Chapter 6: The Room Beneath the Hospital
Detective Harris read the message twice.
“Absolutely not,” he said.
Marcus was already reaching for his car keys.
“That's my wife.””
“And whoever sent this knows exactly how to manipulate you.””
“Then we'll find out who sent it.””
Harris blocked the doorway.
“We're going together. With a tactical team.””
Marcus shook his head.
“The message says come alone.””
“That's precisely why you're not going alone.””
Within twenty minutes, several unmarked police vehicles were heading toward the abandoned rehabilitation center.
The building stood beyond the city limits, surrounded by overgrown trees and a rusted iron fence.
It had once been an exclusive medical facility for wealthy patients.
Now its windows were dark, its entrance chained shut.
Marcus recognized the building from the photographs in the detective's folder.
“This is where Elina was transferred?””
Harris nodded.
“According to the records.””
They entered through a broken side door.
The air smelled of damp concrete and old disinfectant.
Their flashlights moved across empty reception desks, overturned chairs, and peeling wallpaper.
Marcus called out.
“Elina!””
His voice echoed down the corridor.
No answer.
They searched the first floor.
Nothing.
Then Marcus noticed something.
A child's drawing had been taped to a wall near the nurses' station.
It showed a little girl in a pink dress standing beside a woman.
Underneath, someone had written:
Mommy and Lily.
Marcus pulled it from the wall.
His eyes filled.
“She's been here.””
Harris examined the paper.
“Recent?””
Marcus touched the drawing.
“The pencil marks aren't faded. It could be days old.””
They followed a trail of footprints toward the basement.
At the bottom of the stairs stood a heavy metal door.
A small keypad was attached beside it.
Marcus examined the panel.
“Do you have a code?””
“No.””
Marcus looked at the brass key in his hand.
There was a tiny number engraved on it.
0712.
He entered the numbers.
The door clicked.
Behind it was a narrow corridor lined with medical rooms.
At the end stood a locked glass chamber.
Inside was a hospital bed.
A woman's scarf lay across the pillow.
Marcus recognized it immediately.
Elina's blue scarf.
He pressed his palm against the glass.
“Elina?””
A sound came from somewhere behind him.
A woman's voice.
“Marcus?””
He turned.
At the far end of the corridor stood a thin woman wearing a gray sweater.
Her hair was shorter than he remembered.
Her face was pale.
There was a faint scar near her temple.
But her eyes were the same.
Elina.
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Marcus took one step.
She stepped backward.
“Don't come closer.””
He stopped.
“Elina…”
She began crying.
“I'm sorry.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You don't have to apologize.””
“I left you alone.””
“You were hurt.””
“I heard about the memorial.””
He covered his mouth.
“I thought you were dead.””
“I know.””
“I thought I had lost you.””
Elina looked at him with an expression that broke his heart.
“You did lose me, Marcus. Just not in the way you think.””
He reached toward her.
This time, she didn't move away.
When he finally held her, she collapsed against his chest.
For a few moments, the entire world disappeared.
There was only the woman he had loved, the smell of her hair, and the sound of her crying.
“I looked for you,” he whispered.
“I know.””
“Why didn't you call?””
“I tried.””
He pulled back.
“What?””
Elina wiped her cheeks.
“Every time I managed to contact someone, Daniel found out. He had people watching the hospital, the house, even Lily's school.””
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“What happened the night you disappeared?””
Elina looked toward the glass chamber.
“Daniel wanted the company. Victoria wanted the money. But I had discovered that they were stealing from the business using fake suppliers.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“I did. You didn't believe me.””
Marcus froze.
“What?””
Elina looked at him.
“I showed you the documents six weeks before I disappeared. You told me Daniel would never betray you.””
Marcus remembered.
He remembered Elina standing in his study with a folder.
He remembered being exhausted after a difficult business meeting.
He remembered saying she was being paranoid.
He had dismissed her.
Elina lowered her eyes.
“Victoria found out I was collecting evidence. She told Daniel. That night, they attacked me.””
Marcus's voice became rough.
“And the pool?””
“They planned to hide me inside the maintenance chamber. Daniel thought I would die there.””
Marcus stepped back.
“But you survived.””
“Someone helped me.””
“Who?””
Before she could answer, Harris approached.
“Mrs. Hale, we need to get you somewhere safe.””
Elina looked at him.
“You're too late.””
The detective frowned.
“What do you mean?””
A loud metallic crash came from the entrance.
The lights flickered.
Then every door in the corridor slammed shut.
Marcus grabbed Elina's hand.
“What is happening?””
Harris drew his weapon.
“Everyone stay back!””
A voice came through the old hospital speaker system.
“Hello, Marcus.””
Marcus went pale.
He knew that voice.
Daniel.
“You always were terrible at following instructions, little brother.””
Marcus shouted toward the ceiling.
“Where are you?””
A soft laugh echoed through the corridor.
“Somewhere you can't reach.””
Elina grabbed Marcus's sleeve.
“Don't answer him.””
Daniel continued.
“I see you've found your wife. How touching.””
Marcus clenched his fists.
“I'm going to make you pay.””
“You should be thanking me. I kept your family together for fourteen months.””
“You imprisoned her!””
“I protected her from the truth.””
Marcus looked at Elina.
“What truth?””
Daniel laughed again.
“Ask her about the baby.””
Elina's face went white.
Marcus slowly turned toward his wife.
“Elina?””
She began shaking her head.
“Marcus, please…”
“What baby?””
Daniel's voice returned.
“Your wife wasn't the only one who disappeared that night.””
The lights went out.
A second later, a door opened somewhere behind them.
Footsteps echoed in the darkness.
Then a woman screamed.
Marcus reached for Elina.
But his hand closed around empty air.
“ELINA!””
Emergency lights flickered on.
She was gone.
Only her blue scarf remained on the floor.
Detective Harris rushed toward the nearest exit.
Marcus dropped to his knees and picked up the scarf.
Something was folded inside it.
A tiny hospital photograph.
Two newborn babies.
May you like
And on the back, written in Elina's handwriting, were four words:
*ONE OF THEM IS YOURS.*
