Chapter 6: The Man With The Silver Watch
The man beside Richard looked like someone who had never heard the word no.
Perfect suit.
Perfect posture.
Perfect smile.
The kind of smile that belonged on campaign posters and charity brochures.
But all I could see was the watch on his wrist.
Silver face.
Black leather band.
The same watch from the photograph of Mrs. Carter.
My stomach tightened.
Richard stepped forward.
"Emily, this is Mr. Victor Hale.""
Victor extended his hand.
"Regional operations director for Suncrest Healthcare.""
Suncrest.
The company that owned Palm Harbor.
I looked at his hand but didn't take it.
His smile didn't move.
"Not a fan of handshakes?""
"I'm careful about who I trust.""
Karen made a quiet sound behind me.
Almost like a warning.
Victor glanced at her.
Then back at me.
"I've heard you're very passionate about resident care.""
"I am.""
"Excellent.""
He nodded slowly.
"We need passionate people.""
I looked toward his watch again.
He noticed.
His eyes dropped to his wrist.
"Like it?""
I forced myself to breathe.
"It's distinctive.""
"My father gave it to me.""
He adjusted the cuff over it.
"I've worn it twenty years.""
That meant I couldn't dismiss it as coincidence.
If the photo was recent, the man behind Mrs. Carter could have been Victor.
But why would a regional executive personally stand behind a kidnapped resident?
Unless he wasn't just involved.
Unless he was in charge.
Richard gestured toward his office.
"Why don't we all sit down?""
"I'm working.""
Victor smiled.
"This is work.""
He said it gently.
But it wasn't a request.
I followed them.
Karen stayed behind.
As I passed her, she whispered so quietly I almost missed it.
"Don't give him anything.""
I turned.
But she was already walking away.
Victor sat in Richard's chair.
That told me something immediately.
Richard didn't object.
He took the smaller chair beside the desk.
I remained standing.
Victor folded his hands.
"Please.""
He motioned toward the chair across from him.
I sat.
He studied me.
Not like a supervisor evaluating an employee.
Like a person evaluating risk.
"You've had an eventful first week.""
"That's one way to describe it.""
"Conflicts with Karen.""
"Karen abused a resident.""
Richard shifted slightly.
Victor didn't.
"That's a serious accusation.""
"It's a serious act.""
"Do you have proof?""
"I saw it.""
"So we return to your word against hers.""
"You sound like Richard.""
Richard cleared his throat.
Victor raised one finger without looking at him.
Richard went silent.
Interesting.
Victor leaned forward.
"Emily, do you know what makes elder care difficult?""
"Understaffing. Burnout. Low wages. Bad management.""
That last part made Richard stiffen.
Victor smiled.
"Those contribute.""
"Then what answer do you want?""
"Complexity.""
He leaned back.
"Residents can be frightened. Confused. Aggressive. Manipulative.""
"Mrs. Carter wasn't confused.""
"You're certain?""
"Yes.""
"After knowing her five days?""
"Long enough to know when someone is terrified.""
Victor sighed.
"Evelyn Carter had cognitive decline.""
"No, she didn't.""
Richard spoke.
"Her chart—"
"Her chart can say anything if the person writing it is lying.""
Silence.
Richard's face flushed.
Victor looked almost amused.
"You've been reading charts you aren't assigned to?""
I realized the trap immediately.
"I read the records relevant to my care duties.""
"Of course.""
Victor smiled.
"Professional responsibility.""
He stood and walked toward the window.
"Let me give you some advice.""
"I have received a lot of advice since I started here.""
He laughed.
"I imagine so.""
Then his expression changed.
"There are careers people build.""
He looked out toward the courtyard.
"And careers people destroy.""
I stared at him.
"Is that a threat?""
"No.""
He turned.
"It's generosity.""
"I don't understand.""
"I think you do.""
He walked back to the desk and opened a folder.
My name was on it.
Again.
He slid a sheet toward me.
At the top:
*SEVERANCE AGREEMENT*
My chest tightened.
"What is this?""
"An opportunity.""
"I've worked here one week.""
"Precisely.""
He tapped the paper.
"Ten thousand dollars.""
I looked at him.
"For what?""
"To resign.""
Richard wouldn't meet my eyes.
Victor continued.
"You sign a confidentiality agreement. We provide a neutral reference. Everyone moves on.""
I almost laughed.
"You want to pay me ten thousand dollars to leave a job that barely pays enough to cover rent?""
"We value peaceful resolutions.""
"No.""
Victor's smile disappeared.
"Read the whole document.""
"I don't need to.""
"You should.""
"I said no.""
He leaned toward me.
"Think carefully.""
"I am.""
I pushed the papers back.
"If nothing is wrong here, why are you paying me to disappear?""
Something flashed in his eyes.
Not fear.
Anger.
Then the smile returned.
"Poor choice of words.""
"Seems appropriate around here.""
Richard stood.
"Emily, that's enough.""
"No, Richard.""
Victor didn't look at him.
"Let her speak.""
I stared directly at Victor.
"Where is Ruth Henderson?""
He paused.
"At a medical appointment.""
"Which hospital?""
"I don't manage transport schedules.""
"Sunset Patient Transport took her.""
That got him.
Only slightly.
But the fingers of his left hand tightened.
The watch shifted against his wrist.
"You seem very interested in operational details outside your role.""
"I care where residents go.""
"Admirable.""
"Where did they take her?""
"I don't know.""
"Where is Mrs. Carter?""
Richard inhaled sharply.
Victor stayed still.
Then he smiled.
"Transferred.""
"That's a lie.""
"Be very careful, Emily.""
"You said this wasn't a threat.""
"It's not.""
His voice became colder.
"It's advice.""
I stood.
"So are we done?""
Victor looked at me for a long moment.
Then he picked up the severance agreement.
"I'll leave this open for twenty-four hours.""
"I won't sign it.""
"People often change their minds when consequences become real.""
I opened the door.
Behind me, Victor added,
"And Emily?""
I turned.
He adjusted the silver watch.
"You should stop sleeping at the airport hotel.""
Every muscle in my body froze.
Richard looked at him.
Even he seemed surprised.
Victor smiled.
"Miami isn't always safe for a woman alone.""
I didn't answer.
I walked out before they could see how badly my hands were shaking.
Karen was in the linen room.
I found her stuffing towels onto a shelf.
"We need to talk.""
"No.""
"Victor knows where I'm sleeping.""
Her hands stopped.
I closed the door.
"You warned me about my car.""
"Keep your voice down.""
"You told me not to give him anything.""
"I said keep your voice down.""
I stepped closer.
"Is he the one behind this?""
Karen stared at me.
For once, there was no arrogance in her face.
Only exhaustion.
"You don't know what you're asking.""
"Then tell me.""
She rubbed both hands over her face.
"I can't.""
"You can.""
"No, I can't.""
Her eyes filled with anger.
"You think because you caught me treating Evelyn badly, you understand me?""
"I understand enough.""
"No.""
She pointed at herself.
"You saw one ugly piece.""
"One?""
"I did things I'm ashamed of.""
Her voice cracked.
"I pushed people. Yelled at them. Scared them.""
"Why?""
"Because Victor wanted residents labeled difficult.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
"The more complaints they made, the more incidents we documented.""
She looked toward the door.
"Agitation. Confusion. Aggression.
Refusing food. Paranoia.""
My skin went cold.
"You were building false medical records.""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because once someone looks incompetent on paper, nobody listens when they say money is missing.""
I felt sick.
"Mrs. Carter.""
Karen closed her eyes.
"She wouldn't stop.""
"So you hurt her.""
"Yes.""
The honesty stunned me.
She looked at me again.
"I thought if I scared her enough, she'd stop asking questions.""
"You could have reported Victor.""
Karen laughed bitterly.
"To who?""
"The state.""
"People tried.""
"The police.""
"Walter tried.""
I remembered Henry.
"And Walter disappeared.""
Karen nodded.
"What happened to him?""
"I don't know.""
"You're lying.""
"I'm not.""
She grabbed my wrist.
Not hard.
Desperate.
"That's the part you don't understand. We didn't know where they went.""
"We?""
"Staff like me. Linda. A few others.""
"What about Denise?""
"Denise knew something was wrong, but she wasn't part of it.""
"Richard?""
Karen let go.
"Richard knows more than he pretends.""
"How much?""
"Enough.""
"Victor?""
Her face changed.
"Victor controls everything.""
My heart thudded.
"The shell companies?""
"I don't know about the money.""
"The transports?""
"Yes.""
"Sunset?""
She nodded.
"Victor has a private arrangement with them.""
"Where do they take people?""
"I only heard one location once.""
I held my breath.
"Where?""
Karen looked toward the ceiling camera.
Then she reached for a marker and wrote on the cardboard side of a supply box.
*MANGO GROVE RECOVERY CENTER*
I stared at it.
"What's that?""
"A closed rehabilitation facility west of the city.""
"Closed?""
"It lost its license two years ago.""
"Then why would anyone go there?""
Karen gave me a grim look.
"Exactly.""
I took out my phone.
She slapped it down.
"No.""
"What?""
"Don't search it here.""
"Why?""
"Palm Harbor Wi-Fi logs activity.""
I stared at her.
"How do you know?""
"Because Victor once showed me screenshots of an employee's searches.""
"What employee?""
"A nurse named Celia.""
"What happened to her?""
"She quit.""
"Really?""
Karen looked at me.
"I don't know.""
That phrase again.
I don't know.
Palm Harbor was full of people who didn't know what happened after someone disappeared.
I stepped back.
"Ruth was taken there?""
"Maybe.""
"Mrs. Carter?""
"Maybe.""
"Henry is next.""
Karen's face went pale.
"What?""
"He's on a list.""
"What list?""
"I can't tell you.""
"Emily—"
"No.""
For once, I didn't trust her enough.
"Can you keep Henry here?""
Karen shook her head.
"Not if Victor has already approved transport.""
"Can you delay it?""
"Maybe.""
"Do it.""
She gave me a bitter laugh.
"You're ordering me now?""
"I'm asking you to make one decent choice.""
The words hurt her.
I could see it.
Good.
Maybe they needed to.
Karen looked away.
Then she nodded.
"I can flag him for observation.""
"For how long?""
"Maybe twenty-four hours.""
"Do it.""
"And you?""
"I'm finding Ruth.""
Karen grabbed my arm again.
"Don't go to Mango Grove alone.""
"I wasn't planning to.""
"Who are you taking?""
I hesitated.
Thomas?
Maybe.
But after what I'd learned about the police, I needed someone who could protect evidence.
Someone outside Palm Harbor.
Someone Victor wasn't expecting.
Then I remembered the bank employee.
She had seen the attempted access change.
She might have records.
And Thomas had legal contacts.
"I'll figure it out.""
Karen shook her head.
"That's not a plan.""
"No.""
I opened the door.
"It's more than Mrs. Carter had.""
I found Henry after lunch.
He looked weaker.
But alert.
"Karen says you're being monitored.""
He raised an eyebrow.
"Karen told you?""
"She's scared of Victor.""
"Good.""
"You know him?""
Henry's expression darkened.
"Evelyn called him the smiling undertaker.""
"Why?""
"Because every time someone disappeared, Victor arrived within twenty-four hours.""
That made my skin prickle.
"Have you heard of Mango Grove Recovery Center?""
Henry went completely still.
"Where did you hear that name?""
"Karen.""
He gripped the armrest.
"Emily...""
"What?""
"That's where Walter said Sunset took Margaret.""
My pulse jumped.
"He knew?""
"He followed the van.""
"Then why didn't he go inside?""
"He did.""
"What happened?""
Henry looked toward the door.
"When he came back, he told Evelyn there were residents inside.""
"From Palm Harbor?""
"Some.""
"Alive?""
"Yes.""
"Then why didn't he rescue them?""
Henry's eyes filled with something close to shame.
"Because armed security chased him off.""
I stared at him.
"Armed?""
"He went to the police the next morning.""
"And disappeared after that.""
Henry nodded.
"Two days later.""
I stood.
"Then that's where Mrs. Carter is.""
"Maybe.""
"And Ruth.""
"Maybe.""
I turned toward the door.
Henry grabbed my hand.
"Emily.""
I looked back.
"If you go there, don't go through the front entrance.""
"Why?""
He swallowed.
"Walter said the residents weren't in the main building.""
"Where were they?""
"He called it the east wing.""
"Anything else?""
Henry frowned, searching his memory.
Then his eyes widened.
"He said there was a greenhouse.""
"A greenhouse?""
"Behind it.""
He tightened his grip.
"That's where they were keeping the people nobody was supposed to find.""
Before I could ask more, my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A photograph loaded.
Ruth Henderson.
She was sitting beside Mrs. Carter.
Both alive.
Both terrified.
Underneath was one sentence.
*YOU HAVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT.*
Then another message appeared.
This one included an address.
Mango Grove Recovery Center.
May you like
And one final line.
*COME ALONE, OR THEY BOTH LEAVE IN BODY BAGS.*
