Chapter 3. The Man Who Ordered Them to Take Me

Marco started to follow, then pressed his hand back against the padding. Evelyn made room for the nurse beside the child.

“Marco, I need you to move for a moment too. We need to get equipment in here.”

Once he had secured the panel and moved aside, the equipment came in. Dane stood in the doorway, looking at the boy under the bed. A bare foot protruded from the curled-up body, dragging weakly across the floor.

Then the boy's head dropped.

“Leo.”

Something changed in Evelyn's voice. His chest was barely moving.

Dane crossed the threshold. As Evelyn positioned herself at the boy's head, the nurse connected the monitor. The doctor came in after them with equipment to support his breathing.

“Contact the hospital. He needs to be transferred.”

At Evelyn's words, the doctor looked at Dane.

“His guardian said he wasn't to be taken off the island—”

“We can't wait here any longer.”

Dane withdrew the arms he had reached out to lift him. Evelyn and the nurse took their places at the boy's head. Behind the medical staff, all he could see were Leo's bare feet.

“Why is he...”

Dane called to him again. His lips had changed color further. Leo couldn't turn his head.

Dane's knees hit the floor.

“Save him. Evelyn Hart. Please. This child, at least.”

Evelyn barely looked at his face.

“We need to support his breathing and get him to a hospital. Can a boat leave now?”

Dane sent away the man who wanted to put more guards aboard and ordered a boat cleared for the transfer team first. Meanwhile, Evelyn and the doctor helped the boy breathe. They adjusted the poorly fitting mask, and his small chest rose.

Word came that the hospital would accept him. The nurse gathered the remaining medication and the times of the doses. Dane called to the doctor following them.

“They'll ask who gave him what. You're coming too.”

The stretcher caught on the threshold. Dane crouched by the wheels. It was something he could do without pushing aside the people at the boy's side. As he lifted the wheels over, Evelyn and the nurse watched for the next breath. For a moment, Leo's chest seemed to stop.

He coughed.

A short, choking sound.

Dane looked up. Leo's chest rose again. Only after watching the next breath did Evelyn nod to the nurse.

“I'll keep monitoring him. Get ready to leave.”

Marco braced a hand against the wall. Dane could only watch the boy draw another breath. Evelyn had to call his name twice before he turned.

“You're his guardian. You're coming with him, aren't you?”

“I am.”

“Then leave your weapon here.”

His gaze dropped to the inside of his jacket. Following that look, a guard at the door held out a hand. At a sound from the boy, Evelyn turned back to the stretcher.

Leo had opened his eyes. He tried to push away the mask near his face, then caught Evelyn's sleeve. His small fingers pulled at the fabric.

“It's helping you breathe. And I'm right here.”

When Evelyn showed him her hand, he looked at it for a moment. But the sound of dress shoes by the door made him clutch her arm.

Pain drove through her.

Leo had bitten the inside of her left forearm. Evelyn started to pull away on instinct, then held still. The nurse came closer.

Dane reached for the boy.

“Don't pull!”

Evelyn's voice cracked. The nurse helped keep them both from further injury, and the boy let go. Blood beaded on her arm.

Crying, Leo clung to her coat. Evelyn told him he could come closer and lowered herself. He leaned into her first. The nurse stayed beside them, watching his breathing.

Dane's hand remained suspended in the air. They had both been bitten by the same child, yet he couldn't move closer, while she was supporting him.

Evelyn shifted the way she held her aching arm. She had no smile to spare. Instead, she stayed where the boy could see her face.

“I'll stay right here for now.”

After a while, his grip loosened. Evelyn laid him on the stretcher and let the nurse take over. Only after pressing gauze to her wound did she come over to Dane.

“Give me my phone.”

Dane looked at her bloodied arm.

“Get that treated first.”

“That's what I intend to do. And on the way to the hospital, I'm telling someone where I am.”

Marco took out the phone, then hesitated in front of his boss. Evelyn held out her hand, keeping the gauze pressed to her arm.

“I'm telling someone my location, and I'm getting medical attention too. Give it to me.”

Dane took the phone from Marco and handed it to her. Evelyn turned on the screen at once.

There were several missed calls from Olivia. As Evelyn tapped her name, Dane asked,

“Are you going to tell her about me too?”

“Yes. Starting with the man who ordered them to take me.”

“Dane Blackwell. That's the name of the man who ordered them to take me.”

The other end of the line went quiet.

Evelyn watched Dane as she spoke. He didn't reach for her. But the moment she said his name, every trace of expression left his face.