Someone Is Taking Her Sight

Chapter 2: The Medicine in the Trash

Daniel grabbed Emily's hand and pulled her to her feet.

"We're leaving."

The boy stepped back. "Don't take her home."

Daniel looked across the street.

The black SUV had not moved, but its engine was still running. Someone was watching from behind the dark windows.

Daniel called his driver and gave him a different location. Ten minutes later, he took Emily and the boy to a private clinic owned by an old medical-school friend.

The boy said his name was Noah.

He refused food at first, even though Daniel could hear his stomach growling. Only after Emily offered him half her sandwich did he begin to eat.

Dr. Rachel Monroe examined the medicine bottle.

"This isn't the drug listed on the label," she said.

Daniel's jaw tightened. "What is it?"

"I need a full test. But it may suppress nerve response and cause temporary vision loss."

Daniel felt cold.

"Temporary?"

"If the exposure stops early enough."

Emily sat nearby, swinging her feet.

"Can you make the night go away?" she asked.

Rachel forced a smile. "We're going to try."

Daniel turned to Noah.

"You said you've seen this before."

Noah nodded.

He had lived in a group home financed by Vanessa's charity. Several children there developed weakness, blurred vision, and memory problems. Staff told them they were sick. The children received medicine every night.

"My friend stopped taking it," Noah said. "She started seeing again."

"What happened to her?"

Noah looked down.

"They took her away."

Daniel stared at the bottle.

Vanessa's charity claimed to provide experimental treatment to poor children. Daniel had donated millions to it without reviewing the medical program. He had trusted his wife completely.

His phone rang.

Vanessa.

He answered but said nothing.

"Daniel," she said calmly, "where are you? Emily missed her medicine."

Daniel looked at Noah.

Then at his daughter.

"We're at the park," he lied.

A pause followed.

Vanessa's voice remained warm.

"That's strange. My driver says the bench is empty."

Daniel's eyes narrowed.

She was having them followed.

Then Vanessa added softly, "And Daniel... please don't believe anything the homeless boy tells you."

The call ended.

Noah stared at him.

"You didn't tell her I was with you."

Daniel slowly lowered the phone.

"No."

Noah's voice trembled.

"Then how does she know?"