Chapter 3
Ryan wanted the phone.
That made the phone valuable.
So I gave it to Nathan.
Ryan laughed.
“You trust him?”
“I trust him more than you.”
Claire scoffed.
“That isn't saying much.”
I looked at Nathan.
“Tell me about the sedation.”
His face tightened.
Ryan stepped forward.
“Don't.”
Nathan looked at him.
Then me.
“Your husband asked me to increase it on day five.”
“Why?”
Ryan answered.
“You were restless.”
Nathan shook his head.
“No.”
Ryan's jaw tightened.
Nathan continued.
“She squeezed my hand that morning.”
Claire went still.
Ryan turned.
“What?”
“I told you she might be emerging.”
I stared at Ryan.
Nathan continued.
“You said if she woke confused, she could damage the organization.”
Ryan laughed.
“She could.”
I almost admired him.
No shame.
Nathan looked at me.
“He wanted another forty-eight hours.”
“For what?”
Silence.
Ryan said:
“Recovery.”
Nathan looked at him.
“No.”
Claire snapped:
“Enough.”
Nathan kept going.
“He said the command council needed time.”
There.
Command.
Again.
I looked at Ryan.
“What council?”
He folded his arms.
“The one you forced us to call.”
“How?”
“By nearly dying.”
Claire smiled cruelly.
“Very inconsiderate of you.”
Ethan looked up at her.
She noticed.
“What?”
His little face tightened.
Claire smiled.
“Don't look at me like that.”
I stepped between them.
“Stop.”
Claire rolled her eyes.
“You really did raise him soft.”
I felt my jaw tighten.
She continued.
“One scary hospital room and he clings to Mommy like the world is ending.”
Ryan laughed.
“Runs in the family.”
I stared at my husband.
He looked toward the bed.
“You lay there for twelve days.”
His voice became contemptuous.
“Do you know what it feels like carrying everything while your wife sleeps?”
I almost laughed.
“You cut my brakes.”
His face hardened.
“Allegedly.”
Ethan flinched.
I noticed.
Ryan didn't.
Nathan continued.
“On day seven, Claire brought me a new medication schedule.”
My attention sharpened.
“Who approved it?”
“No one.”
Claire smiled.
“You're a doctor. Use your imagination.”
Nathan ignored her.
“It would've kept Emily heavily sedated for another week.”
I looked at Claire.
“Why?”
She shrugged.
“Rest is important.”
“Try again.”
Her smile sharpened.
“Because nobody needed you waking in the middle of a transition.”
Transition.
Not emergency.
Not recovery.
Transition.
I looked at Ryan.
“How many people attended the council?”
“Enough.”
“Names.”
“No.”
I glanced at Nathan.
He answered.
“Eight senior capos.”
Ryan snapped:
“You weren't in the room.”
“No.”
Nathan's voice stayed calm.
“I treated two of them afterward because you kept them here all night.”
Interesting.
“Why all night?”
Ryan smiled.
“You ask too many questions.”
I looked at Ethan's phone.
“No.”
I pressed file number six.
Ryan's voice filled the suite.
Recorded two nights earlier.
“Midnight tomorrow. Once the signet is transferred, it doesn't matter if she wakes.”
Claire:
“And if she does?”
Ryan laughed.
“Then she wakes married to the man who replaced her.”
Silence.
Present-day Ryan stopped smiling.
The recording continued.
Claire:
“What about Ethan?”
Ryan:
“He'll adjust.”
Claire laughed.
“He cries when she's asleep for an hour.”
Ryan:
“Then let him cry.”
My son's hand tightened around mine.
Claire's recorded voice:
“Eventually children learn nobody comes.”
I stopped the recording.
Present-day Claire stared at the floor.
I looked at my sister.
“You said that about my son.”
She raised her chin.
“He needed to stop disrupting meetings.”
“He was asking for me.”
“You were unconscious.”
“So?”
Claire smiled coldly.
“Exactly.”
My hands curled.
Nathan spoke quietly.
“They restricted Ethan's visits.”
I turned.
“What?”
Ryan looked away.
Nathan continued.
“He was allowed ten minutes each evening.”
I stared at my husband.
“Why?”
Ryan said:
“He kept upsetting himself.”
Nathan shook his head.
“He kept asking questions.”
Claire snapped:
“Same thing.”
I looked down at Ethan.
“Did Daddy stop you seeing me?”
He nodded.
My chest tightened.
Ryan sighed.
“Here we go.”
His voice turned mocking.
“Poor Ethan.”
He looked at our son.
“Did Daddy make you sad?”
Ethan lowered his eyes.
Ryan smiled.
“You've had twelve days to practice that face.”
I stepped forward.
Ryan's smile weakened.
“Say one more thing to him.”
He stared.
I didn't need to finish.
He understood.
Then Nathan said:
“Emily…”
I turned.
“There was one night they didn't let Ethan in at all.”
“When?”
“Day eight.”
“Why?”
Nathan looked at Ryan.
Then Claire.
“Because Gavin Rourke was here.”
The name from the recording.
The man Claire said had done exactly what Ryan told him.
I looked at my husband.
“Who is Gavin?”
Ryan said nothing.
Nathan answered.
“Your security chief.”
I knew Gavin.
Six years.
Trusted enough to inspect my vehicles.
My blood went cold.
Nathan continued.
“He came into this room at 1:17 a.m.”
“Why?”
Nathan looked at the floor.
“I don't know.”
Then Ethan whispered:
“I do.”
Every adult turned toward him.
May you like
He held my hand tighter.
“He took Mommy's car key from Daddy.”
