Chapter 14
Mason
Grace didn't put up a fight when I brought her the onigiri and something to drink this time, but she refused to eat alone. So, I stayed with her and ate one of the rice balls myself, after she insisted on it. There's a good chance she was only trying to see whether I was planning to poison her, a silly accusation, but I was more than willing to prove to her that the food was safe. I know it will take time, but she will come to trust me, eventually.
I could tell that she was exhausted, even though she tried to hide it from me. She was barely able to keep her eyes open as she was eating, but I didn't leave the room until I'd made sure she was sufficiently nurtured. After I left, I checked on her with the help of the security cameras that are hidden all over her room, the most important installed right above her bed inside the chandelier. She walked around the room for a little bit, testing the length of her leash as she checked the locked door and the windows.
There's no escape for you, little girl.
But I would have been disappointed if she didn't search for a way out. I don't want her to give up and succumb to victimhood. I want her to fight and stand up for herself. I want her to meet the lioness that's residing deep within her chest, a strength that never had the chance to shine.
But it will, under my leadership.
I went to bed after I saw her curling up under the sheets, still wearing the bathrobe as she dozed off to sleep within a few short moments. I couldn't find that same comfort, turning and tossing around as my mind was running wild with the reality of it all. I really did it. Weeks of planning and imagining what it would be like, and now we're finally here.
I took her. She's mine—and she'll thank me for it one day.
Despite not sleeping a whole lot, I woke up early, even before her, from the looks of it. She is still curled up in bed, only her wild hair peeking out from under the covers when I check on her first thing in the morning. Good for her. She needs the rest.
And she'll need a good breakfast, which I am in the middle of preparing when my phone rings—finally. I've been waiting for a call from the ward, and my pulse accelerates when I recognize their number on the display.
“Morgan,“ I say, in the most nonchalant manner.
“Mr. Morgan, good morning, I'm sorry to disturb you this early, but... we have a little bit of a situation,“ a friendly female voice greets me. I'm assuming it's Ms. Pierce, one of the head physicians in the department Grace was placed at. She's my direct contact at the ward, and the only person who never introduces herself by name when calling me.
“What kind of situation?“ I ask.
“One of our patients, who was granted a day pass, didn't return to the ward last night,“ she says, sounding nervous. “We waited for her all night long and even sent out a search team to check the area, but we couldn't find her anywhere, and-“
“Did you call the police?“ I cut her off, getting to the most pressing question right away. “Or her family?“
“We couldn't get a hold of her father, but we did talk to one of her brothers,“ she replies. “He didn't know anything either, hadn't seen her or heard from her. But he was very worried.“
“Which brother?“ I blurt out, despite myself. This is a piece of information that is not mine to have.
“I think he said his name was Tyler,“ Ms. Pierce says.
So, the youngest one, only a couple of years older than Grace herself.
“And he has no idea where she might have gone off to?“ I probe.
“Not at all, sadly,“ she says. “He wasn't of much help, to be honest. We're still trying to get a hold of her father.“
“Did you leave a message for him?“
“Of course!“ she says, indignation lacing her words. “Plenty, actually. But he hasn't called us back.“
“Have the police been informed?“ I repeat my earlier question, heart thumping.
“Not yet. It's unlikely they'll be of much help unless more than 24 hours have passed,“ she says, before she pauses to lower her voice. “However, I think it'd be best to contact them sooner rather than later, because... there's something that's troubling me a little bit.“
I feel like my heart is about to burst out of my chest. What does she mean? Did anybody see us? Did someone follow Grace without me noticing? No, that can't be.
“What's that?“ I implore, when she hesitates to go on.
“We had a visitor about a week ago, a young man asking about Grace,“ Ms. Pierce begins. “He claimed to be one of her brothers, asking about her treatment and her schedule. But when we asked for identification, he simply waved us off and disappeared, claiming he didn't have an ID or driver’s license on him. It was just... weird.“
“You think he lied?“
“I have a feeling he did, yes,“ she answers. “He didn't even ask how she was doing, and didn't want to see her or talk to her. Simply wanted some information about her whereabouts. It seemed odd, to say the least.“
She's right, that does sound a little suspicious. But, whoever this person was, they could set the ward on the wrong track when searching for Grace—which can only be good for me.
“You think he could have something to do with Grace's disappearance?“ I ask. “Could be some lover or boyfriend that she's been keeping secret.“
“Mhm, that's a possibility,“ she says in a pensive tone. “She never mentioned anyone, but we've been entertaining that thought.“
“Sounds like a good way to start,“ I say, eager to keep them on that false trail. “Let's try to keep this lowkey for now, she might still turn up today. If she doesn't, we must engage the police and mention this guy to them.“
“Okay, yes, that's what we thought.“
“And try to get her damn father on the phone,“ I add. “I'm sure he can tell us something useful.“
“Mhm, possibly,“ Ms. Pierce murmurs, not sounding convinced. “I didn't get the feeling that they're very close.“
“Yes, I'm aware, but he's all we've got right now.“
Ms. Pierce agrees, and we end the conversation with her promising that she'll keep me posted on the matter. I put the phone back in my pants pocket, my gaze resting on the half-done sandwich, as I contemplate my next steps.
Who was that guy who came to visit Grace? Maybe it really was one of her brothers, who simply couldn't identify himself, like he claimed? It's a possibility, but an unlikely one. But if he was lying, what was his intention behind this visit? Why did he want to learn about her schedule?
Maybe it really was a lover? The thought makes me sick to my stomach, but I decide to ask her about it nonetheless.
And I will heighten my security, just in case. After I left her room last night, I contacted a trusted PI to find out more about her family background. He hasn't gotten back to me, yet, but promised he'll do so as soon as he has some information to share. In my experience, it never took him more than a day to come up with something, so I don't expect to wait long.
Until then, it's just her and me—and I can't wait to go back upstairs to ignite the next step on our journey.