Chapter 7 - The Man at the Hospital
“Who?” I demanded.
Dr. Patel’s text came back first.
Unknown male. Stopped by security. Left before police arrived.
“Get me hospital security.”
Lena made the call while I kept my eyes on her.
We had worked together for seven years.
She knew my schedule better than I did. She knew every airport I used, every hotel I trusted, every person who could reach me without an appointment.
She also had access to my cameras.
“Ethan,” she said, “I can explain.”
“Do it.”
“I checked the house because Henry sent me a message.”
I stopped.
“What message?”
She pulled up her phone and handed it to me.
At 2:14 p.m., Henry had written:
MISS LENA CAN YOU LOOK AT THE KITCHEN CAMERA? REBECCA HAS THE BAD MEDICINE AGAIN.
My mouth went dry.
“Again?”
“That’s why I opened the feed,” Lena said. “When I saw Rebecca cornering him, I took manual control and centered the camera. I wanted a clean recording before she noticed.”
“Why didn’t you call me immediately?”
“I did. You were in the cockpit with Aaron.”
I remembered.
A satellite issue. Ten minutes without cabin signal.
“I called the house. Rebecca didn’t answer. Then you came back, and I showed you.”
I gave her phone back.
“Why would Henry say ‘again’?”
“I don’t know.”
Hospital security finally came on the line.
The man who tried to enter Henry’s room had worn scrubs and a surgical mask. He had shown a printed authorization with my signature.
A fake signature.
“Do you have him on camera?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Send it.”
The still image arrived less than a minute later.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, gray hair at the temples.
Lena leaned closer.
“I know him.”
“So do I.”
His name was Victor Dane.
He had been my father’s private security chief before I fired him four years earlier for stealing from the company.
Caleb had testified against him.
At least I thought he had.
“Why would Victor work with Caleb?” Lena asked.
I opened my contacts and called Detective Maria Torres, the officer assigned to Henry’s case.
She listened without interrupting.
Then she said, “Mr. Cole, we just searched Caleb’s office at your estate.”
“What did you find?”
“A second phone, fake identification, and a printed flight plan.”
My throat tightened.
“For where?”
“Montreal.”
“With Henry?”
“We believe so.”
Torres paused.
“But there’s something else.”
“What?”
“The ticket was not booked under Rebecca’s name.”
She read the passenger name aloud.
May you like
It was my brother’s.
“Nathan Cole.”
