Chapter 5: The Second Autopsy
Emily made a sound that wasn't quite a scream.
It was smaller.
More broken.
She grabbed the death certificate from Terrence.
“No.””
Her fingers shook so badly that the paper rattled.
“No, no, no.””
Terrence caught her shoulders.
“Emily. Look at me.””
She did.
“Is this child real?””
Emily nodded.
“Yes.””
“Who?””
“Anna Mercer.””
“Was she one of Douglas's patients?””
“Yes.””
“When did she die?””
“She didn't.””
Terrence's eyes moved to the document.
“Then why is there a death certificate?””
“I don't know.””
Lena stepped toward the computer.
“Terrence.””
He turned.
“There's a live camera feed.””
The screen showed a hospital room.
A little girl lay asleep beneath a white blanket.
An IV ran into her arm.
A digital clock in the corner read *8:06 p.m.*
Terrence stared.
“That's Anna.””
Emily nodded.
“She was admitted this afternoon.””
Lena's face hardened.
“Someone is planning to kill her.””
Terrence grabbed the radio.
“Dispatch, we have an immediate threat to a pediatric patient at—”
The radio went dead.
He tried again.
Nothing.
“Jammed,” Lena said.
“Of course.””
Emily looked around.
“Douglas did this.””
Terrence stared at the photographs.
“No.””
She looked at him.
“He didn't do it alone.””
Terrence pointed toward the signature on the document.
“Someone wants us to think this is Douglas.””
Emily shook her head.
“That's his signature.””
“Is it?””
“Yes.””
“Then why would he leave evidence behind?””
“Because he wants us to find it.””
A sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Terrence raised his weapon.
“Stay back.””
The footsteps stopped.
A man's voice called from outside.
“Officer Callahan?””
Terrence recognized it.
“Dr. Bell?””
Marcus Bell appeared in the doorway.
His suit was soaked from the rain.
He held both hands up.
“I didn't know where else to go.””
Terrence kept his weapon trained on him.
“Step inside.””
Bell obeyed.
Lena closed the door.
“Where have you been?””
“Hiding.””
“From Douglas?””
Bell nodded.
“Why?””
“Because I finally understood what he was doing.””
Terrence stared at him.
“What is he doing?””
Bell looked at the wall.
At the children.
“I thought it was research.””
Emily stepped forward.
“You signed Lily's death certificate.””
Bell looked at her.
“I know.””
“You lied.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Bell's face crumpled.
“Because Douglas had proof that I had altered patient records.””
Terrence lowered his weapon slightly.
“Altered them how?””
Bell swallowed.
“We changed doses.””
“For what purpose?””
“To measure response.””
Emily's voice became almost inaudible.
“You experimented on children.””
Bell closed his eyes.
“Yes.””
The room seemed to shrink.
Terrence stepped closer.
“How many?””
“Twenty-three.””
“The photographs.””
“Yes.””
“Why twins?””
Bell looked at Charlotte's picture.
“Because Douglas believed identical genetics would give him cleaner data.””
Emily stepped backward.
“No.””
Bell nodded.
“He wanted one twin as the treated subject and the other as the control.””
Terrence stared at the photographs.
“But both girls received doses.””
Bell's eyes filled with fear.
“That was Douglas's mistake.””
“What mistake?””
“He stopped following the protocol.””
“Why?””
“Because Delilah wasn't responding the way he expected.””
Emily whispered, “What was he expecting?””
Bell looked at her.
“He thought the medication would suppress the body's inflammatory response.””
“And instead?””
“It destabilized glucose regulation.””
Terrence remembered the doctor's warning.
Severely abnormal blood sugar.
“Could it kill her?””
“Yes.””
Emily grabbed Bell by his lapel.
“You knew?””
“I tried to stop him.””
“When?””
“After Lily.””
Emily shoved him away.
“You let him do it again.””
Bell stumbled backward.
“I was afraid.””
“So was I.””
Emily's voice cracked.
“But I still ran.””
Bell looked at her.
“What?””
“I ran tonight.””
She pointed at herself.
“I took the files and ran.””
Bell's face changed.
“You have the drive?””
“Yes.””
He stared at it.
“You shouldn't have brought that here.””
Terrence's phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
*HE'S LYING.*
Terrence looked at Bell.
Another message arrived.
*ASK HIM WHO ADMINISTERED LILY'S FINAL DOSE.*
Terrence raised his eyes.
“Who administered Lily's final dose?””
Bell went pale.
“Douglas.””
The phone vibrated again.
*ASK AGAIN.*
Terrence's voice hardened.
“Who administered Lily's final dose?””
Bell looked at Emily.
Then at the floor.
“I did.””
Emily stared at him.
“You?””
“I was there.””
“You gave her the medicine?””
Bell's eyes filled.
“Douglas ordered me to.””
Emily slapped him.
The sound cracked through the office.
Bell didn't react.
“He told me it was a controlled dose.””
“You watched her die.””
“Yes.””
“And you did nothing.””
“I called an ambulance.””
“After how long?””
Bell said nothing.
Terrence understood.
“How long?””
“Twenty minutes.””
Emily's face went white.
“Twenty minutes?””
“She was unconscious.””
“You waited twenty minutes?””
“Douglas told me she would recover.””
Emily backed away.
Bell whispered, “I was wrong.””
The computer suddenly made a noise.
The live camera feed changed.
The hospital room was empty.
The bed was still there.
But Anna was gone.
Terrence rushed to the screen.
“Where is she?””
Bell shook his head.
“I don't know.””
The office phone rang.
Everyone froze.
Terrence picked it up.
“Callahan.””
A child's voice whispered through the receiver.
“Officer?””
Terrence's heart stopped.
“Who is this?””
“My name is Anna.””
Emily covered her mouth.
Terrence motioned for Lena to stay silent.
“Anna, where are you?””
“I don't know.””
“Can you see anything?””
“It's dark.””
“Are you hurt?””
“No.””
“Do you hear anyone?””
A pause.
Then a man's voice sounded faintly in the background.
“Give me the phone.””
Anna began crying.
“Officer, please.””
Terrence gripped the receiver.
“Anna, listen to me. Stay where you are.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because Daddy said—”
The phone suddenly went silent.
Terrence stared at it.
Bell whispered, “Douglas has her.””
“No.””
Terrence looked at him.
“Why did you say Daddy?””
Bell's face drained of color.
He looked at Emily.
Then at the photograph of Anna.
“I never told you her father's name.””
Terrence's eyes narrowed.
“You knew.””
Bell stepped backward.
“I knew the family.””
“You knew her father.””
“Yes.””
“Who is he?””
Bell hesitated.
Then the office lights went out.
In the darkness, Emily screamed.
Something crashed against the door.
Lena shouted, “Move!””
Terrence grabbed Emily and pulled her behind the desk.
A gunshot exploded through the wall.
Bell dropped to the floor.
The emergency lights flickered red.
Terrence crawled toward the doorway.
“Police! Drop your weapon!””
No answer.
Another shot.
Glass shattered.
Then footsteps thundered down the corridor.
Lena moved toward the hall.
Terrence stopped her.
“Wait.””
“What?””
He pointed at Bell.
The doctor was lying motionless.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Emily gasped.
“Is he dead?””
Terrence checked his pulse.
“Barely.””
Bell's eyes opened.
His lips moved.
Terrence leaned closer.
“What?””
Bell whispered two words.
“Not Douglas.””
Then his eyes closed again.
Terrence looked toward the dark hallway.
A figure had stopped at the far end.
Tall.
Still.
Watching them.
The emergency light illuminated only half his face.
Terrence raised his weapon.
“Show me your hands!””
The figure smiled.
Then a familiar voice answered.
“You should have locked the station doors, Officer.””
Douglas Sinclair stepped into the red light.
And in his hand was a photograph of Charlotte.
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On the back, written in black ink, were four words:
*SHE WAS NEVER THE CONTROL.*
