Chapter 11 - THE DOCTOR WHO LIED
Dr. Harris had vanished.
His house was empty.
His office was empty.
His car was gone.
But Ethan found something inside the doctor's safe.
A photograph.
Dr. Harris.
Caleb Rourke.
And a third man.
Ethan recognized him immediately.
The scarred man from the train station.
Sheriff Cole stared at the picture.
“They were working together.”
Mara shook her head.
“No.”
Ethan looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because the scarred man tried to kill Dr. Harris.”
Cole frowned.
Mara pointed at the photograph.
“Look at his hand.”
The man was wearing a ring.
A silver ring with a black stone.
Mara recognized it.
“I saw that ring at the diner.”
“On whom?”
She looked at Ethan.
“Your security chief.”
Ethan went silent.
His security chief, Marcus Vale, had worked for him for seven years.
He had been in charge of the hospital security team.
He had been at the ranch the night the babies disappeared.
He had been one of the first people to arrive at the barn.
Ethan called him.
No answer.
He called again.
The line was disconnected.
Sheriff Cole immediately issued an alert.
Then Ethan received a video.
The footage showed Dr. Harris tied to a chair.
A man stood behind him.
Marcus Vale.
Dr. Harris was bleeding.
Marcus looked into the camera.
“You have one hour.”
Ethan watched in silence.
Marcus continued:
“Bring the Whitmore trust documents.”
Mara looked at him.
“What documents?”
Ethan's expression changed.
“The ones in the hidden room.”
“They burned.”
“Not all of them.”
Ethan had remembered something.
Before the fire, he had seen a metal case beneath the floor.
He had not opened it.
Now he realized it might contain exactly what Marcus wanted.
Sheriff Cole shook his head.
“You're not going.”
Ethan looked at him.
“Dr. Harris is alive.”
“He may be involved.”
“He may also be the only person who knows how to save my children.”
Mara stepped forward.
“I'm coming.”
Ethan looked at her.
“No.”
“You need me.”
“I don't.”
“You do.”
She pointed at the photograph.
“I know the ring. I know the man. And I know where he took your doctor.”
Ethan stared.
“Where?”
“The old cannery.”
The abandoned cannery stood beside the river.
Ethan, Mara, and Sheriff Cole arrived at midnight.
The building was dark.
They entered through a broken side door.
A voice echoed through the room.
“Ethan Whitmore.”
Marcus appeared on the upper platform.
Dr. Harris was tied behind him.
Ethan held the metal case.
“Let him go.”
Marcus smiled.
“Open the case.”
Ethan did.
Inside were files.
Bank accounts.
Names.
Photographs.
Marcus stared.
“Give them to me.”
“No.”
Marcus raised a gun.
Mara suddenly whispered:
“Look behind him.”
Ethan saw a second figure.
Caleb.
He was holding a weapon.
Marcus turned.
Caleb fired.
The bullet struck Marcus's shoulder.
Chaos erupted.
Sheriff Cole fired toward the ceiling.
Dr. Harris fell sideways.
Mara ran toward him.
Ethan tackled Marcus.
They crashed into the railing.
Marcus struck Ethan in the face.
Ethan hit him back.
Then Marcus whispered:
“You don't know what your wife did.”
Ethan froze.
“What?”
“She wasn't innocent.”
Marcus smiled.
“Ask her about the twins.”
Ethan's expression changed.
“What twins?”
Marcus laughed.
Then Caleb pulled Ethan away.
“Move!”
The cannery exploded behind them.
They escaped through the river tunnel.
Outside, Dr. Harris collapsed.
Ethan knelt beside him.
“Tell me the truth.”
The doctor looked at him.
“About Caroline?”
“Yes.”
Dr. Harris's eyes filled with tears.
“Your wife was pregnant when she died.”
Ethan froze.
“What?”
“With another child.”
Mara stared.
May you like
Dr. Harris whispered:
“Your triplets were not the only babies she was carrying.”
