Chapter 3 - Someone Kidnapped Callum’s Father From a Guarded Hospital—and Audrey Was the Only Person Who Knew WhyThe hospital went into lockdown.
Every elevator froze.
Every entrance was sealed.
Callum's men searched the building while police flooded the lobby.
But Patrick was gone.
No blood trail.
No camera footage.
No obvious exit.
It should have been impossible.
Audrey knew better.
“This wasn't a kidnapping.”
Callum looked at her.
“What?”
“Your father's room wasn't attacked.”
“What do you mean?”
“The nurse wasn't killed.”
“She was unconscious.”
“Yes.”
Audrey crouched near the bed.
“She was sedated.”
Callum frowned.
“You're saying someone here helped them.”
“Yes.”
“How many people knew his schedule?”
“Medical staff. Security. Family.”
His expression hardened.
“Malcolm.”
“Maybe.”
“You still sound unsure.”
“Because your father may have left voluntarily.”
Callum stared.
“He was attached to a cardiac monitor.”
“Which was disconnected properly.”
“You think he walked out?”
“No.”
She pointed beneath the bed.
“Look.”
A hospital transport chair.
Hidden.
Callum stared.
“Someone transferred him through the service corridor.”
“Why?”
“Because he didn't want to be found.”
That changed everything.
“Why would my father disappear?”
Audrey looked toward the note.
“Because he knew something was coming.”
They found the hidden corridor.
It ended at an underground loading dock.
A black van was gone.
But someone had left a medical bracelet behind.
Patrick's.
The last thing it contained was a blood sample label.
Callum looked at it.
“What is this?”
Audrey read.
“Genetic testing.”
He stared.
“For what?”
She frowned.
“Your father had a DNA test recently.”
“Why?”
Audrey looked at him.
“To identify the other daughter.”
Silence.
They searched the hospital records.
Someone had requested a paternity test six weeks earlier.
The name on the request:
Patrick Ror.
The subject:
Female, age approximately 23.
No name.
Callum's face went hard.
“Find her.”
Three hours later, they were in an old neighborhood on the South Side.
The address came from a payment made by Patrick's private foundation.
Audrey stood beside Callum outside a small brick house.
“You stay behind me.”
She rolled her eyes.
“You're not my father.”
“No.”
“And I'm not six.”
“I know.”
“Then don't order me around.”
His lips twitched.
“You really enjoy doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“Arguing with me.”
“Only when you're wrong.”
He looked at the door.
“This is getting dangerous.”
“It always is around you.”
“That's fair.”
They knocked.
An elderly woman answered.
She looked at Audrey.
Then at Callum.
Her face changed.
“Oh.”
Callum stepped forward.
“We're looking for someone.”
The woman shook her head.
“She isn't here.”
“Who?”
The woman closed the door.
Audrey stopped it.
“Mrs. Rivera.”
The woman looked at her.
“We know about Clara.”
Silence.
Callum's heart slammed.
“Who is Clara?”
The woman looked at Audrey.
“You don't know?”
“No.”
She slowly opened the door.
“Your father called her Clara.”
Callum stared.
“My father knew her?”
“He paid her rent.”
“Why?”
“Because he couldn't let anyone know she was his daughter.”
Callum's jaw tightened.
“Where is she?”
The woman pointed upstairs.
A young woman stood there.
Twenty-three.
Dark hair.
Brown eyes.
And a face that looked disturbingly familiar.
Callum froze.
She looked at him.
Then at Audrey.
“You finally came.”
He whispered,
“Who are you?”
The woman said,
“My name is Clara Ror.”
Callum felt as if the floor had disappeared.
Clara explained that Patrick had found her six weeks earlier.
Her mother had told her the truth before she died.
Patrick was her father.
Clara had never wanted the money.
She wanted answers.
Patrick had secretly been trying to protect her.
But someone discovered the DNA test.
Malcolm.
“He knows?”
Clara nodded.
“He came two weeks ago.”
“What did he want?”
“The trust.”
Callum stared.
“What did he say?”
“He said Dad's will wasn't what everyone thought.”
“What will?”
Clara handed him a document.
Patrick's signature.
The inheritance had been divided.
Callum received control of the legitimate family companies.
Clara received the voting trust.
Whoever controlled her could control everything.
Callum looked at Audrey.
“And you knew.”
“I suspected.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't know where she was.”
Clara stepped forward.
“You weren't supposed to find me.”
“Why?”
“Because Malcolm was watching.”
A car screeched outside.
Audrey looked through the window.
Black SUV.
She grabbed Clara.
“Down!”
The window shattered.
Callum pulled his gun.
The attackers fired.
Audrey dragged Clara behind the staircase.
Callum returned fire.
After several seconds, the SUV sped away.
Silence.
Clara trembled.
Callum crouched.
“Are you hurt?”
She shook her head.
Audrey checked her.
“She's fine.”
Callum looked at Audrey.
“You saved her.”
“Yes.”
“You saved me too.”
“Occupational hazard.”
He smiled.
“You're impossible.”
She smiled back.
Then a phone rang.
Clara's.
She answered.
A distorted voice said:
“Bring Audrey.”
Clara froze.
Callum took the phone.
“Who is this?”
The voice laughed.
“You already know.”
Then the line ended.
Callum looked at Audrey.
She had gone pale.
“Who?”
“My mother.”
“Your mother is dead.”
Audrey shook her head.
“No.”
She swallowed.
“My mother isn't dead.”
Callum stared.
“What?”
“She died officially.”
“That isn't the same thing.”
“No.”
Audrey looked toward Clara.
“She's the person who taught me never to trust official records.”
Callum realized there were more secrets.
Much more.
They returned to a safehouse.
Audrey finally told Callum the truth.
Her mother had faked her death.
She had gone underground after discovering the network.
She'd spent years collecting evidence.
And she had one final piece.
“The master ledger.”
Callum frowned.
“You mean the financial records?”
“No.”
“What then?”
“The names.”
“Whose names?”
“Everyone.”
Politicians.
Judges.
Police.
Business owners.
People who had spent years protected by the Ror organization.
Callum stared.
“Where is it?”
Audrey looked at him.
“My mother has it.”
“Then find her.”
“I've been trying.”
“Why hasn't she contacted you?”
“She did.”
“When?”
“Three days ago.”
Callum's expression sharpened.
“What did she say?”
Audrey took out her phone.
A voicemail.
Her mother's voice.
“Audrey, if you're hearing this, I found the person who betrayed Patrick.”
A pause.
“It's someone inside the family.”
Then:
“Trust the man who refuses to trust himself.”
The message ended.
Callum stared.
“Who is that?”
Audrey looked at him.
“I don't know.”
He frowned.
“I think she meant you.”
Silence.
“Me?”
“You don't trust yourself.”
“That sounds insulting.”
“It wasn't.”
She looked away.
“You keep questioning whether you're becoming your father.”
Callum went still.
“How do you know?”
“Because I've seen the way you look at Patrick.”
He lowered his eyes.
“I don't want to become him.”
“I know.”
“And you're not afraid of me.”
“I am.”
He looked up.
“Then why stay?”
She met his eyes.
“Because you're trying not to become him.”
For several seconds, neither moved.
Then Callum reached for her hand.
She let him.
It was the first time he'd touched her without urgency.
Without power.
Without fear.
Just a hand.
Then the safehouse lights went out.
Gunfire exploded downstairs.
Callum moved immediately.
“Behind me.”
Audrey grabbed Clara.
The attack lasted less than a minute.
When the lights returned, one guard was injured.
The attacker was gone.
But a message had been left on the wall.
THE LEDGER IS IN ROOM 17.
Audrey stared.
She knew the room.
Callum saw it.
“What?”
“That's where my mother worked.”
“At the hospital?”
“Yes.”
“And what was Room 17?”
“Medical records.”
Callum frowned.
“Why would the master ledger be there?”
Audrey looked at Clara.
“Because nobody searches medical records for financial secrets.”
May you like
The answer was obvious.
They had to go back.
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