Chapter 5: The Recording
Pain woke me.
Not the sharp pain of a wound.
The dull, pounding ache of hitting something hard.
I opened my eyes.
Darkness.
Then a tiny green light blinked near the ceiling.
Emergency power.
I pushed myself upright.
“Abigail?””
No answer.
My heart stopped.
“Abigail!””
“I'm here.””
Her voice came from across the room.
I moved toward it.
My hands found her shoulders.
“Are you hurt?””
“No.””
“Evelyn?””
“Here.””
Daniel answered from somewhere near the door.
“I'm fine.””
I exhaled.
Then I heard something.
A man's breathing.
Close.
Too close.
I turned.
The emergency lights flickered on.
A hospital orderly was lying unconscious near the doorway.
Daniel was kneeling beside him.
“He was carrying this.””
Daniel held up a syringe.
I stared at it.
“What happened?””
“He came through the door during the blackout.””
“Where's the folder?””
Evelyn looked down.
“It was taken.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“By whom?””
“We don't know.””
Daniel stood.
“That's not the important part.””
I looked at him.
“Then what is?””
He pointed toward Abigail.
“She was the target.””
My daughter shook her head.
“They could have killed me.””
“They didn't want to kill you.””
Daniel crouched beside her.
“They wanted something from you.””
“What?””
“The location.””
Abigail's face changed.
“The attic.””
Daniel nodded.
“The envelope.””
“But they don't know where it is.””
“They know you had it.””
I looked at the unconscious orderly.
“Then we have a problem.””
“No,” Daniel said.
“We have several.””
A door opened in the hallway.
Voices approached.
Daniel immediately switched off the emergency light.
“Hide.””
We moved behind the observation-room partition.
Two security officers entered.
One spoke quietly.
“Room twelve?””
“Yes.””
“Anything?””
“Nothing.””
I recognized the second voice.
Nicholas.
My hands curled into fists.
He stepped into the room.
“Where is she?””
The security officer answered, “We haven't found her.””
“She was here.””
“We checked the corridor.””
Nicholas swore.
“Find her.””
Then Patricia's voice came from behind him.
“She couldn't have gone far.””
Abigail trembled beside me.
I put my hand over hers.
Patricia entered.
She looked perfectly composed.
Not frightened.
Not worried.
Angry.
“Check the parking garage,” she said.
Nicholas looked at her.
“What about the colonel?””
Patricia smiled.
“She's exactly where I want her.””
I felt Abigail stiffen.
Nicholas frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Patricia leaned closer.
“Rachel Gardner doesn't know what she's holding.””
A pause.
“She thinks this is about her daughter.””
I looked at Daniel.
His eyes met mine.
Patricia continued.
“That's why she will eventually lead us to the evidence.””
Nicholas lowered his voice.
“And if she doesn't?””
Patricia's smile disappeared.
“Then we take the daughter.””
They left.
We waited.
Thirty seconds.
Then a minute.
Daniel stepped out.
“They're searching the garage.””
I looked at him.
“How did Patricia know I was here?””
He didn't answer.
I already knew.
“Someone inside the hospital is working for them.””
Evelyn nodded.
“I've suspected it for weeks.””
I turned.
“For weeks?””
She looked ashamed.
“I've been investigating the Fergusons for nearly a year.””
“And you never contacted me?””
“I tried.””
“When?””
“Three months ago.””
I frowned.
“Who stopped you?””
She looked at Daniel.
“He did.””
Daniel's expression hardened.
“I was protecting her.””
I stepped toward him.
“From what?””
“From the same people who killed everyone else who tried to expose Silver Harbor.””
My anger faltered.
“Everyone?””
Daniel nodded.
“There were seven witnesses.””
He looked down.
“Six are dead.””
Silence.
“And the seventh?””
Daniel looked at me.
“You're looking at him.””
I didn't speak.
He reached inside his coat.
This time he pulled out a small digital recorder.
“I need you to hear something.””
He pressed play.
Static filled the room.
Then a man's voice.
Old.
Calm.
Familiar.
General Thomas Avery.
> “If Gardner refuses to cooperate, use the daughter.””
My blood ran cold.
A second voice answered.
Patricia Ferguson.
> “And the marriage?””
Avery replied.
> “Nicholas will handle that.””
Abigail covered her mouth.
The recording continued.
> “Gardner trusts her daughter more than anyone. Once the girl discovers the documents, she'll panic. She'll go directly to Rachel.””
Patricia asked:
> “And then?””
Avery laughed.
> “Then we finally have the colonel where we want her.””
The recording stopped.
Nobody moved.
Abigail looked at me.
“Mom...””
I couldn't answer.
My entire career had been built on loyalty.
Orders.
Chain of command.
Trust.
And now the man who had trained me to obey had apparently spent fifteen years waiting for my daughter to become the weapon that would destroy me.
Daniel crouched beside Abigail.
“There is one more thing.””
She looked at him.
“What?””
“Your husband wasn't chosen randomly.””
Her face went pale.
“What do you mean?””
“Nicholas knew your family before he met you.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“He knew who your mother was.””
“That isn't possible.””
“He knew about Silver Harbor.””
Abigail looked at me.
“Mom?””
I couldn't speak.
Daniel continued.
“He married you because your mother kept something from that operation.””
I finally found my voice.
“What did I keep?””
Daniel looked directly at me.
“You didn't keep it.””
He pressed another button on the recorder.
A different voice came through.
Mine.
Fifteen years younger.
Terrified.
Saying words I had completely forgotten.
“If anything happens to me, give the package to my daughter.””
Abigail stared at me.
“That’s your voice.””
I nodded slowly.
Daniel's eyes stayed on mine.
“You made that recording the night before Silver Harbor.””
“I don't remember.””
“You were injured.””
“What package?””
Daniel reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small brass key.
My breath caught.
I knew that key.
I had carried it for years.
I just never knew what it opened.
Daniel placed it in my palm.
“This was found inside the envelope.””
Abigail whispered, “What does it open?””
Daniel looked toward the hospital door.
“Something Nicholas has been searching for since before he married you.””
Suddenly, my phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
No number.
Just one sentence.
*WE HAVE YOUR DAUGHTER'S BROTHER.*
I stared at the screen.
Abigail's face went white.
“I don't have a brother.””
May you like
Daniel looked at me.
“Yes, you do.””
