Chapter 16 - The Man Still Outside
The baby blanket proved something important.
The conspiracy was still active.
Isabella was being monitored.
Caleb was in custody.
Grant had been arrested.
Owen was cooperating.
Julian Mercer publicly denied everything.
Yet someone had entered the Thorne home and sent Khloe a threat.
David focused on the remaining members of Caleb’s consulting firm.
One name appeared repeatedly.
Nolan Price.
Former military intelligence analyst.
No criminal record.
No public association with Mercer.
But several private payments connected him to Halcyon Capital.
Police traced a vehicle used near the Thorne residence.
Nolan had rented it.
His apartment was empty.
His phones were disconnected.
Then Owen identified him from a photograph.
“Nolan handled contingency work.”
Detective Mills asked, “What does that mean?”
“Things no one wanted connected to them.”
“Violence?”
Owen hesitated.
“Sometimes.”
Khloe was moved to a different section of the hospital.
Her name disappeared from internal patient directories.
Marcus increased protection but kept his promise to let her approve every major decision.
Three days passed.
No threat.
No package.
No sighting of Nolan.
Then Dr. Reed entered Khloe’s room early one morning.
“You’re at thirty-two weeks.”
Khloe smiled.
“That sounds better than thirty-one.”
“It is.”
“How is she?”
“Stable.”
Marcus looked up from his laptop.
“She?”
Dr. Reed smiled.
“So you found out.”
Khloe nodded.
Dr. Reed examined the monitor.
“If things remain stable, we continue.”
“For another week?”
“Maybe longer.”
Khloe exhaled.
Then the lights went out.
The room fell dark.
Emergency lights activated immediately.
Marcus stood.
David’s voice came through the hallway.
“Stay inside.”
Khloe’s heart began racing.
The monitor continued on battery power.
Marcus moved toward the door.
Khloe grabbed his sleeve.
“Don’t leave.”
He stopped.
“Okay.”
An announcement came over the intercom.
“Temporary power interruption.”
Samuel called Marcus.
“The generator is active.”
“What caused it?”
“Unknown.”
Security checked electrical rooms.
Nothing appeared damaged.
Then a nurse entered.
“There’s been a computer failure in pharmacy.”
Samuel’s voice came through Marcus’s phone.
“Do not accept medication unless Dr. Reed personally approves it.”
Khloe stared at him.
“Why?”
Samuel answered.
“Because your chart was accessed thirty seconds before the power interruption.”
The room became completely silent.
“By whom?”
Marcus asked.
“We’re checking.”
Five minutes later, security footage revealed a man wearing maintenance clothing entering a restricted stairwell.
David froze the image.
Nolan Price.
He was inside the hospital.
Marcus looked toward Khloe.
“Lock this room.”
David nodded.
Police moved floor by floor.
Nolan had vanished from the camera network.
Then a nurse screamed in the corridor.
Marcus stepped in front of Khloe’s bed.
David drew his weapon but kept it pointed toward the floor.
The door handle moved.
Once.
Twice.
Then stopped.
A voice came from outside.
“Mr. Thorne?”
Marcus recognized Detective Mills.
David opened the door carefully.
Mills entered.
“We found the maintenance uniform.”
“Where is Nolan?”
“We don’t know.”
Khloe felt fear spreading through her body.
Then the fetal monitor changed.
Dr. Reed turned immediately.
“Khloe.”
Another contraction hit.
Stronger than the previous ones.
Khloe gasped.
Marcus reached her side.
Dr. Reed checked the monitor.
May you like
Her expression became serious.
“We may not be waiting anymore.”
