"Well, I suppose I will have to ask him myself," I declare.
I'm already standing up to grab my jacket and seek out a guard to drive me to the hospital.
"I figured as much," Judge says. "I'll send you a secure email with the list of names."
13
Santiago
Eli blinks at me, half-dazed as the nurse helps him to sit upright.
"What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" he croaks. "Has something happened to Ivy? I’ve been going crazy sitting here with no information, and the guards won’t even tell me if you found her yet—"
"Here, take a sip of water." The nurse holds his cup up for him. "You can talk when your throat isn't so dry."
I allow that much before I glance at her. "You can go now. We need some privacy."
She doesn't argue. As a Society nurse, she knows who I am. In this hospital, the staff doesn't question the authority of a Sovereign Son.
She slips away quietly, shutting the door behind her, and I take a seat next to Eli's bed. He seems disoriented and anxious, and I suspect whatever they give him to help him sleep is partly to blame. But he'll have to wake up because I'm not about to leave.
"Is Ivy okay?" he asks again, desperation coloring his voice.
"I'm surprised you seem to care," I answer coldly.
"Of course, I care. She's my daughter."
"Yet, what exactly have you done for her?" I demand. "What have you done for any of your children? You left them in the care of a mother who worries more about her reputation than the welfare of her own flesh and blood. You allowed Ivy to suffer from a condition throughout her life instead of seeking the treatment she deserves. You permitted your wife to restrict Eva's food, a growing child, I might add. And you've facilitated Abel’s power to terrorize his siblings along with God knows how many others—"
"Enough." Eli's jaw rattles, and spittle flies from his mouth as his face mottles with red. "You don't get to come in here and tell me what kind of father I am."
"That's exactly what I get to do." I glare at him. "Have you forgotten who you’re speaking to?"
"I know exactly who you are," he says, his voice lowering. "And I know exactly who I am. What I meant was I don't need you to point out my shortcomings. I've had plenty of time to sit here and contemplate them myself in this prison cell of a hospital room."
His words surprise me, and when I study his face, all I see is sincerity. He isn't angry with me. He’s angry with himself. Or at least, that is what he'd like me to believe. But I've fallen for that act before, haven't I?
"I didn't come here to talk about your fatherly failings." I change tack. "I came here for answers, and I won't leave here without them."
"What answers?" He searches my face as if he really doesn't know.
I'm beginning to wonder if that cardiac arrest damaged his brain beyond all reason as well. Surely, he must know why I'm here. He must not think I am such a fool I can be dissuaded so easily.
"If what you say about your own self-reflection is true, there is something you should know before we begin," I tell him. "I have Ivy's hand in marriage, which means I can do whatever I like to her. And if that is still not enough to motivate you, I think it would benefit you to know that I am also taking over guardianship of Eva. She is at my home. Under my control. I want you to think carefully about that before you consider lying to me."
"You have Eva too?" He swallows, terror streaking through his eyes. "Whatever it is you think I've done, Santiago—"
"Tell me about the sector you and Abel had a hand in excommunicating from IVI."
"The sector?" he repeats, confused. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"I'm asking the questions, Eli. I have a list of their names I can give you, should you require a reminder. There are notes in The Tribunal's files. A history. You can't deny it."
He sighs, shaking his head. "I'm not denying it. I just don't see what that has to do with anything. But if you want to know I will tell you."
"I'm waiting." I lean back and watch him closely, searching his face for any sign of dishonesty.
"They were involved in shady dealings. Something the Society was not aware of. I only stumbled upon it myself, by accident. I had access to bank accounts in their names. One of the member's wives asked me to do some bookkeeping. She wasn't aware of her husband's activities. The other accounts were those I would add the normal monthly deposits to. When I started to look through the first account, something caught my attention. There was another monthly deposit coming through from an offshore bank account that wasn’t noted in his Society income. Upon further investigation, I realized he wasn’t the only one receiving these payments. It was a lot to dig through, and I was only one person, so I had Abel start assisting me. After a while, we began to uncover an entire sector harboring income not affiliated with IVI. They were prominent members, their lineage within the Society had been embedded for generations. I was shocked, and still in disbelief because honestly, they really hadn't covered their tracks very well. But I knew I needed further proof."
"So, you sent Abel to investigate?”
"Yes," he admits. "He is good at that sort of thing, and he wanted to prove himself useful. I felt it was a good opportunity. And he did uncover a great deal of information on their back door dealings. We took all of the evidence to The Tribunal, and they felt the only choice was to excommunicate them."
"It couldn't have been that easy," I remark.
"Well, no," he concedes. "There was a consensus that they might try to enact revenge, but The Councilors have men keeping a close eye on them."
I'm waiting for him to tell me that they were somehow possibly involved in the explosion. Now would be the perfect time for him to plant that seed in my mind and draw attention away from himself. But Eli doesn't mention it, which I find odd.
"Have they made any attempts to harm IVI?" I ask.
"Honestly, I couldn't tell you," he says. "After the initial discussions took place with The Tribunal, I was cut out. Deemed too unimportant to be involved any further in the matter, given my position. They assured me it was handled and rewarded me generously for bringing it to their attention, and that was that."
"I see."
My jaw hardens as I consider that I've hit another dead end. While I don't necessarily believe Eli without a doubt, what he's telling me makes sense. The Tribunal would not have involved him any further in the matter than necessary.
"It sounds as if you have made some enemies within the organization,” I point out. “Perhaps what you are trying to suggest, without saying as much, is that it was one of them who poisoned you?"
"Poisoned me?" His lips set into a grim line, and he shakes his head in disbelief before something seems to occur to him. "Are you telling me I was poisoned?"
"Yes. That is exactly what I'm telling you. Your bloodwork confirmed it."