## CHAPTER 13 — BLACKWOOD HOUSE
Elena denied visiting Vanessa’s hospital floor.
Security footage showed her entering the building, but the camera lost her near the stairwell.
“I came to speak with Keller,” she said.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Logan asked.
“Because every time I tell you something, you look at me like I’m part of this.”
“You lied about your name.”
“To get inside the estate.”
“You took Noah without permission.”
“To get him away from Vanessa.”
“You knew Claire.”
“She was my sister.”
Logan lowered his voice.
“Were you outside Vanessa’s room?”
“No.”
He wanted to believe her.
But trust had become dangerous.
Blackwood House was not listed in any public database.
Hale found it through a shell company connected to Mercer Medical Research.
The property stood on a private island off the coast of Maine.
Official records described it as a rehabilitation retreat for wealthy patients.
No guests had been registered in twelve years.
Hale assembled a federal team.
Logan insisted on joining them.
Elena remained at the Mercer estate with Noah under police protection.
The island appeared empty when the team arrived.
Inside Blackwood House, every room had been cleaned.
No fingerprints.
No personal belongings.
No medical supplies.
Room twenty-three was locked from the outside.
Logan forced the door open.
The room contained a hospital bed, a wheelchair, and a wall covered with drawings.
Every picture showed the same three people.
A woman with long dark hair.
A little boy.
A man standing behind a wall of fire.
On the bedside table was Logan’s wedding ring.
Not the ring he wore now.
The original ring Claire had placed on his finger eight years earlier.
He had lost it at the lake house.
Beneath the ring was a note.
YOU DID NOT FAIL ME.
Logan’s knees nearly gave way.
Hale found blood on the bedsheets.
It was fresh.
Less than forty-eight hours old.
Outside, an agent shouted.
A boat had been discovered on the northern shore.
Its engine was still warm.
Inside the boat was Claire’s medical bracelet.
The bracelet had been cut.
Someone had removed her from the island shortly before the raid.
Logan called the estate.
No one answered.
He called Elena.
No answer.
He called the head of the police detail.
The officer finally picked up.
His voice was strained.
“Mr. Mercer, we have a situation.”
“What happened?”
May you like
“Elena and Noah are gone.”
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