Chapter 10 - THE EMPIRE BUILT ON SICK CHILDREN
Rourke Holdings had owned Helix Meridian indirectly.
Through trusts.
Shell companies.
Foreign subsidiaries.
Layers thick enough that Damien claimed he had never known.
At first, I didn't believe him.
Then independent auditors confirmed it.
Anthony Rourke had hidden ownership from his own sons.
Profits from the pediatric blood products flowed into legitimate Rourke businesses.
Hotels.
Warehouses.
Security firms.
Real estate.
Maybe even the mansion.
I looked around the library.
Suddenly, everything seemed dirty.
"Your house was paid for with this?"
Damien didn't defend himself.
"Possibly."
I expected anger.
Instead, he looked sick.
"What are you going to do?" I asked.
He stared at the financial report.
"Find out exactly how much."
"And?"
"Give it back where possible."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Just like that?"
"No."
His voice hardened.
"It won't be simple."
Good answer.
Restitution was not a dramatic check.
It meant courts.
Victim funds.
Audits.
Claims.
Years.
Damien opened the books anyway.
Regulators came.
Investigators came.
Board members panicked.
Criminal associates became nervous.
For once, Damien's reputation helped nobody.
He placed the legitimate companies under external review and stepped away from several operations while ownership histories were examined.
Then he made a more dangerous decision.
He gave investigators evidence about illegal Rourke businesses too.
Bernadette stared at him when she heard.
"Your father would haunt you."
Damien smiled sadly.
"He already does."
The mansion changed.
Fewer armed men.
More lawyers.
Less whispering.
Toby liked the lawyers.
"They have good pens."
Lily preferred Bernadette's kitchen.
Michael continued rehabilitation.
Elena remained in Wisconsin at first, then moved closer to Lily after careful planning.
Nobody pretended the family was normal.
But for the first time, they were honest.
Then Toby's medical case changed.
Specialists identified the specific marrow damage linked to HMX-4 exposure.
A new treatment protocol existed.
Not guaranteed.
But promising.
So did one for Lily.
The cost was enormous.
I felt the old panic immediately.
Bills.
Numbers.
Failure.
Then the hospital advocate stopped me.
"Laura."
I looked up.
"Helix's court-supervised patient fund will cover qualifying treatment."
My eyes filled.
For years, I had worked until my body hurt to pay for damage a corporation caused.
Now, finally, the cost would not fall on me.
I cried in the hallway.
Not because money solved everything.
Because someone had finally admitted the bill belonged somewhere else.
Toby began treatment two months later.
Lily started shortly afterward.
The process was difficult.
Fevers.
Fatigue.
Hospital stays.
But their numbers improved.
Slowly.
Then one evening, Toby held up a lab sheet.
"Mom."
"What?"
"My hemoglobin is boring."
I laughed.
"Boring?"
"The doctor said stable."
I covered my mouth.
Stable.
I had never loved a word more.
Damien stood in the doorway.
His eyes filled.
Then Marco entered behind him.
His face was grim.
"Boss."
Damien turned.
"What?"
"Detective Brennan has disappeared."
My stomach tightened.
"And?"
Marco held out a folder.
"He left something in his office."
Damien opened it.
Inside was an old photograph.
Anthony Rourke.
Samuel Kessler.
Detective Brennan.
And a woman I recognized.
Bernadette.
I stared.
She went completely pale.
Damien looked toward her.
"Bernadette?"
She closed her eyes.
May you like
Then whispered:
"I helped build Helix."
