Chapter 12 - THE ATTORNEY
Warren Bell had represented my family for thirty-one years.
He drafted my parents' wills.
He handled Simon's divorce.
He prepared Perrin's trust.
He stood beside me at Mara's funeral.
When I told him I wanted to marry Rhea, he congratulated me.
Now police believed he had been helping the people who destroyed my family.
His office was found empty.
His computer drives had been removed.
His assistant said he left carrying one briefcase.
Security footage showed a black sedan waiting outside.
The driver was Warren Voss.
Rhea's father.
Two Warrens.
One network.
One escape.
Ortiz believed they were preparing to leave the country.
I believed Mara was still with them.
Then Simon asked to speak to me.
I almost refused.
Ortiz convinced me.
"He may know Bell."
So I went.
Simon was being held on conspiracy and financial charges.
He looked worse than before.
"I heard about Bell."
"How?"
"My lawyer."
I sat across from him.
"Tell me everything."
Simon rubbed his hands together.
"Bell worked with Dad before we were born."
"Doing what?"
"Moving money."
"Who is the Director?"
His expression changed.
"You found Mara's small notebook."
"Answer me."
Simon leaned back.
"I don't know."
"Do not lie."
"I'm not."
"Did Dad know?"
"Yes."
"Did Rhea?"
"Probably."
"Did Bell?"
Simon gave a bitter laugh.
"Bell might be the Director."
Ortiz, watching through the glass, made a note.
"Where would Bell go?"
Simon shook his head.
"He owns properties everywhere."
"What about Voss?"
"I don't know him."
"You helped him falsify Mara's death."
"I transferred money."
"You never met him?"
"Once."
"Where?"
Simon looked at the table.
"A private clinic outside Millhaven."
Ortiz entered immediately.
"Cedar Vale?"
"No."
"Which clinic?"
"St. Orison."
She frowned.
"There is no St. Orison clinic near Millhaven."
"It wasn't called that publicly."
"What was it called?"
Simon thought.
"Northbridge Behavioral Institute."
Ortiz left the room while making calls.
Simon looked at me.
"Caleb."
"What?"
"I saw Mara there."
My blood went cold.
"When?"
"Six months after the crash."
"You saw her?"
"Yes."
"What condition was she in?"
He struggled to answer.
"Drugged."
I stood.
"You left her there."
"I was scared."
"You keep saying that."
"Because it's true."
"My wife spent two years in chains because you were scared."
Simon looked away.
"I tried to help once."
I stopped.
"How?"
"I gave her a phone."
"Was that how she contacted Perrin?"
"No."
"Then what happened?"
"Rhea found it."
His eyes filled.
"She punished Mara."
I could not listen anymore.
I walked toward the door.
Simon spoke quickly.
"There's a tunnel beneath Northbridge."
I turned.
"What?"
"The building used to be a military hospital."
"Bell once said there was an old ambulance tunnel leading to a road behind the property."
Ortiz returned.
"Northbridge closed five years ago."
Simon nodded.
"That's why they used it."
She looked at me.
"We're going."
Two hours later, police surrounded Northbridge Behavioral Institute.
The main building appeared abandoned.
Windows boarded.
Parking lot cracked.
No lights.
But thermal imaging showed heat underground.
Ortiz's team entered through the basement.
They found the tunnel.
They found medical equipment.
They found Rhea's luggage.
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And at the far end of the corridor, behind a locked steel door, they found a woman lying unconscious on a hospital bed.
Mara.
