Chapter 7 - The Woman in the Dark Room
Emily grabbed the nurse's phone.
"No."
The word came out as a whisper.
On the screen, a woman in a white coat walked into the room where Laura was being held.
Her face was partly hidden by the poor lighting, but Emily knew her posture.
Her movements.
The silver bracelet around her wrist.
"That's my doctor."
Thomas leaned closer.
"Who?"
"Dr. Helen Ward. She has handled my pregnancy since the beginning."
Daniel looked away.
That was enough.
Thomas saw it.
"You know her."
Daniel remained silent.
Emily's confusion turned into horror.
Dr. Ward approached Laura and removed the tape from her mouth.
Laura gasped for air.
The video had no sound, but her lips moved urgently.
She appeared to be warning someone.
Then Dr. Ward faced the camera.
She held up a handwritten sign.
BRING EMILY ALONE.
The bus erupted with shocked voices.
Thomas immediately shook his head.
"No."
Emily kept staring at the screen.
The sign lowered.
Dr. Ward placed one hand over Laura's shoulder.
In the other hand, she held a medical syringe.
The countdown showed 5:42.
Daniel finally spoke.
"If she doesn't go, Laura dies."
The police officer pushed him toward the door.
"You don't decide anything."
Daniel looked back at Emily.
"You have five minutes."
Thomas grabbed Daniel's collar.
"What do they want from her?"
Daniel smiled.
"Ask her father."
Emily shouted.
"My father is dead!"
Daniel's smile widened.
"Are you sure?"
The question froze her.
Thomas's grip loosened.
For the first time, he appeared uncertain.
Emily noticed.
"You told me he died."
Thomas looked toward the floor.
"I told you what I was ordered to believe."
The countdown continued.
4:58.
4:57.
4:56.
Outside, more police vehicles arrived.
The driver opened the doors fully.
Paramedics rushed inside.
Emily ignored them.
She faced Thomas.
"What are you hiding?"
Thomas closed his eyes for a moment.
"When your father's investigation collapsed, his body was identified after a warehouse fire."
"Was it really him?"
"We never confirmed it through DNA."
Emily felt the world tilt around her.
Daniel laughed quietly.
"He always was a difficult man to kill."
Thomas turned on him.
"Where is he?"
Daniel said nothing.
The live video suddenly changed.
Dr. Ward moved the camera closer to Laura.
Behind the chair, someone opened the steel door.
A tall figure stepped into the room.
Only his silhouette was visible.
Emily stared at the screen.
The man wore an old silver watch.
The same watch her father had worn every day of her childhood.
Then he stepped beneath the hanging light.
Emily dropped the phone.
The screen struck the bus floor but continued playing.
May you like
Her father looked directly into the camera.
And raised one finger to his lips.
