Chapter 17: Temporary Custody

A night nurse had played the harbor video for Caleb Nguyen twice, and he wanted the count entered into his statement before anything else. "Ten steps," he said. "Not nine. People keep saying nine." Hollis glanced at the recorder on the hospital tray. "We were going to begin with the abduction." "The abduction took three days and I slept through most of it." Su wrote down the number. Purple marks ringed both of Caleb's wrists. A clear dressing covered the inside of his elbow. He pushed himself higher against the pillows, and the joke went out of his face. "They kept asking about martial arts," he said. "At intake, and again after the first infusion. Coaches, family, anybody." "What did you tell them?" "My grandfather did tai chi in the park. I only said it so they'd stop." "Did your treatment change?" His fingers closed on the blanket. "They brought…