Chapter 5: The Burning Clinic
Celeste arrived at North Haven while flames tore through the east wing.
Firefighters moved patients across the lawn.
She found the clinic director near an ambulance.
“Eleanor Ashford,” Celeste demanded. “Where is she?”
The director looked terrified.
“A man signed her out thirty minutes before the fire.”
“What man?”
“He said he was her brother.”
Julian.
Celeste called him.
No answer.
Agent Hale traced Julian’s vehicle toward the industrial docks owned by Ashford Maritime.
Admiral Reed ordered naval security to meet them there.
Inside the clinic, firefighters recovered a damaged security recording.
The footage showed Julian leading Eleanor through a side door.
Eleanor was now twenty-three, thin and pale, with dark hair like Celeste’s.
She was not resisting.
She was carrying a metal document case.
Celeste watched the image repeatedly.
Eleanor had left willingly.
Arthur arrived under federal escort.
When he saw the footage, he cursed.
Celeste turned on him.
“What is in that case?”
“The original vessel plans,” Arthur admitted. “And the inspector’s recordings.”
“Recordings of what?”
Arthur’s jaw tightened.
Margaret answered for him.
“Your father ordering the death of the man who designed the ships.”
The designer had threatened to expose the structural flaws.
His car had gone over a bridge two days later.
Celeste stared at Arthur.
“You killed him.”
“I protected this family.”
“No,” she said. “You taught this family to confuse fear with loyalty.”
Hale received a new location from the vehicle tracker.
Julian had stopped at Pier Nine.
Celeste knew the pier well.
The Red Meridian had departed from it on its final voyage.
As they approached the docks, a text arrived from Julian’s phone.
Come alone or Eleanor dies where your sailors died.
Attached was a photograph of Eleanor tied to a chair aboard an old cargo vessel.
May you like
Behind her stood Julian.
And beside him was Victoria.
