Chapter 2 - THE GENETIC LIE
Emily heard only one word.
Cover-up.
Not murder.
Not accident.
Not mistake.
Cover-up.
Detective Hale let her cry before continuing.
Detective Nora Bell pushed tissues closer.
Emily ignored them.
“What did Celia put in his IV?”
“We’re not going to speculate before the medical review is complete.”
“You showed me the video.”
“Yes.”
“So you know.”
“We know she administered something that was not documented in Liam’s chart.”
Emily stared at Hale.
“Then arrest her.”
“She’s already under investigation.”
“Daniel?”
“Also.”
Emily laughed once.
It sounded dangerous.
Then Hale asked a question she hated.
“Do you remember your prenatal genetic screening?”
“Yes.”
A harmless variant had appeared on one panel and was not considered diagnostic.
Daniel became obsessed with it after Liam was born prematurely.
“He kept asking if it could affect the baby,” Emily said.
“Who told him it could?”
“Celia.”
Hale exchanged a glance with Bell.
Then he showed Emily a message.
Daniel to Celia, six years earlier:
Can Emily’s variant explain neonatal metabolic collapse?
Celia:
In theory, but not from what we have.
Daniel:
Would anyone challenge it?
Celia:
Not if the chart supports it.
Emily covered her mouth.
“What chart?”
Hale opened Liam’s medical record.
Several lab values had been entered manually rather than imported from the analyzer.
A forensic review found that two values were inconsistent with the machine’s archived output.
Altered.
Emily felt the room tilt.
“They changed his bloodwork.”
“We believe someone changed parts of the record.”
“Celia.”
“Likely.”
“And Daniel?”
“We don’t yet know whether he touched the chart.”
Emily stood.
“I need air.”
Hale stopped the video.
Then said:
“Before you leave, there’s one thing you should know.”
Emily looked at him.
“This investigation did not begin because we found the footage.”
“Then how?”
“Dr. Rowan came to us.”
Emily stared.
“Celia confessed?”
“Partly.”
“Why now?”
Hale paused.
“She has terminal cancer.”
Emily felt no sympathy.
None.
Then Hale added:
“And she says Daniel was the person who insisted your son’s death had to look genetic.”
Emily’s anger changed direction.
May you like
Not smaller.
Sharper.
