Someone Is Taking Her Sight

Chapter 4: The Wife Behind the Charity

Daniel pushed Emily and Noah into the supply room while Rachel activated the clinic's silent emergency transmitter.

Vanessa entered with two private security men.

She wore a pale coat and the same gentle expression she used at charity events.

"You're frightening Emily," she said.

Daniel stood between her and the children.

"You poisoned her."

Vanessa sighed. "I treated her."

"You were destroying her sight."

"Temporarily."

Daniel stared at her.

Vanessa's calmness was worse than denial.

She explained that her charity's research program had developed a drug capable of suppressing specific brain functions. The original goal was to control traumatic memories. Wealthy clients soon saw other uses.

Witnesses could forget faces.

Children could forget abuse.

Patients could lose the ability to describe what they had seen.

"Emily saw something dangerous," Vanessa said. "I needed time to complete the trial and move Maya."

"She trusted you."

"She would have recovered."

Daniel's voice broke. "She thought every afternoon was night."

For the first time, Vanessa looked irritated.

"Do not pretend you noticed quickly. You were always working. I gave her every pill in front of you."

The truth hurt because part of it was fair.

Daniel had trusted Vanessa because trusting her was easier than paying attention.

Noah stepped from the supply room.

"Where is Maya?"

Vanessa looked at him coldly.

"You were always the difficult one."

One of the guards moved toward him.

Emily suddenly struck the guard's leg with her crutch.

"Don't touch him!"

Daniel lunged at the second man. Rachel triggered the fire suppression system, filling the room with mist and alarms.

Police sirens rose outside.

Vanessa ran toward the rear exit.

Noah pointed at her coat.

"She has the key!"

Daniel caught Vanessa at the door. A struggle followed, and a metal card fell from her pocket.

Printed across it were the words:

HART FOUNDATION - FACILITY 7.

Vanessa looked at the card and smiled bitterly.

"Even if you find them, you won't know which children remember the truth."

Police entered and forced her to the floor.

Daniel picked up the key card.

Noah stood beside him.

"I know where Facility 7 is."

"How?"

Noah's eyes filled with tears.

"Because that's where I left my little brother."