Elena’s eyes filled
of tears.
“His wife gave it to me.
“Impossible.
Three weeks before he died.
I stared at her.
Genevieve had died instantly in a road collision.
At least that was what I was told.
Then Elena pulled out a dubbed medical report.
“I didn’t come because I need a job, Mr. Mercer.
He put it on my desk.
“I came because Genevieve made me promise that if something ever happened to him, he would find his children.
I looked at the document.
On top were the names of Jonah and Blythe.
The date was seven years ago.
A year before they were born.
I slowly looked up.
What is this?
Elena’s voice trembled.
“The reason why your child’s treatment is not working.
He looked out into the guarded hallway.
“And if the person who killed Genevieve finds out I’m here, none of us will survive tonight.
For a few seconds no one spoke.
Then Prescott closed
the door.
“Mr. Mercer,” he said, “I need to search this woman.
“Do it.
Elena raised her hands.
He wasn’t carrying a gun.
Only the collar, report and a small external memory protected inside a plastic bag.
Prescott put it on my desk.
What does it contain?
Everything Genevieve managed to get out of the lab.
I looked at the report again.
“Start from the beginning.
Elena took a deep breath.
I worked at Halcyon Biomedical.
I knew the name.
All of Chicago knew Halcyon.
A private biotechnology company specializing in gene therapies and oncology.
I also knew its founder.
Dr. Victor Sloane.
I had been a friend of my family for almost twenty years.
I had attended my wedding.
I was at Genevieve’s funeral.
And he was one of the advisers Franklin had consulted when my children got sick.
What does Sloane have to do with it?
