“If I admitted she was lying, then I had to admit my entire life was built on lies.”
Wyatt remained silent, though his hand never left mine.
Detective Beckett opened another folder.
“Federal agents raided Virex Medical’s regional offices this morning.”
“Did they find evidence?” I asked.
“More than expected. Payments to your parents. Surveillance records. Copies of your medical files.”
Melanie looked sick.
“They watched us?”
“For years.”
A federal prosecutor named Rachel Sloan joined us by video.
“Virex believed Harold’s treatment had long-term genetic consequences,” she explained.
“What consequences?”
“We don’t know yet. But they tracked both of you because they suspected the effects could be inherited.”
I looked at Wyatt.
We had talked about children.
A house.
A future.
Now fear entered every dream at once.
“Could my children be harmed?”
“We cannot answer that without testing.”
Melanie whispered, “Do they know where we are?”
Before anyone responded, every light in the hospital went dark.
An alarm began to scream.
Wyatt pulled me behind the bed.
Beckett drew his weapon.
Emergency power flickered on.
A nurse ran past the doorway, shouting that the security system had failed.
Then smoke began pouring from the ventilation vents.
“Move!” Beckett yelled.
We entered the corridor as patients were rushed toward the stairwells.
Through the haze, three men in medical uniforms moved against the flow of traffic.
They were not helping anyone.
They were searching.
One looked directly at me.
“There.”
Wyatt shoved a medication cart into their path.
Beckett fired one warning shot, and the corridor erupted into panic.
Melanie grabbed my hand.
For the first time since childhood, we ran together.
We reached the emergency stairwell, descended three floors, and burst into an underground parking garage.
A black SUV waited near the exit.
The driver lowered the window.
Walter Pike sat behind the wheel.
“Get in!”
Beckett aimed his gun.
“How did you leave your room?”
Walter smiled faintly.
“I have been escaping hospitals longer than you’ve been a detective.”
We climbed inside.
As the SUV sped through the gate, an explosion shook the building behind us.
Melanie stared at Walter.
“Where are you taking us?”
“To the only person Virex cannot intimidate.”
“Who?”
Walter turned onto the highway.
“Your grandfather’s third patient.”
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“You said Melanie and I were the only children.”
“No,” Walter replied.
“I said you were both treated.”
The city disappeared behind us.
Then he spoke the name of the third patient.
“Wyatt Cole.”
—
PART 6
THE FIANCÉ WHO KNEW MORE THAN HE ADMITTED
The silence inside the SUV became unbearable.
I turned toward Wyatt.
He did not look surprised.
That was the moment my heart broke.
“You knew.”
