Daniel looked at Lily.

Then back at Vincent.

His voice dropped.

“Rachel’s room is empty.”

Vincent went still.

The sedan had stopped beneath the hospital canopy.

Rain streaked across the dark windows.

Lily looked between them.

“Mom’s not in her room?”

Daniel answered carefully.

“The nurses are trying to find her.”

Lily’s face changed.

Not panic yet.

Confusion.

“But she’s sick.”

“I know.”

“Maybe she went bathroom.”

Vincent opened the door.

“Stay beside me.”

Lily nodded immediately.

That obedience bothered him.

Children should not sound practiced at being careful.

He stepped out into the rain.

Daniel followed.

Two security men emerged from the car behind them.

Lily climbed down last, Vincent’s coat hanging over her shoulders like a blanket.

Inside the hospital, Daniel moved ahead.

The emergency lobby smelled of disinfectant and wet coats.

A nurse hurried toward them.

“Mr.

Romano?”

“Yes.”

“I’m Carla Nguyen, charge nurse on seven.”

“Where is Rachel Carter?”

The nurse swallowed.

“We’re not sure.”

Vincent’s expression hardened.

“Try again.”

“She was in 714 at 4:10.”

“What time is it?”

“4:46.”

“So she disappeared from a hospital room in thirty-six minutes.”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“We’re reviewing cameras.”

Lily tugged Vincent’s sleeve.

“Can I see Mommy?”

The nurse looked at her.

Something softened.

Then broke.

“We’re going to find her.”

Lily frowned.

“That’s not yes.”

Vincent looked at the nurse.

The woman understood.

“No.”

Lily’s lip trembled.

Vincent crouched.

“Lily.”

She looked at him.

“We are going upstairs.”

“To find her?”

“Yes.”

“Promise?”

He paused.

He did not make promises he could not control.

“Promise you won’t stop?”

That he could do.

“No.”

She nodded.

“Okay.”

They took the private elevator.

Daniel stood beside Vincent.

Quiet enough for Lily not to hear.

“Hospital security says Rachel had a visitor at 4:18.”

“Name?”

“Signed in as Dr.

Elias Ward.”

Vincent glanced at him.

“Real?”

“No doctor by that name works here.”

“Camera?”

“Hat.

Mask.”

“Height?”

“Six feet.”

“Build?”

“Average.”

“Useless.”

Daniel nodded.

“One more thing.”

Vincent waited.

“The visitor knew Rachel’s room number.”

That narrowed things.

Not enough.

The elevator opened.

Room 714 stood empty.

Bed sheets pulled back.

Oxygen cannula on the floor.

IV line hanging loose.

A small smear of blood near the tape where the line had been removed.

Lily stopped.

“Mommy hates needles.”

Vincent looked at the blood.

Then at Daniel.

“Who disconnected the IV?”

The nurse answered:

“We don’t know.”

Vincent’s jaw tightened.

Lily walked toward the bedside table.

A paper cup.

Half a glass of water.

Rachel’s phone.

Her purse.

Everything still there.

Lily touched the blanket.

“Mommy wouldn’t leave without her phone.”

Vincent looked at her.

“You know that?”

“She sleeps with it.”

Daniel began checking the room.

He found one hospital slipper near the bathroom.

The second beneath the bed.

“She didn’t walk out willingly.”

Vincent said nothing.

The nurse went pale.

Lily suddenly pointed.

“Bunny.”

Vincent frowned.

There was no rabbit.

Lily walked to the corner.

Behind the visitor chair was a folded paper napkin.

Drawn on it in blue pen was a rabbit.

Underneath:

LILY SAFE?

Vincent stared.

“Is that your mother’s handwriting?”

Lily nodded.

“She makes bunny when she writes me notes.”

Daniel leaned closer.

“Rachel left this.”

Vincent looked at the room again.

“Then she knew something was wrong.”

The nurse whispered:

“Why wouldn’t she press the call button?”

Daniel checked.

The cord had been cut.

Not unplugged.

Cut.

Vincent’s face changed.

“Lock the floor.”

The nurse hesitated.

“Sir—”

“Tell hospital security no one leaves through staff elevators, service corridors, or loading access until cameras are checked.”

“I can’t lock down an entire floor without—”

Daniel held up identification.

Not police.

Private security credentials tied to Romano Holdings.

The nurse still shook her head.

Then Vincent said:

“Call whoever can.”

That worked.

She left.

Lily stood beside the napkin.

Very quiet.

Vincent crouched.

“What are you thinking?”

She looked at him.

“Mommy was scared.”

“Yes.”

“She only draws bunny when I’m not with her.”

Vincent waited.

Lily touched the word safe.

“She asked if I’m safe.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

That was the question.

Why would a woman with pneumonia disappear from a hospital room and leave a message asking whether her six-year-old daughter was safe?

Daniel’s phone buzzed.

He looked.

“Camera still.”

He handed it over.

At 4:21, a man in scrubs pushed a wheelchair toward room 714.

At 4:27, the same man left.

Rachel sat in the chair.

Blanket over her legs.

Hospital mask covering her face.

Head bowed.

Beside him walked a woman in burgundy scrubs.

Vincent zoomed in.

The badge was turned backward.

Daniel said:

“They took her through the east service elevator.”

“Where does that go?”

“Loading dock.”

“Camera?”

“Offline.”

Vincent looked up.

“Convenient.”

The nurse returned with hospital security.

A broad man named Harris.

He looked unhappy.

“Mr.

Romano, we’re contacting police.”

“Good.”

“We also need you to stop directing staff.”

Vincent stared at him.

Harris swallowed, but held his ground.

“This is a hospital.”

“And one of your patients has been removed.”

“We know.”

“Then find her.”

“We are.”

Lily raised her hand.

Everyone looked.

“Can I say something?”

Harris blinked.

“Yes.”

“The lady.”

“What lady?”

“In picture.”

Lily pointed at the camera still.

“The red clothes lady.”

Burgundy scrubs.

“What about her?”

“I saw her before.”

Vincent turned.

“Where?”

“At our house.”

Silence.

Daniel’s expression changed.

“When?”

Lily thought.

“Yesterday.”

“Inside?”

She nodded.

“Where?”

“Laundry.”

Vincent looked at Daniel.

“Staff list.”

Daniel was already moving.

Lily continued.

“She talked to Mommy.”

“What did she say?”

Lily looked uncertain.

“I wasn’t supposed to listen.”

“You’re not in trouble.”

“She said…”

Lily frowned, trying to remember.

“‘You still owe him.’”

Vincent’s eyes hardened.

“Who?”

Lily shrugged.

“Mom said, ‘I paid enough.’”

The room went quiet.

Daniel returned with the tablet.

“Laundry contractors yesterday.”

He scrolled.

“Three women.

Two regular.

One temporary replacement.”

He turned the screen.

Photograph.

Burgundy-scrubs woman.

Same face.

Name:

Natalie Shaw.

Lily nodded.

“That’s her.”

Daniel kept reading.

“Temporary agency address is false.”

Vincent asked:

“Employment history?”

“Nothing under that name before eight months ago.”

“Phone?”

“Disconnected.”

Harris, the hospital security director, looked increasingly uneasy.

“You’re saying one of the people who removed Rachel had access to your residence yesterday.”

“Yes.”

“Then this may be targeted.”

Vincent looked at him.

“I had reached that conclusion.”

Harris wisely ignored the tone.

Daniel scrolled further.

Then froze.

“What?”

“Rachel listed an emergency contact when she was hired.”

“Lily?”

“No.”

“Who?”

Daniel looked at Vincent.

“Michael Carter.”

Lily’s head lifted.

“My daddy?”

Vincent stared at her.

“You know him?”

Lily nodded slowly.

“He went away.”

Rachel had never mentioned a husband.

Never mentioned a father.

Daniel asked:

“When did he go away?”

Lily looked at her shoes.

“When I was little.”

“You’re six.”

She considered.

“More little.”

Vincent softened his voice.

“Do you remember him?”

“Pictures.”

“Does he call?”

“No.”

“Does your mother talk about him?”

Lily shook her head.

Then whispered:

“She cries when Grandma says his name.”

Vincent looked at Daniel.

“Find Michael Carter.”

Daniel walked away.

Lily looked toward Vincent.

“Did Daddy take Mommy?”