Chapter 7 - Naomi's Door
Police reached Naomi's apartment before Leah and Elliott did.
The front door had been forced.
A lamp lay broken near the couch.
Naomi was gone.
Her phone sat on the kitchen floor.
Detective Mara Ellis held up a hand when Leah tried to enter.
"Stay in the hall."
"She called me."
"I know."
"She was scared."
"I know that too."
She moved it gently away.
Not because she was angry with him.
Because she needed to stand without being held together.
Empty.
No blood. No sign of a struggle.
"Her bank card was used at a gas station outside the city."
Leah blinked.
"After the call?"
"Twelve minutes after."
"Then she left?"
"Maybe."
Rachel arrived carrying a folder.
"Naomi sent me something at 7:14. Scheduled email."
Inside was a scanned staff meeting transcript from eighteen months earlier.
Grant Voss: Lang admission remains protected.
Nurse Manager: We have a critical patient waiting.
Grant Voss: Transfer if necessary.
Unknown Speaker: Do not put donor status in writing again.
Leah read the final line twice.
"Unknown speaker?"
Rachel nodded.
"Naomi wrote one note in the margin."
C.B. WAS IN THE ROOM.
Corinne Blake.
Elliott's phone rang.
It was his mother.
"You need to come to the foundation archive," Evelyn said.
"Why?"
"I found the original donor agreement."
"Do not touch it."
"I already did."
"Mom--"
"Elliott, listen to me. Your father's signature on the Crown Access continuation is not real."
The hallway went silent.
"How do you know?"
Evelyn's voice broke.
"Because I found the stamp they used to make it."
"Who had it?"
A pause.
"Grant Voss."
Then another voice came over Evelyn's phone.
A man's voice.
"Hang up, Evelyn."
Elliott went rigid.
May you like
"Mom?"
The line disconnected.
