Chapter 2 - THE WOMAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
Laya locked the operating-room door.
The click was almost inaudible.
In the silence, it sounded like a gunshot.
“Why did you lock it?” Dominic asked.
“Because someone tried to kill him.”
Miriam's face remained unreadable.
“You are making assumptions.”
“I saw the puncture.”
“Could be an old injection site.”
“No.”
Laya pointed toward Gabriel.
“His blood pressure was falling before we started. His symptoms were inconsistent with the wound alone. Someone may have given him something.”
Gabriel opened his eyes.
“She's right.”
Dominic looked at him.
“You know who?”
“No.”
Gabriel's voice was weaker now.
“But I know how they think.”
Laya hated the way he said it.
As if betrayal was not an extraordinary event in his life.
As if it were weather.
Something that happened eventually.
“Then start talking,” she said.
Gabriel looked at her.
“Not while I'm bleeding.”
“Fine. Then while you're alive.”
She turned to Miriam.
“Prepare anesthesia.”
Miriam didn't move.
“Dr. Hastings, you are not in charge here.”
Laya stepped closer.
“I am if you want him breathing when this is over.”
The older doctor's eyes sharpened.
Then, unexpectedly, she nodded.
“All right.”
They worked.
Gabriel was sedated, and the room filled with the quiet machinery of survival. Laya opened the wound carefully, following the path of the bullet.
The damage was worse than the original examination suggested.
A small bowel perforation had leaked.
Not enough to kill him immediately.
Enough to poison him.
“There's the source,” Laya said.
Miriam leaned closer.
“Perforation?”
“Yes.”
“Can you repair it?”
“I can.”
“Then do it.”
Laya worked with deliberate precision.
The procedure was difficult, but manageable.
What bothered her was not the surgery.
It was the needle mark.
She couldn't stop thinking about it.
When the perforation was repaired and the contaminated area cleaned, Gabriel's pressure began to rise.
Slowly.
Twenty minutes later, he was stable.
Not safe.
Stable.
Laya stepped back and exhaled.
She hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath.
Dominic approached.
“Is he going to live?”
“If nobody touches him again.”
Dominic's jaw tightened.
“No one will.”
Laya looked directly at him.
“Someone already did.”
That ended the conversation.
Gabriel was transferred to recovery.
Miriam stayed behind.
Laya removed her gloves.
“You know something.”
Miriam stared at her.
“You're observant.”
“Occupational hazard.”
“You should leave.”
“I was kidnapped.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you telling me to leave?”
Miriam's expression changed.
For the first time, Laya saw fear.
Real fear.
“You think Gabriel is the most dangerous person in this house,” Miriam whispered.
“He is.”
“No.”
Miriam glanced toward the recovery room.
“He is the most visible.”
Laya felt cold.
“What does that mean?”
“It means if Gabriel dies, the person who inherits his empire will be someone you have not met.”
“Who?”
Miriam didn't answer.
A phone vibrated in her pocket.
She looked at the screen.
The color drained from her face.
Laya noticed.
“Who is it?”
Miriam put the phone away.
“No one.”
“That's not how people look at 'no one.'”
Miriam walked toward the door.
Laya caught her arm.
“Tell me.”
The older woman looked down at Laya's hand.
Then back at her.
“You should never have come here.”
“I didn't exactly volunteer.”
“No. But now you know too much.”
Before Laya could respond, the door opened.
Dominic entered.
“Miriam.”
The doctor stepped away.
“What?”
“We found a vehicle at the north gate.”
“Whose?”
“Unknown.”
Dominic looked at Laya.
“Security is sweeping the property.”
Laya folded her arms.
“And?”
“And you're staying here.”
She laughed once.
“You've got to be kidding.”
“No.”
“I just performed emergency abdominal surgery on your boss.”
“You're the only person he trusts.”
“That sounds like his problem.”
Dominic's expression softened by a fraction.
“It becomes yours if the person who attacked him realizes you're the one who saved him.”
Laya wanted to argue.
Then she heard a sound from the recovery room.
Gabriel.
She went inside.
He was awake.
Barely.
His eyes found hers immediately.
“Come here.”
She stopped beside the bed.
“You're supposed to be resting.”
“I have a question.”
“Of course you do.”
“Did Miriam leave?”
Laya nodded.
“Why?”
His gaze moved toward the door.
“She lied to you.”
Laya's stomach tightened.
“About what?”
“She told you the injection was nothing.”
“She didn't.”
“She was going to.”
Laya stared at him.
“Do you trust her?”
Gabriel closed his eyes.
“I trusted her with my life.”
“That wasn't my question.”
He opened them again.
“No.”
The answer was quiet.
Laya sat in the chair beside his bed.
“Then who do you trust?”
Gabriel looked at her.
“You.”
She nearly laughed.
“You kidnapped me.”
“I know.”
“You threatened me.”
“I know.”
“You broke my front door.”
“I'll replace it.”
“You cannot buy your way out of everything.”
“I know.”
That surprised her.
Gabriel looked exhausted.
“That's why you're still here.”
Laya frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“You don't want my money.”
“You offered to erase my debt.”
“Yes.”
“And I haven't said yes.”
“I noticed.”
He reached toward the bedside table and picked up a small black object.
A flash drive.
He held it out.
“This is why they shot me.”
Laya stared at it.
“What's on it?”
“Names.”
“Names of what?”
“Judges. Police commanders. politicians. businessmen. people who believe they own Chicago.”
Laya swallowed.
“And one of those people wants you dead.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I found out who they were planning to replace me with.”
“Who?”
Gabriel's eyes fixed on hers.
“My brother.”
Laya went still.
“Your brother?”
“I don't have one.”
She stared.
“What?”
Gabriel's mouth tightened.
“That's what makes it difficult.”
The door burst open.
Dominic raised his weapon.
A guard stumbled inside.
“Boss.”
Gabriel tried to sit up.
“What's happening?”
The guard was pale.
“The east wing cameras are down.”
Dominic cursed.
Gabriel looked at Laya.
“Take her.”
Dominic nodded.
Laya stood.
“Where?”
“Somewhere safe.”
Gabriel's expression changed.
“No.”
Everyone stopped.
Gabriel looked toward the hallway.
“She's safer with me.”
Dominic hesitated.
Laya stared at him.
“You're barely alive.”
Gabriel's eyes remained cold.
“Then whoever is coming will have to be disappointed twice.”
A gunshot exploded somewhere downstairs.
Then another.
Laya flinched.
Gabriel reached for her hand.
“Stay close.”
She looked at their joined hands.
Then at him.
And realized with sudden terror that the mansion was under attack.
The door opened six inches.
Dominic raised his weapon.
A shadow moved through the gap.
“Stop.”
The voice belonged to Claire.
Gabriel's assistant.
She stumbled inside, breathing hard.
Her blouse was torn at the shoulder.
Blood covered one sleeve.
Gabriel stared.
“Where were you?”
“Running.”
“From whom?”
Claire looked at Laya.
“From everyone.”
Dominic shut the door.
“Explain.”
Claire shook her head.
“I can't.”
Gabriel's voice became colder.
“You can.”
She looked at him.
“Someone inside the house has been selling your movements for months.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“Then why come here?”
“Because they know I know.”
Laya stepped closer.
“Who is they?”
Claire swallowed.
“People above Gabriel.”
The room fell silent.
Laya looked at Gabriel.
“Above you?”
He nodded slowly.
“There are always people above the man at the top.”
Claire reached into her pocket and removed a small memory card.
“I copied this before they found me.”
Gabriel took it.
“What is it?”
“Security footage.”
“Of what?”
“The hospital.”
Laya's pulse quickened.
Claire looked directly at her.
“You.”
Laya froze.
“Me?”
“You were being watched before Gabriel was shot.”
“By who?”
“Dr. Pendleton.”
The name landed like ice.
Laya's mind raced.
“My chief?”
Claire nodded.
“He ordered someone to access your employee file.”
“Why?”
“Because he wanted to know whether you were related to Helena Hastings.”
Laya stared.
“That's my mother.”
“I know.”
Gabriel took one step toward her.
“You never told me your mother's name.”
“I didn't think it mattered.”
“It matters now.”
Claire looked at Gabriel.
“There's more.”
“What?”
“Your father knew Helena.”
Gabriel's expression changed.
“How?”
Claire shook her head.
“I don't know.”
A crash sounded in the hallway.
Claire flinched.
“They found me.”
Dominic looked at Gabriel.
“Boss.”
Gabriel nodded.
“Get her somewhere safe.”
Laya interrupted.
“No.”
Everyone looked at her.
“If Pendleton is involved, hiding Claire won't solve anything.”
Gabriel studied her.
“What do you suggest?”
“We go to the hospital.”
Dominic stared.
“That's exactly where they expect us.”
“Yes.”
Laya looked at Gabriel.
“Which means they'll underestimate us.”
Gabriel smiled slowly.
“You're learning.”
“Don't sound proud.”
“I am.”
She shook her head.
Then the house alarm began screaming.
A voice came over the intercom.
“Gabriel Mercer.”
Pendleton.
Laya recognized it instantly.
“Bring me the doctor.”
Gabriel's face hardened.
Pendleton continued.
“And bring the memory card.”
Claire whispered, “He knows.”
Laya looked at the locked door.
“How?”
Gabriel answered.
“Because someone in this room told him.”
Everyone turned.
The accusation hung in the air.
Then the lights went out.
Gunfire erupted downstairs.
And Laya realized the enemy wasn't coming from outside.
They were already inside.
Laya heard another burst of gunfire.
Claire crouched beside the wall.
“Who is loyal?” Laya asked.
Claire shook her head.
“I don't know anymore.”
“Then tell me who isn't.”
Claire looked toward Gabriel.
“Your cousin.”
Gabriel's eyes narrowed.
“Which one?”
“Daniel.”
Dominic swore.
“He disappeared last month.”
“Exactly,” Claire said.
Gabriel slowly reached for the phone.
“Find Daniel.”
Dominic nodded.
“And if he's inside?”
Gabriel looked at Laya.
“Then we finally know where the leak began.”
Laya checked the hallway through the narrow glass panel.
A shadow crossed it.
She stepped back.
“Someone's coming.”
Gabriel moved in front of her.
The handle turned.
Once.
Twice.
Then stopped.
A voice whispered from the other side.
“Doctor Hastings.”
Laya recognized it.
Pendleton.
“Open the door,” he said.
She looked at Gabriel.
He shook his head.
Pendleton laughed softly.
“You should listen, Doctor.”
Laya answered, “I have been listening all night.”
“Then you know the truth.”
“No.”
She tightened her grip on the medical bag.
“I know you're afraid.”
Silence.
May you like
Then Pendleton said:
“You have no idea how afraid you should be.”
