Chapter 3 - The Woman in Red.
.Victor closed the hospital room door behind him.
The gesture was quiet, but it changed the atmosphere immediately.
"Claire," he said, "this is not the time for theatrics."
Claire gave a short, humorless laugh.
"That is interesting coming from someone who walked in right after fourteen minutes of security footage vanished."
Victor looked at Evan instead of answering her.
"Your sister is vulnerable right now."
"I am aware of that," Evan said.
"Then let the medical team work."
Claire pointed toward the broken glass.
"Was that part of the medical team?"
Victor's jaw tightened.
"It was fruit punch from the gala downstairs."
Claire stared at him.
"How did you know where it came from?"
Silence followed.
Evan turned slowly toward Victor.
"I did not tell you that."
Victor glanced at the red liquid on the floor.
"It is obvious."
"No," Claire said.
"It is not."
Evan remembered that Claire had been at the hospital foundation gala before coming upstairs.
Victor had been there too.
So had half the hospital board.
Olivia had been scheduled to attend the same event before her sudden collapse that afternoon.
Victor shifted his attention to Noah.
"Officer Grant, please secure the room and have environmental services clean this up."
Noah did not move.
"Mr. Cross asked me to preserve the scene."
Victor's voice cooled.
"This is a hospital, not a police station."
"Then preserving a possible safety issue should not be controversial," Noah replied.
Claire looked at Evan.
"I need you to listen to me now."
Evan felt shame each time he looked at the mark on her cheek.
He also felt something worse.
Doubt.
"Talk."
Claire took a breath.
"Olivia called me at 7:42."
"She was unconscious by then."
"Not yet."
Evan's eyes narrowed.
Claire continued.
"She sounded weak, but she was awake."
"What did she say?"
"She told me not to trust the tray beside her bed."
Victor interrupted.
"That is absurd."
Claire ignored him.
"She said someone had brought her a drink and told her it was from you."
Evan's mouth went dry.
"I sent her nothing."
"I know."
Claire nodded toward the shattered glass.
"That was the drink."
Victor stepped forward.
"You are making a serious accusation based on a confused patient's statement."
Claire turned to him.
"Then you should want it tested."
Victor did not answer.
That silence spoke louder than Evan expected.
Noah crouched near the broken glass without touching it.
"There may be enough liquid left for a lab sample."
Victor's expression hardened.
"No unauthorized testing."
Evan looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because there are procedures."
"Then follow them."
Victor's gaze stayed on Evan.
"You are emotional."
Evan almost laughed at the irony.
"That did not answer my question."
Behind them, the patient monitor changed rhythm.
Everyone turned toward Olivia.
Her fingers moved beneath the blanket.
Claire rushed to the bedside.
Olivia's eyelids fluttered.
Her lips parted.
Evan leaned closer.
"Liv?"
Olivia barely managed a whisper.
"Red dress."
Evan looked at Claire.
Claire went pale.
Olivia opened her eyes for one second.
"Do not let her leave."
Outside the room, the gala music from two floors below drifted faintly through the ventilation system.
The cheerful melody felt almost insulting beside Olivia's silent bed.
Evan remembered how Victor had praised Olivia's integrity at last year's fundraiser.
May you like
Now the same man seemed more interested in controlling the story than finding the truth.
Then the monitor alarm sounded.
