Chapter 7 - NORTHSTAR
Northstar Rehabilitation sat empty behind pine trees outside White Plains.
The place smelled like bleach and abandonment.
Beds stripped.
Cabinets empty.
Records burned in metal trash cans.
Room 12 still had restraints attached to the bed.
C.M.C.
Below it:
13 MONTHS IS NOT DEAD.
His knees nearly gave out.
She had been here.
Alive.
Ortiz found old blood in the bathroom. Forensics could test it.
A maintenance log said Patient 12 had been transferred six months earlier.
Destination listed only as RIVER.
Black Ledger under the old river plant.
Carter Meridian owned three abandoned manufacturing sites along the Hudson.
One had been closed after a chemical fire twenty years earlier.
Henry used it as a private storage site.
"Lock down River Plant Four."
The guard hesitated.
"Sir, we don't have control of that site."
"What?"
"Corporate facilities transferred it last year."
"To who?"
The answer came back.
Carter Continuity Trust.
Trustee: Vanessa Carter.
"She's going there."
"Maybe."
Daniel's phone rang.
Vanessa.
"Where are you?"
Her voice shook.
"I didn't hurt Claire."
"You held a cane over my children."
"I know."
"You helped fake my sister's life."
"I know."
"Where is she?"
A long silence.
"River Plant Four."
"Alive?"
"When I last saw her."
"When?"
"Three weeks ago."
"Three weeks?"
"Henry moved her."
"My father."
"Yes."
"Why are you telling me now?"
"Because he took Noah."
The command vehicle door stood open.
Mara's face went white.
Lily was with a female officer.
Noah was gone.
Vanessa whispered, "Henry said Claire for Noah."
Daniel's vision narrowed.
"Where?"
"River Plant Four."
Then Vanessa said, "Daniel, listen to me. He doesn't want Claire."
"What does he want?"
"The Black Ledger."
A gunshot cracked through Vanessa's end of the call.
May you like
She gasped.
The line went dead.
