Chapter 7 - THE SUNNY MORNING
Three days later, the Vance private estate in Lake Forest, Illinois, was bathed in brilliant autumn sunlight. The amber and gold leaves fell softly across the wide green lawns, framing the stone manor house in warm, vibrant colors.
Inside the sunroom on the second floor, sunlight poured through the wide arched windows.
Mara sat at a low wooden play table, wearing a bright yellow dress, her small fingers busy carefully coloring a picture of a golden retriever in her coloring book. Beside her sat a brand-new, custom-made medical kit—crafted from soft brown calfskin, without a single hidden compartment or secret seam.
Orson sat in an armchair nearby, a cup of black coffee resting on the small side table, watching his daughter with a calm, peaceful gaze that few men in his line of work ever got to experience.
Tap. Tap.
The door opened gently, and Dr. Elena Vance—Orson’s younger sister and a leading pediatric specialist at Northwestern Memorial—walked in carrying a medical folder.
"How’s my favorite patient?" Elena asked with a warm smile, crouching down beside Mara's table.
"I finished the doggy, Auntie Elena!" Mara announced proudly, holding up her masterpiece.
"It’s beautiful, sweetie," Elena said, kissing Mara's cheek before standing up to face Orson.
She handed him the updated lab results.
"Her lung capacity is back to ninety-eight percent," Elena reported, her voice filled with relief. "The synthetic compound has been completely flushed from her system. She’s completely out of danger, Orson."
Orson looked down at the report, the last lingering shadow of anxiety finally dissolving from his chest.
"Thank you, Elena," Orson said quietly.
"She’s a strong girl," Elena said softly, looking over at her niece. "She takes after her father."
She paused, looking at Orson thoughtfully. "What about the Moretti family in New York? Gabriel said their leadership vanished overnight."
Orson took a slow sip of his coffee. "The federal task force processed Richard St. Clair's evidence package yesterday. The entire New York executive structure was indicted under federal racketeering charges at 6:00 AM this morning. They won't be operating in the Midwest ever again."
May you like
Elena smiled faintly. "So the house is completely clean?"
"The house," Orson said, looking back at Mara, "is safe."
