Chapter 7 - THE GHOST IN THE SYSTEMFor the next week, the Blackwood Estate became Emma’s entire world.
By day, she monitored Adrian’s recovery, changed surgical dressings, adjusted medication dosages, and ensured his shattered shoulder healed without nerve damage. By night, she studied medical journals on his private terminal to keep her mind sharp, occasionally glancing at encrypted intelligence files Mateo left on the desk.
She learned the truth about the night Adrian was shot. It wasn't a random cartel hit. It was an internal coup orchestrated by a high-ranking lieutenant named Victor Vance—who, as Emma discovered with a cold shock of horror, was the older brother of Detective Sarah Vance.
“The police department isn't just investigating us, Emma,” Adrian explained one evening as she stitched a minor suture check on his shoulder. His muscles were warm and hard beneath her fingers. “They’re shielding Victor. He’s been funtering our shipping ports to federal rivals while quietly building a case to take over the entire Phoenix underground.”
Emma tied off the surgical thread with a precise, clean snip. “And what does that have to do with me?”
Adrian turned slowly to face her, sitting on the edge of the medical bed. His bare chest showed the jagged, healing scars of the three gunshot wounds—scars she had sewn back together.
“Victor knows that you saved my life,” Adrian said quietly. “Which means you are the key witness to the fact that I didn't die that night. If Victor gets to you before I find him, he’ll use you to fabricate a federal RICO case against me... or he’ll eliminate you to tie up loose ends.”
The door to the medical suite slid open violently.
Mateo strode in, his face pale and breathing heavily, holding a rugged military-grade tablet computer.
“Boss,” Mateo said, his voice urgent. “We just intercepted a secure dispatch frequency from the Phoenix PD tactical unit. They didn't find us through the cell towers or the car tail.”
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Adrian stood up slowly, grabbing his leather jacket. “How did they find us?”
Mateo looked directly at Emma, his expression grim. “They tracked the medical supply purchases made under your nursing license three days ago in Flagstaff. The federal task force knows you’re here, Boss. And they’re moving in right now.”
