Chapter 5 - DANIEL'S AWAKENINGThe room was dim, illuminated only by the rhythmic, steady beep of the heart monitor and the pale light filtering in from the hallway.
Daniel lay propped up against hospital pillows, his forehead bandaged, an IV line taped to his bruised forearm. When the door clicked open, his heavy-lidded eyes snapped toward us.
“Rachel...” his voice rasped, dry and weak.
“I’m here, Dan. I’m right here,” I sobbed, rushing to the side of the bed and gripping his uninjured hand. Tears spilled hot down my cheeks as I pressed his knuckles to my lips. “Oh God, Dan, what happened? Why were you at the estate?”
Daniel winced, squeezing my hand back with surprising strength. His gaze shifted past me, locking onto the tall, imposing figure of Luca Moretti standing quietly near the door.
“Mr. Moretti...” Daniel whispered.
Luca stepped closer to the bed, his expression solemn and respectful. “I'm here, son. Tell me what you saw.”
Daniel swallowed hard, his chest heaving under the hospital gown. “I... I was making a late delivery near the neighborhood. I saw a black town car speeding out of your service gate, Mr. Moretti. The license plate... it matched a car I saw parked outside our apartment building three days ago.”
My heart skipped a beat. “At our apartment?”
“Yes,” Daniel nodded weakly. “I thought someone was casing our place. So I followed the car back to your estate tonight. When it stopped near the back security gate, I saw someone throw a metal lockbox into the trunk.”
Daniel reached into the pocket of his blood-stained jacket resting on the bedside chair, pulling out a small, crumpled envelope. He held it out to Luca.
“The trunk lid wasn't latched properly,” Daniel whispered. “When the car jerked forward, this fell out onto the asphalt. I grabbed it right before the car clipped me. Look at the seal, Mr. Moretti.”
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Luca took the envelope. He pulled out a single sheet of heavy hospital stationary embossed with the crest of St. Jude’s Hospital, dated three years ago.
As Luca read the top line, the color drained entirely from his face.
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