Chapter 2 - THE NAME BURIED IN HIS FATHER'S FILES
Adrian Cain had spent fifteen years believing his father's enemies were buried.
Now one of them apparently had a daughter working at Rossi's.
He stared at Hannah's photograph.
"That's impossible."
Samuel Bishop said nothing.
Adrian looked up.
"Her mother's name?"
"June Ellis."
The color drained from Adrian's face.
He knew that name.
Not because he'd met her.
Because he'd once found it inside his father's private records.
A nursing supervisor.
A missing medical ledger.
An investigation abruptly closed.
And a handwritten instruction beneath her photograph.
Make certain she never speaks.
Adrian leaned back.
"My father told me June Ellis died."
Samuel nodded.
"She didn't."
"How do you know?"
"I found evidence years ago."
Adrian stared.
"And you never told me?"
Samuel's expression tightened.
"Your father made me promise."
"My father has been dead for nine years."
"I know."
Adrian's voice became dangerously quiet.
"Then start talking."
Samuel explained that June Ellis had worked at St. Gabriel's Medical Center almost two decades earlier.
She discovered discrepancies in a charitable medical program funded by the Cain family.
Money intended for patients had disappeared.
Several patient records had been altered.
And June began collecting evidence.
Before she could report it, someone threatened her family.
She resigned.
Changed addresses.
And disappeared from the hospital's professional records.
Adrian rubbed his jaw.
"So Hannah isn't connected to our business."
"Her mother is."
"And Coraline knows?"
Samuel nodded.
"Apparently."
Adrian looked toward the torn coat.
The entire point of pretending to be homeless had been to find someone who could see him without his reputation.
For weeks, he'd slept in shelters, walked through neighborhoods where nobody knew his face, and listened to people speak about him as though he were a monster.
Some were frightened.
Others were fascinated.
Most wanted something.
Then Hannah Ellis bought him bread.
Six dollars.
Almost everything in her purse.
And she hadn't asked his name.
He thought about the way she'd stood up to Coraline.
The anger in her eyes.
The absolute refusal to let wealthy strangers humiliate someone weaker.
She was brave.
And now, because of him, she'd become a target.
"Find out whether she's safe," Adrian said.
Samuel nodded.
"Without approaching her?"
"Correct. No following her into private places. No frightening her."
Samuel almost smiled.
"You're changing, boss."
Adrian looked coldly at him.
"Don't get sentimental."
Meanwhile, I had reached home.
Mom sat beside our small kitchen table sorting prescription bottles.
She looked up.
"Sweetheart, you're early."
I forced a smile.
"Slow morning."
She studied me.
"Hannah."
I sighed.
"I lost my job."
Her face fell.
"What happened?"
I explained.
The women.
The stranger.
The bread.
The complaint.
Mom listened quietly.
Then she reached for my hand.
"You did the right thing."
I laughed bitterly.
"Doing the right thing doesn't pay rent."
"No," she said. "But don't ever let desperate people convince you kindness is foolish."
I looked at her.
"Desperate people?"
Her expression changed.
For one second, she looked frightened.
Then someone knocked.
Three sharp knocks.
I stood.
Mom grabbed my wrist.
"Don't open it."
I stared.
"Why?"
Her voice trembled.
"Because nobody who knows me knocks that way."
Another three knocks echoed through the apartment.
Then a man's voice called from the hallway.
"June Ellis. We know your daughter met Adrian Cain."
May you like
Mom turned white.
And I realized she knew exactly who the homeless man really was.
