PART 13 – He’s Already Inside

Captain Reyes did not move for several seconds after Claire’s voice disappeared from the phone. His face had gone still in a way I had never seen before. Not frightened, exactly. More like someone who had just heard the final piece of a sentence he had been dreading for years. I stood beside him, staring at the phone in his hand. “What did she mean?” I asked. Reyes looked at me, and for once he did not immediately have an answer. “She said he’s already inside,” he replied quietly. “Inside where?” I demanded. “The hospital.”

The word seemed to change the air around us. Down the corridor, a cart squeaked over the polished floor. A nurse laughed softly at the station. Somewhere behind a closed door, a monitor gave a steady electronic beep. Everything looked ordinary, which suddenly made it worse. Reyes slipped his phone into his pocket. “Where is Tyler?” he asked. “Room 417.” His jaw tightened. “Who knows that?” “His doctors. Me. The firefighters who brought him in.” I stopped. “And whoever has been watching us.”

Reyes immediately walked toward the elevators. I followed. “You need to tell me what is happening.” “I intend to.” “No, Captain. You have been telling me half-truths since the fire.” He stopped so abruptly that I nearly walked into him. “Amanda, if I had told you everything before I knew what was real, you could have been put in greater danger.” “I’m already in danger.” My voice shook despite my effort to keep it steady. “Someone has been sending me photographs of my old house. Someone knows where Tyler is. Someone left a note in his hospital room. And Claire Dalton, who everyone thought was gone, just called you and said someone is already inside.”

Reyes looked toward the nurses’ station before lowering his voice. “Listen to me carefully. We do not know who the person is.” “You said someone inside the department was protecting him.” “Claire said that.” “And you believed her.” He hesitated. That hesitation told me more than an answer could have. “I believed enough of it to be concerned.” “Then tell me what you know.” Reyes rubbed a hand over his face. “Frank Dalton believed the child in the old case had witnessed something. He thought someone was using the department to keep the case buried. He never proved who.” “And Tyler’s father?” “Daniel believed the same thing.”

I stared at him. “My husband’s father knew?” “He knew there was a child. He knew the original report was incomplete. He knew Frank was investigating.” Reyes swallowed. “What I didn't know was how close Frank had gotten.” “Until now.” “Until Lily appeared in that warehouse.” The name made my stomach tighten. Lily was asleep only a few rooms away, under observation in another part of the hospital. She was the little girl Tyler had risked everything to reach. She was the witness Claire had mentioned. A child who had somehow carried a secret for years while adults around her disappeared, died, lied, or pretended not to remember.

“Where is Lily?” I asked. “Child services has her temporarily.” “That isn't what I asked.” Reyes looked at me. “She’s on the pediatric floor.” “Then why are we standing here?” He caught my arm. “Because if Claire is right, moving around without knowing who we can trust could put both of you in danger.”

Before I could answer, my phone vibrated.

I nearly dropped it.

The screen showed an unknown number. A photograph had arrived. I opened it with trembling fingers. It showed the fourth-floor hospital corridor. The angle was unmistakable. Room 417 was visible at the end of the hall.

Someone had taken the picture recently.

Below it was one sentence.

YOU BROUGHT THE LETTER WITH YOU.

My skin went cold.

Reyes read it over my shoulder. His expression changed immediately. “Where is the envelope?” he asked. I touched the inside pocket of my jacket. “Here.” “Don't take it out.” “Why?” “Because if they know you have it, they may be trying to find out whether you've opened it.” I stared at the message. “They already know.” Reyes shook his head. “They know you have it. They may not know what it says.”

A nurse stepped out of Tyler’s room.

Both of us turned.

She was young, perhaps twenty-five, with dark hair pulled into a neat ponytail. She smiled politely. “Mrs. Morgan?” I nodded. “Your husband is awake.” Relief hit me so suddenly that my knees weakened. Reyes steadied me by the elbow. “Is he alone?” he asked. The nurse frowned. “Yes. Why?” “Who has been in the room?” “Only staff.” She looked confused. “And you, earlier.” I exchanged a glance with Reyes. “Anyone else?” “No.”

We walked quickly toward the room.

The door was open.

Tyler was sitting up against the raised bed, his injured shoulder immobilized, his face pale beneath the hospital lights. When he saw me, he tried to smile. “Hey.” I crossed the room and took his good hand. “Hey.” His fingers closed around mine. “You look terrible.” I almost laughed. “You nearly died.” “I didn't.” “That isn't comforting.” His smile faded. “What happened?”

I looked at Reyes.

Tyler followed my eyes. “Captain?” Reyes stepped inside and closed the door. “Claire Dalton called.” Tyler's face changed. “Claire?” “She's alive.” Silence filled the room. Tyler stared at us as if we had spoken another language. “That's impossible.” “Apparently not.” Reyes told him only enough to explain the call. When he repeated Claire's warning, Tyler's fingers tightened around mine. “He’s already inside,” he whispered.

“You know what that means?” I asked.

Tyler looked at me. “I think I do.”

He glanced toward the window. “After I fell in the warehouse, I remember hearing someone above me.” “The man in the dark jacket?” Reyes asked. Tyler nodded. “But I also remember something else.” He closed his eyes, concentrating. “The voice.” “What did it say?” “Not to me.” His breathing became uneven. “He was talking to someone on a radio.” “What did you hear?” “He said, ‘She's awake.’”

I felt my stomach drop. “Lily?” Tyler nodded slowly. “Then the other voice answered.” He opened his eyes. “It wasn't a man's voice.” Reyes leaned closer. “Whose?” Tyler looked at him. “A woman's.”

The room seemed to shrink.

“Claire?” I asked.

“I don't know,” Tyler said. “But it wasn't Lily.”

A knock sounded.

All three of us froze.

The door opened before anyone answered.

A hospital orderly stood there holding a folded blanket. “Sorry,” he said. “I was told the patient requested another blanket.” Tyler looked at me. “I didn't.” The orderly's expression remained neutral. “Then I apologize.” He turned.

Reyes moved faster than I expected.

“Wait.”

The orderly stopped.

Reyes walked toward him. “Who told you?” The man shrugged. “Nurse at the desk.” Reyes opened the door wider and looked toward the corridor.

The hallway was empty.

The orderly left.

Reyes waited until the footsteps disappeared, then looked at me. “We're leaving this room.”

Tyler frowned. “I can't exactly run.” “You don't need to.” Reyes pressed the nurse-call button. “We're moving you to a secure observation area.” Tyler looked at him sharply. “Captain, what aren't you telling us?” Reyes hesitated.

Then his phone rang.

He looked at the screen.

The caller ID showed a number he recognized.

Claire Dalton.

He answered.

This time, her voice came through clearly.

“Reyes, listen to me. Don't move Tyler.”

Reyes stared at me.

“Why?”

“Because the person watching him wants him moved.”

The call ended.

For several seconds no one spoke.

Then Tyler looked at me and whispered, “Amanda, the envelope.”

I pulled it from my pocket.

The burned paper felt warm against my fingers.

And beneath the charred edge, something I had not noticed before had begun to unfold.

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