Chapter 14 - The Abandoned Hospital
The old hospital had been closed for eleven years.
Broken windows faced the Hudson like blind eyes.
Dominic, Vincent, and four trusted men entered through the emergency wing.
Hannah stayed in the SUV for exactly forty seconds.
Then she got out.
Vincent saw her in the rear camera and cursed into his headset.
"I told you she'd follow."
Dominic did not turn around. "Stay between us."
"That's the nicest kidnapping instruction you've given me all week."
Despite everything, Vincent almost laughed.
The tracker led to the pediatric floor.
They found Grace's stuffed rabbit in a hallway.
No Grace.
Then an old intercom crackled.
A man's voice filled the building.
"Hannah Mercer. Come to Operating Room Three alone."
Dominic lifted his weapon.
"No."
The speaker continued.
"Bring Dominic Vale and the child dies."
Hannah looked at him.
"I'm going."
"Absolutely not."
"He wants me alive."
"You don't know that."
"He had twenty-six years to kill me. He didn't."
Dominic's jaw flexed.
"I hate your logic."
"Good. Then it's probably sound."
Hannah walked down the dark corridor alone.
Operating Room Three smelled of rust and bleach.
Dr. Andrew Marlow waited beside an empty surgical table.
He was seventy now, thin and shaking, but his eyes were sharp.
"You look exactly like her," he said.
"Where is Grace?"
"Safe. For now."
"Where is Sofia?"
Marlow smiled.
"Also safe. Depending on your definition."
Hannah fought the urge to lunge at him.
"Why did you take her from my mother?"
"Money. Then fear. Then more money. People like Sebastian think sins disappear if the checks are large enough."
"And my mother?"
Marlow looked away.
"She was not supposed to die."
Hannah's knees almost failed.
"What did you do?"
"The delivery was complicated. She hemorrhaged. We could have transferred her sooner. Sebastian did not want attention until the infant exchange was complete. We waited. Too long."
Hannah's eyes burned.
"You killed her."
"Negligence killed her. Greed helped."
A child's cry came through a side door.
"Grace!"
Hannah rushed toward it.
Marlow blocked her.
"First, you help me get out of the country. Dominic has resources. You will persuade him."
Hannah stared at him.
"You kidnapped a two-year-old to negotiate a plane ticket?"
"I kidnapped leverage."
The door behind him opened.
A woman in a hospital gown stood there, pale and unsteady.
Dark hair fell around a face identical to Hannah's.
Hannah stopped breathing.
The woman looked at her.
May you like
Then whispered one word.
"Sister?"
