Beside him, Charley asked the question that had probably been waiting in half the room. “Colonel Reed, right before Calvin was shot, he told him that I wasn’t like the others, the evil ones. Do you know who he could have been talking about? Or why he told me that our building should have been demolished years ago?”
Reed’s mouth flattened. “I honestly don’t know the answer to either question.”
“Did Calvin by chance mention Rodney or James?” Reed asked Charley.
She shook her head. “No. He wasn’t able to tell me much before things went to shit.”
“What about family?” Alyvia asked. “Didn’t any of them have family?”
Reed shook his head. “Not that I was aware of. That was part of what made them good candidates for the trial. No wives. Nochildren. No involved parents. Very few people who would’ve asked questions.”
Pierce ran a hand over his jaw again. “So Calvin approaches Charley because he thinks she can be trusted. Leaves notes. Then somebody puts a bullet in him before he can finish whatever he was trying to say.”
“Yes,” Reed said.
“And now Dr. Marwood and your name are on the latest note.”
Reed didn’t flinch. “Yes.”
Seth folded his arms. “Do you have any idea who could have wanted him dead?”
Reed looked at him. “If I did, I’d have brought that to the police already. But I have a feeling that whoever is responsible for what happened today is the same person Calvin was referring to when he said the evil ones. And I’m beginning to think that this person is also connected to his and the other two’s disappearance.”
“So, it has to be someone who was involved in these trials,” Ray stated.
“How many people were involved in the project?” Pierce asked.
“There were only a handful. EchoFall was concealed.” He then gestured toward Ray. “I have given all the names involved to Ray as well and to the police. We need to catch whoever did this.”
Before anybody could say more, the doors at the far end of the waiting room opened, and a doctor stepped through. The whole room went still.
The doctor looked tired in the way only trauma surgeons did. He held a chart in one hand.
“Family for Calvin Henderson?” he asked.
No one answered right away. Then Charley stood up. “We’re Calvin’s family.”
The doctor gave a small nod. “Mr. Henderson made it through surgery. But he is not out of the woods. He is still very, very critical. He lost a significant amount of blood,” the doctor said. “The bullet did extensive internal damage. We had to repair multiple injuries, and the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours are going to be crucial. He’s currently medically sedated while his body begins to recover. He’ll be moved to the ICU shortly.”
“Can we see him?” Charley asked.
The doctor shook his head. “Not tonight. Not for at least the next twenty-four hours. He needs stability, minimal stimulation, and constant monitoring. ICU will update the chart, and we can call with any changes.” The doctor looked around the room. “Who should be listed as the point of contact?”
That answer came quicker than any of the others had.
“Charley,” Pierce said as he stood up beside Charley.
She was looking at him, her expression a mix of surprise and warmth.
He took her hand. “Calvin trusted you.”
She gave him a small smile and could see the tears gathering in her eyes again.
“Thank you, Pierce,” she whispered.
He didn’t say anything else. He just kissed her temple.
The doctor took down Charley’s information before he left the room.
