Chapter 8: The Trap Beneath the Truth

The black SUV remained across the street for nearly an hour.

Whoever was inside wasn't in a hurry.

They knew I couldn't leave the hospital unnoticed.

I reached for my phone and sent a message to the detective who had visited me earlier.

I attached the photograph from Tijuana.

Then I wrote three words:

“Watch the SUV.”

His reply came less than a minute later.

“Already on it.”

For the first time since waking up, I felt something other than fear.

I felt control.

The hospital room door suddenly opened.

Clara walked in carrying a bouquet of white lilies.

She smiled when she saw me awake.

“Lorelei, thank God.”

She placed the flowers beside my bed and leaned down to hug me.

I let her.

But I didn't hug her back.

Her perfume was exactly the same as it had been three years ago.

The same perfume she had worn when she gave me the Detroit lead.

The same perfume she had worn when she gave me the Arizona lead.

The same perfume she had worn when she told me about the Chicago warehouse.

Three leads.

Three traps.

Three scars.

I looked at her carefully.

“You came alone?”

Clara's smile faltered for half a second.

“Of course. Who else would come?”

“Dimitri?”

“No.”

“Francesca?”

She shook her head.

“They're with the children.”

I nodded slowly.

“I see.”

Clara pulled a chair beside my bed.

“Lorelei, you scared everyone.”

I almost laughed.

“Everyone?”

“Yes.”

“Your family was devastated when you fell.”

I stared at her.

“Were they?”

She lowered her eyes.

“You have to understand. They were trying to protect Francesca.”

“From me?”

“From what you were becoming.”

I studied her face.

“Then tell me something.”

She looked up.

“Why did you keep giving me leads?”

The color drained from her face.

“What are you talking about?”

“Detroit.”

Her lips parted.

“Arizona.”

She stopped breathing.

“Chicago.”

Silence filled the room.

I leaned closer.

“You knew those leads were fake.”

“You knew those people were waiting for me.”

“And you knew exactly how badly I could be hurt.”

Clara stood abruptly.

“You're confused because of the medication.”

“Sit down.”

My voice was quiet, but something in it made her obey.

I opened the photograph again.

“I found this.”

I turned the screen toward her.

The moment she saw Francesca standing beside Dimitri, her expression changed completely.

Not surprise.

Not confusion.

Recognition.

That was all I needed.

“You knew,” I whispered.

Clara looked away.

“Lorelei, please.”

“How long?”

She didn't answer.

“How long have you known they were alive?”

Her eyes filled with tears.

“Since the beginning.”

My heart sank.

Three years.

She had known for three years.

She had watched me destroy myself searching for people who were sitting safely somewhere else.

“Why?” I asked.

Clara wiped her face.

“Because Francesca promised she would finally give me the life I wanted.”

I stared at her.

“What does that mean?”

She reached into her purse and pulled out a small envelope.

“You need to see this.”

Inside was a photograph of a bank transfer.

A large amount of money had been deposited into Clara's account three years earlier.

The sender wasn't Francesca.

It wasn't Dimitri.

It was the private security company from the photograph.

My stomach tightened.

“They paid you.”

Clara began crying.

“I didn't know it would go this far.”

“You kept sending me into danger.”

“I thought the actors would scare you away.”

“You could have died.”

She covered her face.

“I know.”

I looked at the bank statement again.

There was one detail that made my blood run cold.

The payment wasn't made three years ago.

It had been made last month.

“Clara.”

She froze.

“Why did they pay you last month?”

Her silence answered before her words did.

“Because they knew you were getting close.”

“They wanted me to keep you distracted.”

I slowly sat upright despite the pain.

“Close to what?”

Clara looked toward the hospital door.

“The real reason Dimitri and Francesca disappeared.”

Before she could say anything else, the lights in the hallway went out.

The heart monitor beside me began flashing.

Then the hospital's emergency alarm started screaming.

Clara jumped to her feet.

“Lorelei, we have to go.”

I grabbed her wrist.

“No.”

Footsteps thundered outside the room.

Someone shouted.

Then the door handle began turning.

Clara looked at me in terror.

“They're here.”

I tightened my grip on her wrist.

“Who?”

She whispered the answer.

“The people Dimitri was protecting you from.”