“Seven months ago, our legal department received an anonymous request.”
“For what?”
“For access to archived procurement records connected to her treatment period.”
My pulse quickened.
“Who requested them?”
“They didn’t
know.”
“Anonymous?”
“Yes.”
“Did they release them?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Patient privacy. Corporate retention policies. Several reasons.”
“Then what happened?”
“Nothing.”
Daniel looked down.
Adrian noticed.
“What?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Sir.”
“What?”
“There was a second request.”
Adrian’s expression tightened.
“When?”
“Four months ago.”
“Why wasn’t I told?”
“It was routed through legal.”
“From who?”
Daniel looked at me.
Then back at Adrian.
“Ethan Walker.”
I gripped the back of a chair.
Adrian went silent.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then my phone buzzed.
A text.
Unknown number.
I almost ignored it.
But something made me open it.
There was no message.
Only a photograph.
Taken inside an airplane cabin.
My airplane cabin.
I recognized my sweater.
Lily asleep in my arms.
The picture had been taken before Adrian sat down.
Before boarding finished.
Before I knew his name.
In the empty seat beside me was a black leather folder.
On top
of it lay a white envelope.
My name was written across the front.
