Chapter 5
Then I said, “Why do you need the address?”
“To make sure no one else knows where she went.”
“No one else?”
“The back gate was opened from inside. One camera went dark for six minutes. That was not an accident.”
My hands tightened on the steering wheel.
“Who had access?”
“Security, household staff, you, me.”
“Beatrice?”
“No.”
Beatrice leaned forward slightly.
Lorenzo continued.
“You need to come back.”
“Not yet.”
“Adrian.”
He almost never used my first name when we were discussing business.
I glanced at Patrick in the mirror.
“You asked about records from Saint Matthew’s,” I said.
The line went silent.
Not disconnected.
Silent.
Beatrice looked at Patrick.
Patrick closed his eyes.
When Lorenzo spoke again, his voice had lost its formal edge.
“Who told you that?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters very much.”
“Why were you asking?”
“Because someone requested the files before I did.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“And you thought searching quietly would protect me?”
“Yes.”
“From what?”
Another pause.
Then Lorenzo said, “From discovering something before I knew whether it was real.”
The answer was almost too honest.
“Come to the house,” he continued. “I’ll explain everything.”
“No.”
“Then tell me where you are.”
“No.”
“Adrian, listen to me. If Beatrice led you to the man I think she did, you are in more danger than you understand.”
I looked again at Patrick.
His eyes were open now.
Fixed on the phone.
“What man?” I asked.
Lorenzo breathed out slowly.
“Patrick.”
Beatrice covered her mouth.
Patrick looked away.
Hearing his name from Lorenzo changed the air inside the car.
“You knew,” I said.
“I knew he survived the hospital.”
“Did you know he was alive tonight?”
“No.”
“Did you look for him?”
“Yes.”
May you like
“To help him?”
Lorenzo did not answer quickly enough.
