Chapter 3: The First Girl
The hospital hallway smelled like antiseptic and wet wool.
Terrence ran past a row of vending machines, following the sound of Charlotte's crying.
“Where is she?””
A nurse pointed toward the pediatric treatment rooms.
“Resuscitation bay.””
Terrence stopped.
Through the glass, he could see doctors moving around Delilah's bed.
Charlotte stood against the wall, both hands over her ears.
Emily reached her first.
“Charlotte!””
The girl looked up.
For half a second, she seemed unsure.
Then she ran into her mother's arms.
“Mommy!””
Emily dropped to her knees and held her.
“I'm here.””
“Daddy hurt her.””
“I know.””
“He made her swallow something.””
“I know.””
“He said you'd be blamed.””
Emily closed her eyes.
Terrence watched the woman stiffen.
“You told her that?”” he asked.
Emily looked up.
“No.””
Charlotte pulled away.
“He did.””
Terrence crouched.
“Charlotte, I need you to stay with your mom for a minute.””
“But Delilah—”
“The doctors are helping her.””
“Will she die?””
Terrence couldn't lie.
“We're doing everything we can.””
Charlotte started crying again.
A nurse hurried out of the treatment room.
“Family?””
Emily stood.
“I'm her mother.””
“She's responding.””
Emily's knees nearly gave out.
“She's responding?””
“Yes. Her heart rhythm stabilized.””
Charlotte sobbed with relief.
Terrence exhaled.
But the doctor didn't look relieved.
He stepped into the hallway.
“Officer Callahan?””
“Yes.””
“I'm Dr. Harris.””
Terrence showed his badge.
“What happened?””
“We don't know yet. Her symptoms are consistent with some kind of ingestion, but we need toxicology.””
“Could the syringe have caused it?””
“The syringe?””
Terrence immediately regretted the question.
He didn't want to introduce evidence before proper processing.
“The child brought an empty oral syringe to the station.””
Dr. Harris frowned.
“Where is it?””
“With evidence.””
“Good. Don't let anyone touch it.””
Emily suddenly spoke.
“It's the same.””
Everyone looked at her.
“The syringe?””
“No.””
Her voice shook.
“The medicine.””
Terrence moved closer.
“What medicine did Douglas give Lily?””
Emily stared at the floor.
“I don't know its official name.””
“What did he call it?””
“NR-17.””
Terrence wrote it down.
“Was Lily seven?””
“She was six.””
“What happened after she took it?””
“She became sleepy.””
Terrence felt cold despite the hospital heat.
“Exactly like Delilah?””
Emily nodded.
“She complained of stomach pain first.””
“Then?””
“She vomited.””
“Then?””
“She couldn't stay awake.””
Terrence looked through the glass at Delilah.
“Why didn't you report Douglas?””
Emily laughed bitterly.
“I did.””
“When?””
“After Lily died.””
“What happened?””
“The police believed him.””
Terrence's jaw tightened.
“What did he tell them?””
“That I was unstable.””
Emily looked at him.
“That I was grieving. That I'd become obsessed with blaming him because I couldn't accept losing our daughter.””
“You're saying he convinced investigators you caused it?””
“He didn't just convince them.””
She lowered her voice.
“He showed them a prescription with my name on it.””
Terrence stopped writing.
“Your name?””
“He made it look like I had picked up the medicine.””
“Did you?””
“No.””
“Could he have used your medical account?””
“Yes.””
“Did you have access to his?””
“I was married to him.””
Emily rubbed her palms together.
“He controlled everything.””
Terrence thought of Charlotte hiding a syringe in her shoe.
Daddy checks our pockets.
He asked, “Why did you leave tonight?””
Emily looked toward the elevators.
“Because I found something.””
“What?””
“A box.””
“Where?””
“In Douglas's office.””
“What was inside?””
Emily hesitated.
“Photographs.””
“Of what?””
“Children.””
Terrence felt his pulse quicken.
“How many?””
“Twenty-three.””
Lena, who had followed them into the hallway, stared at her.
“Twenty-three children?””
Emily nodded.
“Some were patients.””
“Some?””
Emily's eyes filled.
“Some weren't.””
Terrence lowered his voice.
“Emily, what do you mean?””
She reached into her pocket.
Her fingers closed around something.
Then she pulled out a small flash drive.
“I copied his files.””
Terrence looked at it.
“What files?””
“Patient records. Prescription logs. Notes.””
“Where's the box?””
“I left it in his office.””
“Where is his office?””
“On the third floor of the Sinclair Medical Center.””
Lena took the drive carefully.
“You're coming with us.””
Emily looked through the glass at Delilah.
“I can't leave her.””
“You don't have to.””
A doctor called from inside.
“Mrs. Sinclair?””
Emily rushed toward the treatment room.
Terrence turned to Lena.
“We need a warrant.””
“For the medical center?””
“Yes.””
“And Douglas?””
“Find him.””
Lena nodded.
Then her phone rang.
She answered.
“Morales.””
Her face changed.
“What?””
She listened.
“Say that again.””
Terrence watched her.
Lena ended the call.
“Douglas isn't at his house.””
“Where is he?””
“We don't know.””
“Who called?””
“The medical center security chief.””
Terrence frowned.
“What did he want?””
“He says Douglas just entered his office.””
“That doesn't make sense.””
“He entered alone.””
“Then what?””
Lena's voice dropped.
“He locked the floor from the inside.””
Terrence looked at Emily.
She had heard.
Her face went pale.
“Why would he do that?””
Terrence already knew the answer.
“Because he knows we're coming.””
Emily shook her head.
“No.””
She grabbed Terrence's sleeve.
“He isn't protecting the files.””
Terrence looked at her.
“Then what is he protecting?””
Emily whispered:
“The children.””
At that exact moment, a hospital alarm began screaming.
Terrence turned toward Delilah's room.
The doctors were rushing again.
Charlotte was pounding on the glass.
“Mommy!””
Emily ran.
Terrence followed.
But before he reached the door, his phone vibrated.
A text message appeared from an unknown number.
*IF YOU WANT DELILAH TO LIVE, DON'T TAKE EMILY TO THE THIRD FLOOR.*
Terrence stared at the screen.
May you like
A second message arrived.
*YOUR SUSPECT ISN'T THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS ABOUT THE GIRLS.*
