Chapter 5 - The Hidden Facility Held More Than Twelve Children, and My Men Found Evidence That Portland’s Wealthiest Families Had Been Paying for the ProgramWe rescued everyone.
Medical teams arrived.
Lawyers.
Federal agents.
Child protection officers.
The facility became a crime scene.
The files were enormous.
Payments from wealthy families.
Politicians.
Doctors.
Corporate executives.
People who publicly funded children's charities.
Privately, they paid Haven.
Why?
Control.
Influence.
Illicit research.
Some wanted children removed from inconvenient families.
Others wanted records erased.
Some paid to hide abuse.
Others paid for access to people the system couldn't protect.
The network was broader than Portland.
New York.
Chicago.
Seattle.
Boston.
The black triangle appeared everywhere.
Victor wasn't the leader.
He was a regional director.
The name at the top was:
Charles Rowan.
A billionaire philanthropist.
Founder of the Haven Foundation.
I knew him.
Everyone did.
He had donated millions to children's hospitals.
Appeared on charity gala covers.
He was considered one of the most generous men in America.
Now we knew the truth.
He had built a private network beneath the charity.
I called him.
He answered.
“Mr. Moretti.”
“Charles.”
Silence.
“You've been busy.”
“So have you.”
He laughed.
“I was wondering when someone would finally notice.”
“Where are you?”
“Home.”
“Don't move.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm coming.”
His voice became colder.
“You're making a mistake.”
“I've made many.”
“And?”
“I've learned.”
The call ended.
Then Eli came to me.
“Mr. Moretti?”
“Yes?”
“Can I stay with you?”
I looked at him.
“Of course.”
“Forever?”
I smiled faintly.
“We'll figure it out.”
He hugged me.
May you like
It was the first time anyone in years had touched me without fear.
I didn't know how much it would change me.
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