Chapter 6 - Two Months Earlier
“She knew?” I asked.
Grant looked confused. “Knew what?”
“The baby is a girl.”
He stared at me.
“We never told her.”
Priya glanced at the chart.
“The sex is documented in your anatomy scan.”
“Who can see that?”
“Anyone with legitimate chart access.”
Raymond’s answer came colder.
“And apparently at least one person without it.”
IT pulled the audit history.
My chart had been opened seventeen times by Caleb Morton over the previous ten weeks.
He had no clinical reason to access it once.
Seventeen times.
Grant started pacing.
“My mother wanted a granddaughter.”
I looked at him.
“What does that mean?”
He stopped.
His hesitation made my heart beat harder.
“Grant.”
“My grandfather’s trust.”
“What trust?”
He sat down slowly.
“The Hart family trust has a clause. It’s old and ridiculous. A portion transfers to the first female grandchild of my generation when she is born.”
“How much?”
He didn’t answer quickly enough.
“How much, Grant?”
“About forty million dollars.”
For one second, even the monitor seemed quiet.
I laughed once, but there was no humor in it.
“So your mother has been calling my unborn daughter ‘our little girl’ while planning to have me declared unstable.”
“That doesn’t mean she was planning to take the trust.”
Raymond looked at him.
“Your wife has a forged psychiatric file, an altered medication order, and a guardianship plan naming your mother. At some point, denial becomes a decision.”
Grant closed his eyes.
I hated that Raymond was right.
Another contraction rolled through me.
Priya checked the monitor.
“Emily, they’re closer together.”
“Am I going into labor?”
“Not necessarily. But we need to reduce stress and keep watching you.”
A security officer appeared at the doorway.
“Mr. Cole, we found Caleb’s car.”
“Where?”
“In the employee garage.”
“So he didn’t leave?”
“No, sir.”
The officer held up a clear evidence bag.
Inside was a hospital access badge snapped cleanly in half.
“He used a service elevator after clocking out.”
Raymond’s eyes narrowed.
“Where does that elevator go?”
May you like
The officer swallowed.
“Laboratory storage, records archive… and the maternity operating floor.”
