At the bottom lay an old medical notebook.
Its leather cover was cracked, and the pages smelled of dust and smoke.
Gideon opened it to a page marked with a strip of cloth.
The handwriting was old-fashioned but clear.
Patient: Gideon Rook, age seven.
Severe inflammation of the right ear, followed by progressive hearing loss. Unusual tissue growth observed deep within the canal. Further examination recommended.
Below that was another entry, written months later.
The boy’s guardian refuses further treatment. Claims the condition is hereditary and that continued examination would be dangerous.
The doctor’s signature was not Silas Vane’s.
It belonged to a physician named Dr. Elias Mercer.
Rosalie turned several pages.
There were diagrams of the ear, notes about recurring infections, and references to a small metallic object that had apparently been discovered during an early examination.
The later pages were missing.
Rosalie looked at Gideon.
Who was your guardian?
