CHAPTER 4 – THE MEDICINE THAT WASN'T MEDICINE
CHAPTER 4 – THE MEDICINE THAT WASN'T MEDICINE
Twenty minutes later, Room 1204 had become a crime scene.
Boston police officers sealed the hallway.
Hospital administrators arrived in suits over pajamas.
No one was allowed to leave.
Nathan never let go of Lily's hand.
For the first time in weeks...
She didn't pull away.
She held his fingers tightly.
As if finally believing he would stay.
Across the room, Detective Elena Brooks placed a clear evidence bag on the table.
Inside was a small amber medicine bottle taken from Victoria's purse.
The label matched Lily's prescription.
But Carmen frowned immediately.
"This bottle shouldn't be here."
The physician agreed.
"Lily's medication is dispensed only through the hospital pharmacy."
Nathan looked at Victoria.
"What is that?"
Victoria folded her arms.
"My vitamins."
Detective Brooks removed a pair of gloves.
"We'll let the lab decide."
Meanwhile another officer returned carrying Lily's medical chart.
"Detective."
"You should hear this."
The pharmacist had been called from home.
He looked exhausted.
He also looked frightened.
"I reviewed every medication order."
"And?"
"There were unauthorized dosage changes."
Nathan's heart pounded.
"By who?"
The pharmacist swallowed.
"Someone used Dr. Meyers' login credentials."
The doctor looked horrified.
"I never changed those doses."
The pharmacist nodded.
"I know."
"The login occurred..."
"...only when Dr. Meyers was attending surgery."
Detective Brooks looked toward Victoria.
"Did you ever have access to hospital computers?"
Victoria smiled.
"I barely know how they work."
Megan suddenly spoke.
"I've seen her."
Everyone turned.
"Twice."
"She used the nurses' station after bringing coffee."
The room became quiet.
Detective Brooks wrote something in her notebook.
Nathan looked at Lily.
"Sweetheart..."
"Did she ever give you medicine herself?"
Lily hesitated.
Then nodded.
Victoria interrupted immediately.
"Children imagine things."
Lily flinched.
Nathan squeezed her hand.
"You don't have to be afraid anymore."
Lily reached beneath her pillow.
She pulled out a folded napkin.
Inside were six tiny white pills.
"I didn't swallow them."
Nathan stared.
"You hid them?"
Lily nodded.
"She watched..."
"...until I opened my mouth."
"Then she'd leave."
"I spit them out."
Every adult in the room stopped breathing.
The detective carefully collected the pills.
"They'll go to the lab."
Victoria laughed.
"You have no proof those came from me."
Detective Brooks smiled for the first time.
"No."
"But fingerprints survive remarkably well."
Victoria's confidence cracked.
Just slightly.
Then another officer hurried into the room.
"Detective!"
"What is it?"
"We searched Ms. Hale's apartment."
"And?"
The officer handed over a folder.
"Financial records."
Nathan frowned.
Detective Brooks opened the file.
Her expression darkened.
"There are life insurance documents."
Nathan's blood ran cold.
"For who?"
The detective looked directly at him.
"You."
Silence.
Nathan whispered,
"I never signed..."
"You didn't."
The detective turned another page.
"The signature appears forged."
"And according to these papers..."
She paused.
"If you died..."
"...Victoria Hale would inherit nearly four hundred million dollars through trusts connected to your pending marriage."
Nathan looked at the woman he had planned to marry in six weeks.
Victoria slowly smiled.
Not because she had escaped.
Because she had realized something.
"You still don't understand."
Nathan frowned.
"What?"
Victoria leaned forward.
"This was never about your money."
Her eyes drifted toward Lily.
"It started..."
"...years before I ever met you."
Nathan felt a chill crawl down his spine.
Years before?
How could she possibly know his daughter before they met?
Lily suddenly buried her face against Nathan's chest.
May you like
Whispering just four terrified words.
"She knows my mommy."
