Chapter 5 - The Black CrownThe company was called Bellhaven Medical.
I'd never heard of it.
Detective Morgan had.
“Bellhaven isn't a normal clinic,” she explained.
“It operates private research facilities.”
“For pregnant women?”
“Among other things.”
Ethan frowned.
“What kind of research?”
“That's what we're investigating.”
I stared at the black crown logo.
“Why would my father be connected to them?”
Detective Morgan didn't answer immediately.
Then she asked:
“Did your grandmother ever mention Bellhaven?”
“No.”
“Your mother?”
“No.”
“What about your pregnancy?”
I froze.
“What about it?”
“Did your family encourage you to use a particular doctor?”
I thought.
My mother had insisted I switch doctors after the first trimester.
She had even scheduled the appointment.
I had canceled it because I preferred my own obstetrician.
Detective Morgan looked at Ethan.
“That may have saved the baby.”
The room felt colder.
“What was wrong with the doctor?”
“He worked at a clinic connected to Bellhaven.”
I covered my mouth.
Suddenly my mother's constant concern made sense.
The vitamins.
The appointments.
The supplements.
The tea.
It wasn't love.
It was control.
Then something dawned on me.
“Detective…”
“Yes?”
“Why does Bellhaven care about my baby?”
She stared at me.
“We don't know.”
“But somebody does.”
“Yes.”
A hospital security officer entered.
“Detective, we found something.”
He handed her a plastic evidence bag.
Inside was a tiny device.
A listening bug.
My stomach dropped.
“Where was this?”
“Under the patient's bed.”
Ethan's expression changed.
“Someone has been listening to us.”
The detective looked around.
“Which means whoever placed this may still be nearby.”
The security officer immediately left.
Then my phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?”
No response.
Then a man's voice whispered:
“You should have let your baby die.”
I froze.
“Who are you?”
“You've already been warned.”
“Why do you want my daughter?”
A pause.
Then:
“Because she's not just your daughter.”
My heart stopped.
“What does that mean?”
“You'll understand when you learn who her father really is.”
The call ended.
I looked at Ethan.
“What?”
I couldn't speak.
He took my phone.
“Did he threaten you?”
I nodded.
Then the hospital monitor began beeping wildly.
The nurse rushed in.
“Her baby's heart rate is crashing.”
The doctor followed.
“Move.”
They began working.
Ethan was pushed away.
I watched the monitor.
The tiny heartbeat slowed.
Then slowed again.
“Please…”
The doctor shouted.
“Prepare medication.”
Suddenly the line on the monitor stabilized.
The doctor exhaled.
“She’s responding.”
I sobbed.
But the doctor didn't smile.
“There’s something strange.”
“What?”
“Your baby's heart rate dropped almost exactly when the call came in.”
I looked at my phone.
“You think—”
“I think we need to know whether that phone call triggered something.”
“How?”
“Electrical interference.”
The detective looked at the phone.
Then the listening device.
Then the hospital equipment.
“Someone isn't just watching you.”
Her voice was grim.
“They may be testing how much they can control.”
I felt sick.
Then Ethan noticed something under my pillow.
A folded piece of paper.
He opened it.
Inside were five words.
ASK ETHAN ABOUT ELLIE.
He went completely still.
I looked at him.
“Who is Ellie?”
He didn't answer.
“Ethan?”
His face had gone pale.
“Claire…”
“Who is Ellie?”
He slowly sat down.
“She's my daughter.”
The room disappeared.
I stared at my husband.
“You have a daughter?”
He closed his eyes.
“She died.”
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
“How?”
He looked at me.
May you like
His voice broke.
“The same way your baby almost did.”
