Chapter 2 - The Boy Beside The Bed.
Adrian did not tell Noah what Emma had whispered.
He did not tell the doctor either.
He only asked Rafael to close the hospital room door and ordered Mason to stay inside.
The two guards exchanged a look that lasted less than a second.
Adrian still noticed it.
"Call the security office."
Mason reached for his phone.
"Tell them Victor Vale is not allowed on this floor."
Mason stopped moving.
"Sir, your brother is already downstairs."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"How long?"
"Eight minutes."
Noah climbed off the chair.
"Uncle Victor is here?"
Adrian forced his expression to soften.
"Stay with Mom."
"Are you mad at him?"
"I need to ask him some questions."
Noah looked at Emma and then back at his father.
"Mom was scared of him tonight."
The words hit harder than the doctor's diagnosis.
Adrian crouched to Noah's height.
"What do you mean?"
Noah twisted the black tie Emma had straightened before dinner.
"Uncle Victor came near the kitchen doors."
"What happened?"
"Mom told me to go find you."
Adrian waited.
Noah's eyes filled with uncertainty.
"He said she should stop digging through things that don't belong to her."
Mason looked toward the doorway.
Rafael's face hardened.
Adrian kept his voice calm for his son's sake.
"Did Mom answer him?"
Noah nodded.
"She said, 'Then stop hiding things in my house.'"
A knock sounded before Adrian could ask more.
Victor Vale entered without waiting for permission.
He was forty-four, elegant, composed, and still dressed in the midnight-blue tuxedo from the foundation dinner.
Rain dotted the shoulders of his coat.
Concern shaped his face perfectly.
"Adrian."
Adrian stepped between Victor and the bed.
Victor stopped.
"How is she?"
"Alive."
"Thank God."
"Did you open Gate Four tonight?"
Victor's expression barely changed.
"What?"
"The service gate."
"No."
"You have executive access."
Victor gave a short, tired laugh.
"So do you."
"My credential was with Emma."
Victor's eyes moved toward the bed.
It was only a glance.
Adrian saw fear in it.
Not grief.
Not shock.
Fear.
"What did she tell you?" Victor asked.
The question came too quickly.
Adrian said nothing.
Victor recovered with a shrug.
"I mean before she lost consciousness."
"Interesting question."
"Don't do this here."
"Then where would you prefer?"
Victor lowered his voice.
"Our family just watched your wife get run down."
"My family watched someone try to kill her."
Noah flinched at the word kill.
Adrian immediately regretted saying it.
Victor noticed and softened his tone.
"Noah, buddy, why don't you come with me and get something to eat?"
Noah moved behind Adrian's leg.
"No."
Victor's smile froze.
"It's okay."
"Mom said I stay with Dad."
The room went quiet again.
Victor slowly straightened.
"Emma said that?"
Noah nodded.
"Before the car came."
Adrian stared at his brother.
Victor looked toward the monitors as though they had suddenly become fascinating.
"You should go," Adrian said.
"You're not thinking clearly."
"Go."
"The board meets tomorrow morning."
Adrian almost laughed at the absurdity.
"My wife is unconscious."
"Which is why the board meeting matters."
Victor stepped closer.
"The police may freeze the foundation accounts during the investigation."
"Why would they do that?"
Victor hesitated.
It was the first true mistake he had made.
"Because there were irregularities in tonight's transfers."
Adrian's stomach tightened.
"What transfers?"
Victor looked away.
"Talk to finance."
"You just told me about them."
"I heard rumors."
Adrian stared at him until Victor's polished calm began to crack.
Emma had spent the last month reviewing foundation expenditures after discovering that money meant for children's hospitals had been redirected through shell charities.
She had told Adrian she wanted one more week before involving authorities.
He had trusted her judgment.
Now she was unconscious.
And his brother knew about financial irregularities that had never been disclosed to the board.
Victor turned toward the door.
"Get some rest."
Adrian's voice stopped him.
"Emma said your name."
Victor froze.
Only for a heartbeat.
Then he looked back with an expression of careful confusion.
"Why?"
"That's what I'm going to find out."
Victor left without answering.
Rafael locked the door behind him.
Noah returned to the bedside and touched Emma's blanket.
"Dad?"
"Yeah?"
"Uncle Victor took Mom's red folder."
Adrian turned slowly.
"What red folder?"
Noah pointed toward Emma's handbag on the chair.
"The one she told me never to lose."
Adrian grabbed the bag and emptied it across the side table.
Phone.
Lip balm.
Keys.
A small notebook.
No folder.
May you like
At the bottom of the bag lay a torn strip of red leather.
And on that strip was a dark fingerprint smeared in blood.
