Chapter 8: The Room With No Cameras
Andre refused to move.
Not without Jasmine.
Tasha stood beside the bed, checking the girl's pulse again.
“Her heart rate is elevated.””
Andre nodded.
“I know.””
Marcus looked toward the hallway.
“Hospital security needs to lock this floor down.””
Andre picked up his phone.
“I'm calling them.””
He dialed.
The call connected.
“Hospital security.””
“This is Andre Hayes. My daughter is a patient in examination room—”
The lights flickered.
Everyone looked up.
Once.
Twice.
Then the hallway went silent.
The phone in Andre's hand disconnected.
Tasha's expression hardened.
“That's strange.””
Marcus walked toward the door.
“Don't.””
Andre caught his shoulder.
Marcus turned.
“Someone wants us separated.””
“How do you know?””
“Because that's what my father wrote about.””
Andre stared.
“You read Daniel's notes?””
“Some.””
“What did he say?””
Marcus pulled out his phone.
“He said there were places where cameras didn't work.””
Tasha looked at him.
“Like where?””
Marcus glanced around.
“This room.””
Andre's eyes moved to the ceiling.
“You're saying the cameras are off?””
Marcus nodded.
“They were disabled earlier.””
“By who?””
“I don't know.””
A soft beep came from the medical cart.
Jasmine looked toward it.
“Dad.””
“What?””
“That isn't ours.””
Andre followed her gaze.
On the lower shelf sat a small black device.
He reached for it.
Tasha immediately stopped him.
“Don't touch it.””
Marcus leaned closer.
“That's a recorder.””
Andre stared.
“Someone's been listening.””
Jasmine pulled the blanket higher.
“Dad…”
Andre turned.
“What?””
“I heard Mom talking.””
“When?””
“Before we came here.””
“What did she say?””
Jasmine's eyes filled with tears.
“She said, ‘We can't keep him quiet forever.’”
Marcus went still.
“Who was she talking to?””
“I don't know.””
“Did she say a name?””
Jasmine nodded.
“Evelyn.””
Andre felt the air leave his lungs.
“My mother?””
Jasmine nodded.
“She said, ‘Evelyn promised this would be over.’”
Andre looked at Marcus.
Neither spoke.
Tasha moved toward the door.
“We need to get her somewhere secure.””
The door opened.
A hospital security officer stepped inside.
“Mr. Hayes?””
Andre looked at him.
“Yes?””
“Your wife asked me to come get you.””
Andre's eyes narrowed.
“Where is she?””
“She said she's waiting downstairs.””
“Which entrance?””
The officer hesitated.
“The service entrance.””
Marcus immediately stepped forward.
“No.””
The officer looked at him.
“Excuse me?””
“Monica wouldn't send security here.””
Andre studied the man's uniform.
Something felt wrong.
“What is your name?””
“Officer Grant.””
“Badge number?””
The man looked down.
Andre noticed the badge had no number.
Just a hospital logo.
Marcus whispered, “That's not security.””
The man's hand moved toward his waist.
Marcus shoved Andre backward.
“Get Jasmine!””
The fake officer reached inside his jacket.
Tasha grabbed the medical cart and slammed it into him.
The man stumbled.
Andre rushed to Jasmine.
“Up.””
“Dad, it hurts!””
“I know. I've got you.””
He lifted her from the bed.
Marcus grabbed the door.
“Go!””
Tasha ran beside them.
The fake officer recovered and lunged.
Marcus slammed the door behind them.
They sprinted down the hallway.
Andre carried Jasmine against his chest.
“Where?””
Tasha pointed.
“Stairs!””
They reached the stairwell.
Andre pushed through.
Marcus followed.
The door slammed behind them.
Everyone froze.
Footsteps approached from the other side.
Fast.
Heavy.
Marcus whispered, “Don't breathe.””
The footsteps stopped.
A voice came through the door.
“Andre?””
It was Monica.
Andre's eyes widened.
“Mom?”” Jasmine whispered.
Marcus shook his head.
“Don't open it.””
Andre stared at him.
“That sounds like my wife.””
“I know.””
The voice came again.
“Andre, please. It's me.””
Tasha looked frightened.
“Could it be her?””
Marcus shook his head.
“Maybe.””
Andre tightened his grip on Jasmine.
“Then how do we know?””
Marcus pointed toward the door.
“Ask her something only Monica would know.””
Andre thought.
Then he called out.
“Monica!””
“Yes?””
“What did you call Jasmine when she was five?””
Silence.
Andre waited.
The answer came.
“Sweetheart.””
Andre's face hardened.
Marcus whispered, “Wrong.””
Andre nodded.
Monica had called Jasmine *Jazzy-Bee*.
Nobody else knew that.
The footsteps moved away.
Then came a faint metallic click.
Marcus's eyes widened.
“She's locking us in.””
Tasha tried the handle.
It wouldn't move.
Andre looked around the stairwell.
“No windows.””
Marcus stared at the ceiling.
“There's one way out.””
“Where?””
“Up.””
They climbed.
Jasmine clung to Andre.
“Dad?””
“Yeah?””
“Mom wasn't the one who put the bottle in my bag.””
“I know.””
“She told me something else.””
Andre looked at her.
“What?””
Jasmine hesitated.
“She said if you ever found out about Uncle Daniel…”
Her voice trembled.
“…you should ask Grandma why she kept the second baby.””
Andre stopped climbing.
“What did you say?””
Jasmine looked confused.
“Grandma kept a baby.””
Marcus stared at Andre.
“Your grandmother?””
Andre shook his head slowly.
“My mother.””
Jasmine whispered:
“She said Grandma had two sons.””
Andre looked at Marcus.
Marcus's face had gone pale.
“Daniel wasn't an only child.””
Andre's heart hammered.
“My mother had two boys.””
Marcus nodded.
“And one of them…”
A loud crash came from below.
The stairwell door burst open.
Someone was coming up.
Andre grabbed Jasmine tighter.
Marcus pointed upward.
“Keep moving.””
But before they could climb another step, Andre's phone buzzed.
May you like
A new message appeared.
*YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THE WRONG BROTHER.*
