Chapter 7 - Noah Was Never Supposed to Speak
They took Noah to a neurologist unaffiliated with Greenwood.
Dr. Rebecca Chen reviewed three years of records.
Her conclusion came six hours later.
“There are medications here I cannot justify.”
Caitlyn sat motionless.
“What kind?”
“Sedatives. Neuromuscular suppressants. Some are reasonable immediately after severe brain trauma. Long-term use at these dosages?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Would they stop him from recovering?”
“They could suppress responsiveness and interfere with rehabilitation.”
Caitlyn walked into the bathroom.
She locked the door.
Then she broke.
For three years she had worked until she could barely stand.
Three years of bills.
Three years of doctors telling her Noah had reached his plateau.
Three years of holding his hand and wondering whether her brother could hear her.
Damian found her sitting on the floor twenty minutes later.
He did not tell her to stop crying.
He simply sat beside her.
“My brother was trapped inside his own body.”
“Yes.”
“Because of your world.”
“Yes.”
“I hate you.”
Damian looked forward.
“I know.”
She turned toward him.
“No, you don’t.”
“I do.”
“Then why are you still here?”
His answer was quiet.
“Because you can hate me after your brother is safe.”
That silenced her.
He stood.
She caught his hand.
Damian stopped.
“Don’t go.”
So he stayed.
No dramatic declaration.
No promises.
He sat beside her until she could breathe normally again.
Three days later, after Dr. Chen adjusted Noah’s medications, something extraordinary happened.
Noah spoke an entire sentence.
Caitlyn was beside him.
Damian stood near the window.
Noah looked at his sister.
“Dad gave me a phone.”
She froze.
“What phone?”
“Before… accident.”
He struggled.
“Hidden.”
“Where?”
Noah looked at Damian.
“Car.”
The wrecked Elmore vehicle had been stored after the investigation and later transferred to an insurance salvage yard.
Damian found it.
Or what remained of it.
Inside the torn passenger seat, Marco discovered a waterproof phone.
Its battery was dead.
Its memory was not.
There was one recording.
Thomas Elmore’s voice.
And another man.
Nicholas Vale.
Thomas said, “Damian knows enough.”
Vale laughed.
“Damian knows what we allow him to know.”
“You won’t survive this.”
“I already survived his father.”
Then Thomas asked:
“Who gave you our route?”
Vale answered.
A name.
But before he said it clearly, a crash drowned the recording.
Caitlyn replayed it.
Again.
Again.
Then Noah spoke.
“I know.”
Everyone turned.
He closed his eyes.
“The man… came to house.”
“When?”
“Before accident.”
“Who?”
Noah looked directly at Damian.
“Vincent.”
Every head turned.
Vincent stood across the room.
He did not move.
Damian’s voice became ice.
“Explain.”
Vincent closed his eyes.
Then he did something nobody expected.
He removed his gun.
Placed it on the table.
May you like
And said:
“Noah is right.”
