Chapter 9 - The Nurse Who Wasn't a Nurse
Elaine Mercer had never held a nursing license.
Detective Park confirmed it before sunrise.
She had worked as a mobile notary in New Jersey, lost her commission after a fraud complaint, and later started advertising herself online as a private postpartum consultant.
Gavin had found her six months earlier.
"Six months," Sienna repeated. "Before I found the Northline payments."
Park nodded. "Which suggests the financial plan started before the abuse escalated."
Nico stood near the hospital window, watching dawn turn the city gray.
"Where is Mercer now?"
"We don't know. Her apartment is empty."
"Convenient."
"She left behind something useful."
A printed calendar showed Sienna's induction date highlighted in yellow.
"They were going to drug me after delivery."
"That is one possibility."
"And take Mila."
"Yes."
"We cracked the Northline structure."
"Tell me."
"Money moved from Ferrante Group to Northline, then into four shell companies. One belongs to Raymond Cole. Another is tied to Marjorie through a trust."
"And Gavin?"
"Nothing directly in his name."
"How much total?"
"Four point three million confirmed. We think there may be another two million through false equipment leases."
"He was stealing from my father while asking me to help him control the trust."
Nico's voice was flat. "He wasn't asking."
"We found Elaine Mercer."
"Where?"
"Airport hotel near Newark. She was booked on a flight to Montreal."
"Canada."
"Yes."
"Is she talking?"
"Not yet."
Mila was sitting at the table eating dry cereal from a paper cup.
"The lady with the red nails?"
Park crouched. "What lady?"
"Daddy's friend. She came to our house when Mommy was sleeping."
"Elaine had red nails in every photo on her website."
Park asked Mila, "What did the lady do?"
"She put stickers on papers. Daddy said Mommy would sign when she was sleepy."
"Anything else?"
"She had the baby bracelet."
Sienna frowned. "What baby bracelet?"
"The hospital one. Pink. With Mommy's name."
Hospital identity bands were created after admission.
Or someone had already prepared hospital credentials in Sienna's name.
"Nobody uses this room's normal admission file from this point forward."
"You think someone inside the hospital is helping them?"
Before Park could answer, the room phone rang.
A nurse picked up, listened, and frowned.
"Mrs. Cole, maternity admissions says your husband just arrived downstairs with legal paperwork demanding access to you."
Sienna looked toward the locked door.
"What paperwork?"
May you like
The nurse swallowed.
"A court order claiming you're mentally incompetent."
