Chapter 13 - The Woman Lily Called Aunt
Daniel returned to the secure hospital floor with new suspicion toward everyone.
Nurses.
Doctors.
Family friends.
Household staff.
Anyone who had known Lily since birth.
The woman closest to Lily was Rachel Moore.
Rachel had been Emily’s best friend from college.
After Emily died, Rachel helped Daniel survive the first terrible year. She picked Lily up from school, cooked meals, attended parent conferences, and stayed during nightmares.
Lily called her Aunt Rachel.
Daniel trusted her more than almost anyone.
Rachel was sitting beside Lily when he entered the room.
She was reading from a book, her voice calm and familiar.
Lily smiled when she saw him.
“You came back.”
Daniel forced himself to smile.
“I promised.”
Rachel stood.
“What happened? There are police everywhere.”
“Marcus was arrested.”
Relief appeared on her face.
“Thank God.”
Daniel watched her carefully.
“How did you know we were looking for Marcus?”
She hesitated.
“The news said Victoria’s attorney was missing.”
“That report did not use his name.”
Rachel became still.
Lily looked between them.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Rachel, come outside.”
In the hallway, he faced her.
“Were you at Emily’s cottage?”
Color drained from her face.
“What cottage?”
“The one near Grayhaven.”
Rachel stepped backward.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Daniel took out a photograph from Emily’s archive.
It showed Emily and Rachel standing outside the stone cottage.
The date was three weeks before Emily’s death.
Rachel closed her eyes.
“She made me promise.”
“Promise what?”
“To protect Lily.”
“Did you take one of the drives?”
Rachel looked toward the room.
“I moved it before Marcus arrived.”
“Where is it?”
“Safe.”
“Nothing is safe anymore.”
“Daniel, you don’t understand.”
“Then explain.”
Rachel had known about Emily’s investigation.
Not everything, but enough to realize Victoria was dangerous.
Emily gave her instructions shortly before the crash.
If anything happened, Rachel was to watch over Lily and wait until Daniel discovered the pendant.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Emily believed the Circle had someone near you.”
“Who?”
“She didn’t know.”
“You lived in my home.”
“I was protecting you.”
“By lying to me for three years?”
Rachel’s eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
Daniel looked through the window at Lily.
“She nearly died.”
“I know.”
“Did you send the warning to Detective Quinn?”
Rachel nodded.
“Why not call me?”
“Victoria monitored your phone. I believed she monitored your house too.”
“Where is the drive?”
Rachel reached into her bag and removed an old children’s music box.
Emily had given it to Lily at birth.
Daniel remembered the melody.
Rachel opened the bottom panel.
Inside was an encrypted storage drive.
“One of seven,” she said.
Before Daniel could take it, the hallway lights flickered.
The fire alarm sounded.
Hospital staff began directing patients toward evacuation routes.
Detective Quinn appeared at the far end of the corridor.
“This is not a drill.”
Smoke began spreading from a supply room.
Daniel rushed into Lily’s room.
A nurse disconnected the monitoring equipment and placed Lily in a wheelchair.
Rachel kept the music box hidden beneath her coat.
As they moved toward the emergency stairwell, the lights failed completely.
Someone screamed.
A gunshot echoed from below.
Quinn pushed Daniel and Lily behind a wall.
“Stay down.”
Masked men entered from both ends of the corridor.
They wore no insignia, but Daniel saw the divided-circle tattoo on one man’s hand.
The Wardens had come for the drive.
Quinn fired toward the first group.
Hospital security officers returned fire from the opposite hall.
Rachel grabbed Lily’s wheelchair.
“There is another route through radiology.”
Daniel followed her into a service corridor.
They reached a freight elevator.
Rachel pressed the lower-level button.
The doors opened.
A man stood inside.
Samuel Trent, Lily’s pediatric allergist.
He had treated her since infancy.
He raised a pistol.
“Give me the music box.”
Rachel froze.
Daniel moved in front of Lily.
May you like
Dr. Trent smiled sadly.
“Emily always trusted the wrong people.”
