Chapter 3 - Federal Liaison.
The first victory did not feel like a victory.
Gerard Pike suspended Emma's hold for immediate review.
The private security guard disappeared from the hallway.
The city officers remained nearby.
Yet Emma refused to leave the bed.
Claire understood why.
Freedom written on a form did not erase twelve hours of being told that your own memory could not be trusted.
Lieutenant Commander Reyes pulled a chair beside the bed.
"Emma, I need you to tell me what happened from the engagement dinner forward."
Emma glanced at Adrian.
"I don't want him here."
Adrian went white.
Eleanor objected.
"He is her fiancé."
"Not right now."
Emma's voice was quiet.
Adrian walked out without arguing.
Eleanor started after him.
Reyes stopped her.
"I'd like you to remain available."
"I am not under arrest."
"No one said you were."
Eleanor lifted her chin.
"Then I will leave."
Claire finally looked at the burgundy handbag.
"You can."
Eleanor's fingers tightened around the handle.
"But the police may ask you not to go far."
That was enough to wipe the smile from her face.
After Eleanor left, Emma began.
The engagement dinner had been held at the Vale family home.
There were twelve guests, a private chef, and a table decorated with white roses.
Eleanor had made a toast about "joining two legacies."
Emma had thought it sounded theatrical.
Then Adrian gave her a folder.
He said the papers were routine planning documents needed before the wedding.
Emma had begun reading.
On page nine, she found language granting Eleanor temporary proxy rights over the Bennett shares during any period in which Emma was "medically unable to make reasoned decisions."
She asked why a marriage document mentioned her medical capacity.
Eleanor took the folder away.
An argument followed.
Emma tried to call Claire.
Her phone was missing.
She accused Eleanor of taking it.
Adrian asked everyone to calm down.
Then Emma felt dizzy.
"The room moved."
Emma rubbed her hands together.
"I thought I was going to faint."
She woke in an ambulance.
A paramedic told her she had collapsed after a panic episode.
At Mercy General, Dr. Nathan Mercer asked whether she had thoughts of harming herself.
Emma said no.
He asked whether she felt safe with the Vales.
Emma said no.
That answer somehow became evidence that she was paranoid.
Claire's jaw tightened.
"Did you receive medication?"
"I don't know."
Emma looked at Reyes.
"They put something in my IV after I said I wanted to call my mother."
Reyes made a note.
"Do you remember consenting?"
"No."
"Do you remember signing anything?"
"No."
"Do you remember Adrian being in the room?"
Emma stared at the blanket.
"He came in once."
Claire waited.
"He told me to stop fighting them."
A tear slid down Emma's cheek.
"He said if I just signed, we could go home."
Claire felt anger rise, but she kept it out of her voice.
"What did you say?"
"I told him we were done."
The door opened.
A nurse in gray scrubs stood there.
Her badge read MARA CHEN.
She looked over her shoulder before entering.
"I know I'm not supposed to interrupt."
Pike appeared behind her.
"Nurse Chen."
She ignored him.
She placed a folded piece of paper on the bedside table.
"I copied this before the chart changed."
Reyes unfolded it.
It was a medication administration record.
One entry had been crossed out.
The original time was still visible.
The medication had been administered forty minutes before Emma's supposed signature.
Reyes looked at Pike.
"Your electronic chart doesn't show this dose."
Mara nodded.
"It did last night."
Pike's face changed.
Claire felt the room become colder.
"Who changed it?"
Mara looked at the administrator.
Then toward the door Eleanor had used.
"I don't know."
May you like
She swallowed.
"But someone with executive access did."
