Chapter 17 - The Fall Girl
The lie fit Hannah's record: a disciplinary note, conflicts with physicians, Ethan's medical bills, and direct access to Nicholas's medication.
If Nicholas died from a medication error, investigators would find an exhausted nurse with motive and opportunity.
"The insurance coverage for Ethan," Hannah said. "That was bait."
Claire nodded.
"Price arranged the agency contract."
Hannah sat down because her knees stopped cooperating.
The job she had thanked God for had been designed to destroy her.
Nicholas's expression became frighteningly calm.
"Where is Price?"
Vincent already had men watching his home.
Too late.
Price had fled after burning documents and emptying his safe, but his office printer retained a digital queue. A technician recovered his final document.
A death certificate draft.
NICHOLAS ANTHONY VALENTI.
Cause: complications following spinal trauma and medication interaction.
Attending physician: Adrian Feldman.
Reporting nurse: Hannah Reed.
Date of death: blank.
Hannah stared at her own name.
"They wrote the ending before it happened."
Nicholas reached across the table and took her hand.
"It didn't happen."
"Because I found the pills."
"Because you did your job when everyone else wanted convenience."
Walter entered with news.
Federal agents had picked up Price at O'Hare using another name.
Feldman had requested a deal.
Carlo was refusing to speak.
The conspiracy was collapsing.
Then Vincent handed Nicholas a second recovered file.
It came from Price's printer history.
A guardianship petition for Ethan Reed.
Hannah's face went white.
If she had been arrested after Nicholas's death, the petition would have transferred temporary guardianship of Ethan to a charitable medical foundation.
The foundation was controlled by Leonard Price.
They had not only planned to frame Hannah.
They had planned to take her brother too.
Ethan looked up from the doorway.
"Hannah?"
May you like
She turned.
He had heard everything.
