickled.
“For who?”
She whispered:
“Your next child.”
I looked at her stomach.
My unborn baby.
The room suddenly felt smaller.
My mother reached for my arm.
“Julian.”
I pulled away.
“Where is Noah?”
She hesitated.
“Victor moved him last night.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
Claire grabbed the photo.
“Wait.”
She pointed to the hospital wall behind Noah.
A small sign was visible.
ST. VINCENT CHILDREN'S RESEARCH CENTER.
Claire’s face went pale.
“That place closed six months ago.”
“Then why is he there?”
She zoomed in further.
A date was printed on the wall.
Tomorrow.
My breath stopped.
“He's being moved tomorrow.”
“Moved where?”
May you like
Claire looked at me.
“Somewhere we may never find him.”
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