Chapter 8 - The Hospital With No Patients
Daniel Mercer knew where Sofia was. Which meant he had known about Luca's daughter long before Luca did.
Luca kept his voice steady.
“How did you find her?”
Daniel answered too quickly.
“A contact sent me information.”
“What contact?”
“Someone I trust.”
“Name?”
A pause.
“Luca, this isn't the time.”
Luca stared at the screen showing Daniel threatening Elena.
“Then tell me where to meet you.”
“St. Catherine's. I'll be there in an hour.”
The call ended.
Luca turned toward Caleb.
“Daniel's working with Frank.”
Caleb nodded grimly.
“I suspected.”
“You knew?”
“Not until recently.”
“Then why didn't you say something?”
“Because I didn't have proof.”
Luca pointed at the screen.
“Now we do.”
St. Catherine's Children's Hospital had once been a private pediatric facility outside New Haven.
It closed five years earlier after financial problems.
The building remained in use as a medical research center.
At least, that was the official explanation.
Daniel's company had acquired the property through a subsidiary.
Luca arrived with Caleb and two trusted federal investigators.
He had finally agreed to involve authorities after showing them the recordings and financial documents.
Special Agent Rachel Porter led the operation.
She was forty-one, sharp-eyed, and unimpressed by Luca's reputation.
“Mr. Moretti, you stay behind us.”
“My daughter may be inside.”
“And that's exactly why you need to let us do our jobs.”
Luca clenched his jaw.
He hated waiting.
But he knew she was right.
The investigators entered through the service wing.
Inside, the corridors smelled of disinfectant.
Most rooms were empty.
But the third floor showed signs of recent use.
Fresh sheets.
Children's toys.
Medical supplies.
A small pink sweater hung beside a crib.
Luca touched it.
Sofia's sweater.
He recognized it from the photograph.
His throat tightened.
“She's been here.”
Agent Porter examined the room.
“Recently.”
On the bedside table lay a coloring book.
The first page showed a drawing of a woman with dark hair.
Beneath it, someone had written:
Mommy Elena.
Luca closed his eyes.
His daughter had been here.
Alive.
Close enough that he could almost imagine hearing her laugh.
Then a door slammed down the hallway.
A woman screamed.
“Help!”
Luca ran before anyone could stop him.
At the end of the corridor, a young woman stumbled from a storage room.
Her clothes were torn.
Her wrists were bruised.
Vanessa gasped behind him.
“Claire?”
The woman looked up.
“Vanessa?”
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Vanessa ran forward.
The sisters collided in the hallway.
Claire sobbed against Vanessa's shoulder.
“I thought you were dead.”
Vanessa held her tightly.
“I thought you were.”
Luca approached.
“Claire, where's Sofia?”
Claire looked at him.
Her eyes filled.
“You're Luca.”
“Yes.”
“Elena told me about you.”
“Where is my daughter?”
Claire glanced toward the elevators.
“They moved her this morning.”
“Who?”
“Daniel Mercer.”
Luca felt rage surge through him.
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
Claire wiped her face.
“But Elena is still here.”
Luca froze.
“What?”
“They brought her in last night.”
“Where?”
Claire pointed toward the restricted wing.
“Room 412.”
The door to room 412 was locked.
Agent Porter forced it open.
Inside, a woman lay on a hospital bed.
Dark hair.
Pale skin.
Green eyes.
Luca stopped breathing.
“Elena?”
The woman turned her head.
For a moment, she stared at him.
Then tears filled her eyes.
“Luca?”
He crossed the room.
His knees nearly gave way.
He touched her face.
Warm.
Real.
Alive.
“Elena…”
She began crying.
“I thought I'd never see you again.”
He held her carefully.
For three years, he'd imagined this moment.
He'd rehearsed apologies.
Questions.
Promises.
Now all he could do was hold her.
“I'm sorry,” he whispered.
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
“I should have believed you.”
She pressed her forehead against his.
“You didn't know.”
“I should have listened.”
Her tears fell onto his shoulder.
“I wanted to come home.”
Luca closed his eyes.
“I know.”
For a few seconds, the world outside that room disappeared.
Then Elena pulled away.
“Sofia.”
Luca nodded.
“We're going to find her.”
Elena grabbed his hand.
“You don't understand.”
“What?”
“Daniel doesn't want the ledger anymore.”
Luca frowned.
“Then what does he want?”
Elena's face drained of color.
“He wants the original contract.”
“What contract?”
“The agreement your father signed with the Crown.”
Luca stared.
“Why?”
“Because it proves who actually owns the organization.”
Luca felt a chill.
“Frank?”
Elena shook her head.
“No.”
“Daniel?”
“No.”
She looked toward the door.
“The Crown isn't controlled by either of them.”
Luca leaned closer.
“Then who?”
Before Elena could answer, an alarm sounded.
The hospital's emergency lights flashed red.
Agent Porter appeared in the doorway.
“We have to move. Now.”
“What happened?”
“Someone triggered the building's fire suppression system. The elevators are locked.”
Luca helped Elena sit up.
Then his phone vibrated.
A video call.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Daniel Mercer appeared on the screen.
Behind him sat a little girl.
Dark curls.
Green eyes.
Sofia.
She was holding a stuffed rabbit.
Luca's heart nearly stopped.
“Sofia…”
Daniel smiled faintly.
“Hello, old friend.”
Luca's voice turned deadly quiet.
“If you touch her—”
“Relax. She's fine.”
The little girl looked toward the phone.
“Mommy?”
Elena began sobbing.
“Sofia!”
The child reached toward the screen.
“Mommy, come get me.”
Luca gripped the phone.
“Daniel, I'll give you whatever you want.”
Daniel's expression hardened.
“Then bring me Antonio's watch.”
Luca stared.
“Why does everyone want that watch?”
Daniel leaned closer.
“Because your father hid the only thing that can destroy the Crown.”
Luca looked toward Elena.
She was shaking her head.
Daniel continued.
“And Luca?”
“What?”
His former best friend smiled.
“Ask your wife who signed the contract in the first place.”
The call ended.
Luca turned toward Elena.
She was staring at the floor.
“Elena?”
Her lips trembled.
May you like
“There's something I never told you.”
Continue to Chapter 9: Elena reveals the agreement that began the nightmare—and Luca faces the impossible choice between justice and his daughter.
