CHAPTER 3: THE APARTMENT THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN SEARCHED
CHAPTER 3: THE APARTMENT THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN SEARCHED
Marcus was already running before he finished reading Rachel's message.
His heartbeat pounded louder than the elevator descending toward the lobby.
He dialed her immediately.
"Rachel."
"I've confirmed it," she said without greeting. "Police responded to a reported break-in at Lily Parker's apartment thirty minutes ago. There was no forced entry."
Marcus frowned.
"No forced entry?"
"Whoever entered had a key... or knew how to avoid leaving damage."
His grip tightened around the phone.
"Was anyone hurt?"
"No. Lily and Sophie were still at work when it happened."
Marcus stopped cold.
"They're both at work?"
"Lily picked up another shift."
He closed his eyes.
After nearly collapsing the night before...
She had gone back.
Because she couldn't afford not to.
Meanwhile...
Apartment 3B stood in silence.
A black-gloved hand slowly closed a kitchen drawer.
The intruder had searched everything.
Mattresses.
Cabinets.
Photo albums.
Children's books.
Medicine bottles.
Nothing.
The man pulled out his phone.
"I can't find it."
A deep voice answered.
"Look again."
"I already tore the place apart."
"Then she moved it."
"What if she gave it to someone?"
Silence.
Then the voice spoke with icy calm.
"She doesn't know how valuable it is."
"But if Marcus Green starts asking questions..."
The line went dead.
The intruder looked once more at a faded family photograph on the refrigerator.
Lily.
A smiling young man.
A baby wrapped in a pink blanket.
Without hesitation...
He removed the photograph and slipped it into his coat before disappearing into the night.
At Green Enterprises...
Lily leaned heavily against her cleaning cart.
Every movement hurt.
Every breath felt shorter than the one before.
She checked her phone.
One unread text.
From the landlord.
Call me immediately. Someone entered your apartment today.
The color drained from her face.
"No..."
Before she could dial, another wave of pain hit.
Her knees buckled.
The mop crashed against the marble floor.
"Lily!"
An elderly custodian caught her before she fell.
"You need a hospital."
"I can't."
"You can barely stand."
"My daughter..."
"I have to finish."
She tried to rise.
Instead...
Blood trickled through the sleeve covering her hand where she'd instinctively grabbed her abdomen.
Marcus stepped off the executive elevator just in time to see her collapse.
"Lily!"
She looked up, embarrassed more than frightened.
"I'm sorry, sir..."
The apology made him angrier than the fall.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"I made a mess."
Marcus looked at the spilled bucket of dirty water spreading across the polished floor.
Then back at the woman who could barely breathe.
"You think that's what I'm worried about?"
She lowered her eyes.
"It's my job."
"No."
His voice echoed through the hallway.
"Your job is not to die cleaning my building."
Every employee nearby froze.
Nobody had ever heard Marcus Green raise his voice.
Not like this.
He removed his suit jacket.
Knelt on the cold marble.
And wrapped it around Lily's shoulders.
"I'm taking you to the hospital."
"I can't afford—"
"I didn't ask."
"My insurance—"
"I know."
She looked at him sharply.
"You... know?"
Marcus met her eyes.
"I know more than you think."
Daniel Brooks watched the entire scene through the security monitors.
His face darkened.
"This isn't good."
His assistant swallowed nervously.
"What do we do?"
Daniel stared at Marcus helping Lily to her feet.
"If she starts talking..."
He reached into his drawer.
Pulled out a disposable phone.
And dialed a number saved under only one letter.
K.
"They've made contact."
A rough voice answered.
"Permanent?"
Daniel hesitated.
The word hung in the air.
Permanent.
He looked back at the monitor.
Marcus was placing Sophie into the company car while Lily protested weakly.
Finally...
Daniel whispered,
"If it comes to that."
At Mercy General Hospital...
Doctors rushed Lily into emergency imaging.
Marcus remained outside with Sophie.
The little girl sat quietly beside him.
Swinging her legs.
Trying very hard not to cry.
"Is Mommy going to die?"
Marcus couldn't answer immediately.
He remembered another hospital.
Another hallway.
Another frightened boy.
Another mother who never came home.
Finally he said,
"Not if I can help it."
Sophie reached into her faded backpack.
"I want to show you something."
She carefully removed a small metal lunchbox covered with peeling cartoon stickers.
Inside...
Were dozens of folded receipts.
Prescription labels.
Past-due notices.
And one sealed envelope.
"My mommy said if anything ever happened to her..."
"...I should give this to someone honest."
Marcus took the envelope slowly.
His name was not written on it.
Only three words.
If They Come.
Before Marcus could open it...
The emergency room doors burst open.
A doctor hurried toward him.
"Are you family?"
"No."
"The patient's blood work is alarming."
Marcus stood.
"What's wrong?"
The doctor's expression was grave.
"She has been living with an untreated abdominal tumor for years."
Marcus felt the hallway spin.
"The mass has started bleeding internally."
"Can you save her?"
"We can..."
The doctor hesitated.
"But she needs surgery tonight."
Marcus nodded immediately.
"Do it."
"We'll need financial authorization first."
Without hesitation Marcus pulled out his company card.
"I'll cover everything."
The doctor looked relieved.
"I'll notify the surgical team."
As he disappeared down the hallway...
Marcus looked at the envelope still resting in his hand.
May you like
Something told him...
The answer to everything was inside.
