Chapter 4 - The Hospital in the Mountains
The abandoned Vale Children’s Hospital stood behind iron gates in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Rain moved across the empty parking lot.
The building’s windows reflected the gray sky like blind eyes.
Marcus had opened the hospital thirty-two years earlier after his daughter died from a rare heart condition.
Julian’s mother.
Vanessa’s mother.
For years, it provided free cardiac care to children.
Vanessa closed it six months after becoming chief executive.
She claimed the facility lost too much money.
Marcus later discovered the property was transferred to one of her private companies.
Detective Torres arranged for local officers to search the building first.
No intruders were found.
Kiora entered with Marcus, Evelyn, and two investigators.
The lobby smelled of dust and old paint.
Faded paper stars remained on the walls.
Marcus stopped beneath a portrait of his daughter.
“Her name was Eleanor.”
“Julian rarely spoke about her,” Kiora said.
“He remembered very little.”
“He was six when she died.”
“Vanessa was twelve.”
Kiora looked toward the portrait.
Eleanor had Julian’s eyes.
A sign pointed toward the cardiac wing.
The lullaby sequence ended with room numbers.
Three.
One.
Seven.
Room 317 stood at the end of a dark corridor.
Inside was a child-sized bed and a mural of the moon over a lake.
Kiora pressed the music-box key into a small hole beneath the windowsill.
A panel opened.
The compartment behind it was empty.
Someone had reached it first.
Marcus placed his hand inside.
His fingers touched something taped to the upper wall.
He removed a torn envelope.
Julian’s handwriting covered the front.
KIORA.
She opened it.
Only one page remained.
Vanessa has learned about the insurance investigation.
If I cannot return, do not trust the accident report.
The original files are stored beneath the place where my mother’s heart stopped.
Kiora looked toward Marcus.
“Where did Eleanor die?”
He pointed through the wall.
“Operating Room Four.”
The operating room had been sealed after the hospital closed.
Detective Torres forced the lock.
Dust covered the floor.
The surgical table remained beneath plastic.
Marcus crossed toward the old heart monitor.
A small metal plaque carried Eleanor’s name.
Kiora used the music-box key again.
The plaque opened.
Inside was a second silver drive.
Marcus did not touch it.
Detective Torres sealed it in an evidence bag.
Before they could leave, the hallway lights turned on.
The building had no active power.
A voice came through the intercom.
“You always did love dramatic rooms, Grandfather.”
Vanessa.
Marcus looked toward the ceiling.
“She is watching the security feed.”
Vanessa continued.
“Kiora, you should have taken the money.”
“The child would have lived comfortably.”
“You could have disappeared.”
Kiora stepped toward the intercom.
“You attacked me inside a courthouse.”
“You broke into my home.”
“You killed Julian.”
Vanessa laughed softly.
“You still think my brother was innocent.”
A heavy door slammed somewhere below.
Detective Torres checked the radio.
Static answered.
Vanessa’s voice returned.
“Julian was stealing from the company.”
“He planned to destroy everything our grandfather built.”
Marcus looked toward the drive.
“He planned to expose you.”
The fire alarm began sounding.
May you like
Smoke entered beneath the operating-room door.
Vanessa had sealed the building and ignited the lower floor.
