Chapter 9 - The Hospital Transfer.
Clara did not remember dropping Dominic’s phone.
She only remembered the sound it made when it struck the rug.
“My brother.”
Dominic caught her shoulders before she could run.
“Clara.”
“Let go of me.”
“Listen.”
“He has Tyler.”
“We don’t know that.”
“My mother said he signed the transport papers.”
Dominic looked at Captain Foster.
The captain was already on her radio.
“St. Catherine’s Hospital.”
“Possible fraudulent pediatric transfer.”
“Lock down all ambulance exits.”
Clara pulled away from Dominic.
“I’m going there.”
“Yes.”
She stared at him, surprised.
“I’m coming with you.”
Foster looked at Dominic.
“No.”
“Captain.”
“You are a target.”
“My brother is involved.”
“Exactly.”
Dominic stepped closer.
“If Anthony is using a sick child to force something from me, I am not staying here.”
Foster’s expression hardened.
“And if you turn a hospital into a private family confrontation, I will arrest you before your brother.”
Dominic held her gaze.
“Understood.”
Clara looked down at Noah.
The boy was still holding the wooden horse.
She could not bring him to a dangerous situation.
She also could not leave him with unfamiliar staff after everything that had happened.
Dominic understood the problem.
He looked at his security supervisor.
“Call Dr. Reyes.”
“Have her come here.”
“Only her.”
Clara asked, “Who is Dr. Reyes?”
“Child trauma specialist.”
“One Noah has met?”
“Yes.”
“Does he trust her?”
Dominic paused.
“No.”
Clara stared at him.
“Then why would we leave him with her?”
Dominic looked frustrated.
“Because every option is bad.”
Noah tugged Clara’s sleeve.
He pointed at himself.
Then at her.
Then at Dominic.
Clara understood.
“You want to come.”
Dominic immediately said, “No.”
Noah’s face hardened.
He threw the toy horse at the wall.
Dominic flinched but held his ground.
“No.”
Clara knelt.
“Noah, the hospital might be scary.”
He pointed at her again.
Then at the door.
Clara’s heart twisted.
“He thinks if we leave, we might not come back.”
Dominic’s expression changed.
Two years of being left without explanations had taught Noah what departures meant.
Dominic crouched beside him.
“I am coming back.”
Noah turned away.
Dominic swallowed.
“Your mom said that too, didn’t she?”
The boy froze.
Clara looked at Dominic.
He continued quietly.
“She told you she was coming back.”
Noah nodded.
Dominic closed his eyes for a second.
When he opened them, his voice was steady.
“I cannot promise nothing bad will ever happen.”
Clara saw Captain Foster glance toward him.
“But I can promise I will not disappear without telling you where I’m going.”
Noah looked at him.
“I am going to the hospital with Clara.”
“You are staying here with Captain Foster’s people and Dr. Reyes.”
“I will call you from the car.”
“And I will call you when I arrive.”
Noah’s lower lip trembled.
Dominic held out his phone.
“You keep this.”
Noah stared.
“My private number is the first button.”
“You can call me.”
The boy hesitated.
Then he took it.
Clara kissed two fingers and pressed them to the wooden horse.
“I’ll bring Tyler back too.”
Noah looked at her.
She immediately regretted the promise.
Promises had already hurt him enough.
“I’ll do everything I can,” she corrected.
Noah picked up the horse and placed it in her hand.
Clara stared at it.
He wanted her to take it.
She slipped it into her canvas tote.
Then she followed Dominic out.
The drive from Lake Forest to the hospital felt endless despite the speed.
Captain Foster rode in the lead vehicle.
Clara sat beside Dominic in the rear of an armored SUV.
She called her mother repeatedly.
No answer.
She called the hospital.
A nurse confirmed Tyler had been prepared for transport but had not yet left the building.
Clara nearly collapsed with relief.
Then the nurse added, “We cannot locate your mother.”
Clara’s relief vanished.
“What do you mean?”
“She stepped out with the transport coordinator.”
“What coordinator?”
“A man named Anthony Vale.”
Dominic swore under his breath.
Clara looked at him.
“Why would your brother do this?”
“I don’t know.”
“You keep saying that.”
“I know.”
“Did Sophia trust him?”
Dominic looked out the window.
“Once.”
“What happened?”
“Anthony wanted control of part of the freight business.”
“I refused.”
“He left Chicago.”
“That was six years ago.”
“Did he hate Sophia?”
“No.”
Dominic’s answer came too quickly.
Clara noticed.
“You’re lying.”
He looked at her.
“I am simplifying.”
“That is what rich men call lying when they own lawyers.”
Dominic actually laughed once.
Then his face turned serious.
“Anthony loved Sophia before I did.”
Clara stared.
“She chose me.”
“He never forgave either of us.”
Clara looked down at her hands.
“So this could be revenge.”
“Or leverage.”
“For what?”
“The files.”
Clara thought of Sophia’s hidden box.
“Why not take them from the mansion?”
“Because the police have them now.”
“Then he needs you to get them back.”
Dominic nodded.
“Or he needs something else Sophia hid.”
Clara remembered the red notebook.
“Did the police take everything?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
Dominic looked at her.
“What are you thinking?”
“Noah gave me the horse.”
“So?”
“He knew the wheel opened the compartment.”
“He knew the microSD card was in the frame.”
“He knew about the recorder.”
Clara opened her tote.
She took out the small wooden horse.
One wheel was gone because it remained in the bookcase lock.
She turned the toy over.
There was a thin seam along its belly.
Dominic leaned closer.
Clara pressed the wood.
Nothing.
She slid her fingernail along the seam.
A small panel opened.
Inside was a folded strip of paper.
Dominic stared.
Clara unfolded it.
There were six handwritten words.
ANTHONY KNOWS WHERE THE SECOND LEDGER IS.
Dominic went pale.
“What second ledger?” Clara asked.
He did not answer.
“What second ledger?”
Dominic looked at her.
“The one that can send me to prison.”
Clara stared at him.
Before she could respond, the SUV stopped outside St. Catherine’s emergency entrance.
Police officers crowded the curb.
Captain Foster opened the rear door.
“We found Tyler.”
Clara’s knees nearly gave out.
“Where?”
“Still in his room.”
“My mother?”
Foster’s expression changed.
Clara knew before she spoke.
“We found her phone in the parking garage.”
“Nothing else.”
Dominic stepped out beside Clara.
Clara stood beside Tyler's door while officers checked every badge entering the cardiac floor.
For the first time in her life, she watched armed police protect something that belonged to her family.
It felt wrong and reassuring at the same time.
Tyler saw Dominic through the doorway.
"Is that your boss?"
Clara looked over her shoulder.
"Unfortunately."
Dominic raised an eyebrow.
Tyler smiled weakly.
"He looks expensive."
"He is."
Dominic stepped inside only after Tyler waved him in.
"You must be Tyler."
"You must be the guy with the terrible house."
Clara covered her face.
Dominic surprised them both by nodding.
"Fair assessment."
Tyler studied him.
"Did Noah really hit Clara with a horse?"
"A bronze one."
"Cool."
"Tyler."
"Not cool that she got hurt."
He corrected himself quickly.
"Just cool that rich people apparently have weapon horses."
Even Foster, standing near the doorway, smiled.
The moment lasted only seconds, but Clara held onto it.
Fear had filled every room all night.
Tyler had somehow made one feel normal.
Then he looked at Clara and became serious.
"Bring the little kid here when this is over."
"Why?"
"Because hospitals are boring and I have video games."
Clara swallowed.
"I will."
This time she did not promise an outcome.
She promised an invitation.
There was a difference.
Dominic seemed to notice it too.
He gave Tyler a small nod before they returned to the hall.
Clara paused outside Tyler's room one last time before returning to Foster.
Through the glass, she saw her brother watching television with the volume low while an officer sat near the door.
He looked ordinary.
That was all she wanted for him.
Not special treatment.
Not a miracle story.
Just enough health and time to be an annoying eleven-year-old who complained about homework.
She pressed her fingertips to the glass.
Then she turned back toward the crisis waiting in the hall.
His own phone rang in Noah’s hands miles away at the mansion, but he did not have it.
Instead, Captain Foster’s phone rang.
She answered.
A deputy spoke urgently through the speaker.
“Captain, we have a problem at the Vale estate.”
Foster’s face tightened.
“What problem?”
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“Dr. Reyes never arrived.”
“And the boy is missing.”
