Chapter 2 - THE PATIENT WHO WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO LIVEThe next morning, Adrian's private office was filled with files.
Medical records.
Police reports.
Hospital incident logs.
Photographs.
Witness statements.
The faded bracelet sat in the center of the desk.
I stared at it.
“You kept that?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
He looked toward the window.
“Maybe because it was the first thing that proved someone had tried to save me.”
I looked at him.
“You were a criminal.”
“Perhaps.”
“That doesn't mean you deserved to die.”
His eyes met mine.
“Thank you.”
The words surprised me.
I smiled.
Then Daniel, Adrian's head of security, entered.
“We found the original emergency report.”
Adrian took it.
I stood beside him.
The first page was normal.
Patient unidentified.
Multiple penetrating injuries.
Emergency surgery.
Then I saw the handwritten notes.
I recognized them.
My handwriting.
Pressure maintained.
Pulse irregular.
Patient conscious intermittently.
Reacts to voice.
Possible internal bleeding.
I turned the page.
At the bottom was one line.
Patient asked if nurse Maya Whitmore would remain with him.
My chest tightened.
“I wrote this.”
Adrian looked at me.
“You remembered.”
“Not everything.”
“Keep reading.”
I did.
The next page had a signature.
Dr. Vanessa Hale.
Medication order.
Then another signature.
Mine.
I frowned.
“I didn't sign this.”
Adrian looked at me.
The dosage had been changed.
The medication had been doubled.
I stared.
“This could have killed him.”
“Yes.”
“I would never have ordered this.”
“I know.”
My voice shook.
“That's why my records were falsified.”
Adrian nodded.
“I think so.”
Daniel spoke.
“There’s more.”
He put another file on the desk.
A security report.
At 2:11 a.m. on October 17, six years ago, a man entered the emergency medication room.
Face covered.
Hospital scrubs.
Access badge belonging to Dr. Vanessa Hale.
I looked up.
“That's impossible.”
“Why?”
“She was never scheduled that night.”
Daniel nodded.
“She wasn't.”
Silence.
Adrian's voice hardened.
“Then how did her badge work?”
Daniel looked at him.
“Because she never deactivated it.”
I stared at the file.
Someone had used Vanessa's identity.
Or Vanessa had been there.
Adrian stood.
“Bring her in.”
Vanessa arrived at noon.
She entered wearing a cream suit.
Perfect hair.
Perfect makeup.
Perfect expression.
“Mr. Falcone.”
Adrian didn't invite her to sit.
She remained standing.
“You wanted to see me.”
“Yes.”
He pushed the medical report toward her.
She glanced at it.
Then looked at me.
“Maya.”
“Doctor.”
“I remember that night.”
My pulse jumped.
“Then explain the medication order.”
She frowned.
“What medication order?”
Adrian slid it closer.
“Your signature.”
Vanessa looked.
Her face changed.
“That isn't my signature.”
I spoke.
“You just said you remembered the night.”
“I remember the patient.”
“Which patient?”
She looked at Adrian.
“You.”
Silence.
“Then why did you tell me you weren't on duty?”
“I wasn't.”
“Your badge was used.”
“My badge was stolen.”
“When?”
“I don't remember.”
Adrian leaned back.
“You're lying.”
Vanessa stiffened.
“You have no right to accuse me.”
He smiled.
“Actually, Doctor, I have every right.”
She looked at me.
“This is because of her.”
My eyes narrowed.
“Because of me?”
“You've always wanted revenge.”
“Revenge for what?”
“For being ignored.”
I laughed.
“I don't care about you.”
That seemed to hurt her more than an insult.
Adrian stood.
“You have twenty-four hours to produce your original badge records.”
“What happens after twenty-four hours?”
He smiled.
“You'll find out.”
That evening, I returned to Hudson Crest for my shift.
My colleagues knew Adrian and I were married now.
The hallway felt different.
Whispers followed me.
Congratulations.
Questions.
Stares.
Some were happy for me.
Others wondered whether my promotion had been purchased.
I ignored them.
At 11:40 p.m., a trauma alert came through.
Young male.
Gunshot wound.
Unidentified.
I rushed into the bay.
Then stopped.
The patient had a tattoo on his wrist.
A black falcon.
One of Adrian's enemies.
A man from the old organization.
He looked at me.
Then whispered,
“Falcone knows.”
My blood ran cold.
“Knows what?”
“He shouldn't have married you.”
Then he lost consciousness.
I stood there.
The alarms screamed.
Doctors moved around me.
But the man's words remained.
He shouldn't have married you.
At home, Adrian was waiting.
I told him everything.
His expression went dark.
“Did he say anything else?”
“No.”
He walked toward the window.
“Someone is warning us.”
“Or threatening us.”
“Both.”
He turned.
“You're not working alone anymore.”
“I don't need a bodyguard.”
“You do.”
“Adrian.”
“No.”
He stepped closer.
“I have lost too many people to pride.”
His hand touched my cheek.
“I won't lose you.”
I softened.
“Then trust me to stay.”
He looked into my eyes.
“I do.”
“Good.”
“Which is why I'm telling you something.”
“What?”
May you like
He lowered his voice.
“Someone inside Hudson Crest is still working for my enemies.”
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