Chapter 7 - The Fake Ambulance
Two men in navy uniforms had entered the maternity floor with a transfer order.
They claimed Sarah was being moved to a private cardiac facility at the family's request.
The charge nurse refused.
When hospital security asked for identification, both men left.
One was caught in the parking garage.
The other escaped.
Sarah watched the police interview the man through the glass wall of her room.
"This is insane," she whispered.
Ethan stood beside her bed.
"It's organized. That's worse."
The detained driver said he worked for a medical transport company called Meridian Patient Services.
The transfer had been booked four days earlier.
Before the balcony incident.
Before Sarah had any reason to need transport.
The booking contact was Preston Hale's office.
"They planned for something to happen," Sarah said.
Ethan nodded.
Then his phone buzzed.
Victor Dane had been found.
He was alive, hiding at a motel outside Fort Worth.
Detectives brought him in that afternoon.
Victor looked exhausted rather than dangerous.
"I disabled the cameras," he admitted.
Ethan's jaw tightened.
"Why?"
"Mrs. Vance told me there was a family meeting and she didn't want recordings leaked."
"And you believed that?"
"She had administrator authority."
"Why did you run?"
Victor looked toward the detective.
"Because after the ambulance left, Preston Hale called me and said Mrs. Vance had fallen and Sarah was accusing staff. He told me the police would need someone to blame for the cameras."
"So you ran."
"I panicked."
Sarah watched him carefully.
"Did you see Eleanor push me?"
Victor lowered his eyes.
"No."
Then he added, "But the cameras weren't the only recording system in the foyer."
Ethan leaned forward.
Victor swallowed.
"Your father's old security system had a backup microphone in the chandelier housing. No video. Audio only."
Arthur went still.
"I thought Robert removed that system."
"He removed the console," Victor said. "Not the recorder."
"Where is it?"
Victor looked directly at Ethan.
"Behind the west wall in your father's old office."
May you like
Then he said the words that changed everything.
"And if it's still running, it recorded the entire balcony."
