Chapter 5 - What Was in Sophia’s Blood
Evelyn felt the room narrow around her.
“What did they find?”
Adrien ended the call.
“A sedative.”
“What sedative?”
“Midazolam.”
Her stomach dropped.
“That could complicate neurological symptoms.”
“The doctor said the level was low.”
“But enough to matter.”
“Could it cause the stroke?”
“Not directly.”
“Then why give it to her?”
Evelyn already knew the answer she feared.
“To make people misunderstand what they were seeing.”
Adrien’s gaze sharpened.
“Explain.”
“If someone wanted Sophia to appear intoxicated, faint, confused, or sleepy, a sedative could delay recognition.”
“Delay treatment.”
“Yes.”
His jaw tightened.
“Someone tried to kill my sister.”
“We don’t know that.”
“They drugged her.”
“We know a drug was detected. We don’t know how it got there.”
Adrien looked toward the photograph of Daniel entering the restaurant.
“He brought a medical bag.”
“That’s suspicious.”
“It is enough for me.”
“Then it’s not enough.”
He looked at her.
“You’re defending him?”
“No. I’m defending facts.”
“My sister almost died.”
“And if you react before facts are clear, you could destroy evidence.”
Silence.
Adrien’s anger remained visible, but it changed direction.
“Fine.”
Evelyn exhaled.
“Thank you.”
“I hate when you’re reasonable.”
“You’ll survive.”
They returned to the hospital before sunrise.
Sophia was awake.
Weak.
Frightened.
But awake.
Her speech had improved.
The neurologist explained that the thrombectomy had restored blood flow quickly enough to limit damage.
Recovery would take time.
Physical therapy.
Speech therapy.
Monitoring.
But the prognosis was far better than Adrien had feared.
When Evelyn entered, Sophia started crying.
“Hey,” Evelyn said.
Sophia lifted her right hand.
Evelyn took it.
“You came.”
“I said you weren’t alone.”
Sophia’s speech was slow.
“You saved me.”
“The doctors did.”
“You saw it.”
“I saw signs.”
“My brother said everyone else was… being stupid.”
Adrien, standing near the window, said, “Accurate.”
Sophia smiled weakly.
Evelyn noticed facial movement improving.
Good.
Very good.
Then Sophia’s expression changed.
“The wine.”
Adrien moved closer.
“What?”
Sophia swallowed.
“My wine tasted strange.”
Evelyn’s pulse jumped.
“When?”
“Before dinner.”
“Which glass?”
“The first one.”
Adrien looked at her.
“You changed glasses.”
Sophia nodded.
“I thought… lipstick.”
She struggled for words.
Evelyn waited.
“Daniel brought it.”
The room went silent.
Adrien’s voice became dangerously soft.
“Daniel Vale?”
Sophia nodded.
“He said… special vintage.”
Evelyn sat beside the bed.
“Did you know him?”
“Met him twice.”
“Was he invited?”
Sophia looked at Adrien.
“No.”
Adrien’s face hardened.
“He came as Margaret’s guest.”
Sophia closed her eyes.
“She said he wanted to apologize.”
Evelyn’s heart stopped for a fraction of a second.
“To whom?”
Sophia looked at her.
“You.”
Adrien turned.
Evelyn stared.
“What?”
Sophia’s words came slowly.
“Margaret told me… a waitress working there used to be a nurse. Said Daniel had history with her. She joked about it.”
“What kind of joke?”
“That she wondered if you’d recognize him.”
Evelyn felt sick.
Margaret knew.
Daniel knew.
They knew Evelyn would be serving Adrien’s dinner.
This had not been coincidence.
Adrien stepped toward the door.
Evelyn grabbed his sleeve.
“Where are you going?”
“To find Daniel.”
“No.”
He looked down at her hand.
Then at her face.
“You cannot seriously expect me to sit here.”
“I expect you not to give him the chance to claim intimidation or destroy evidence.”
“He drugged Sophia.”
“We think he did.”
Sophia whispered, “Adrien.”
He looked at her.
“No killing.”
Evelyn blinked.
Adrien looked offended.
“I wasn’t going to kill anyone.”
Sophia stared.
He sighed.
“Fine.”
Even Evelyn smiled.
Only slightly.
Detective Harris arrived thirty minutes later.
By then, hospital toxicology had confirmed midazolam.
Security footage showed Daniel Vale entering the restaurant.
More footage showed him approaching the private bar before guests arrived.
One camera angle caught him placing something beside a bottle.
Not enough to prove contamination.
But enough to justify questioning.
Harris looked at Adrien.
“You do nothing.”
“I am sitting in a hospital.”
“You call no one.”
“I have called several people.”
“Call them back.”
“No.”
Harris rubbed his forehead.
Evelyn almost felt sorry for him.
Then Harris turned to her.
“Ms. Rhodes, we found something else.”
“What?”
“The threatening texts to Mr. Moretti were routed through a prepaid phone purchased yesterday.”
“By whom?”
“We’re checking.”
“But?”
“The store camera caught the buyer.”
He showed her a still image.
Gregory.
Evelyn stared.
“No.”
“He bought the phone.”
“He confessed to helping cover up my case. Why threaten me now?”
“We asked him.”
“And?”
“He says Margaret ordered him to buy it.”
“Did he send the messages?”
“He says no.”
Adrien said, “Convenient.”
Harris nodded.
“Very.”
“Do you believe him?” Evelyn asked.
“I believe parts of his story.”
“Which parts?”
“The parts supported by evidence.”
That was fair.
Evelyn looked back at Sophia.
“Gregory knew my mother’s address.”
“Yes.”
“He knew my history.”
“Yes.”
“He could have taken the old photograph.”
“Yes.”
“So he could be manipulating us.”
“Yes.”
Adrien crossed his arms.
“You liked him better when he implicated Margaret.”
“I like evidence.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because everyone around you seems allergic to it.”
Harris gave Evelyn a look that suggested approval.
Adrien ignored him.
By afternoon, the investigation widened.
St. Catherine Medical Center received subpoenas.
Old system backups were requested.
The state nursing board was notified that new evidence might affect Evelyn’s disciplinary record.
For the first time in four years, the official version of her downfall began to crack.
Evelyn should have felt relief.
Instead she felt terrified.
Hope was more dangerous than despair.
Despair asked nothing.
Hope could be taken away.
She stood alone near a hospital vending machine when Adrien approached.
“You haven’t eaten.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“That isn’t the same thing.”
“Are you always controlling?”
“Yes.”
“At least you know.”
He handed her a sandwich.
She accepted it.
“Thank you.”
He leaned against the wall.
“You were right.”
“About?”
“Waiting.”
“For evidence?”
“Yes.”
“That must have hurt.”
“Deeply.”
She laughed.
The sound surprised both of them.
Adrien looked at her.
“You should do that more.”
“What?”
“Laugh.”
“You should threaten people less.”
“I don’t threaten people.”
“You stare until they imagine threats.”
“That’s efficient.”
She shook her head.
For a few seconds, he was not Adrien Moretti, feared businessman with dangerous rumors attached to his name.
He was simply a brother who had nearly lost his sister.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“What?”
Evelyn stopped eating.
Adrien listened.
“Where?”
He straightened.
“I’m coming.”
He ended the call.
“What happened?”
“Harris found Daniel.”
“Good.”
“No.”
Adrien’s voice was cold.
“He found Daniel’s car abandoned near the East River.”
Evelyn’s stomach tightened.
“Was Daniel there?”
“No.”
“Then where is he?”
Adrien looked at her.
“Police don’t know.”
The elevator opened at the end of the hall.
Detective Harris stepped out.
He was carrying a clear evidence bag.
Inside it was a hospital ID badge.
Daniel Vale’s.
Harris approached.
“We found this inside the car.”
Evelyn looked closer.
Something had been written across the back in black marker.
Not Daniel’s name.
Hers.
EVELYN KNOWS WHAT REALLY HAPPENED.
Harris looked up.
“Ms. Rhodes, I need you to think very carefully.”
“About what?”
“Four years ago.”
“I’ve thought about nothing else for four years.”
“No.”
He held up the badge.
“Not the medication error.”
Evelyn frowned.
Harris continued.
“About the patient in Room 418.”
Her blood went cold.
“The patient survived.”
“Yes.”
“What about him?”
Harris opened a folder.
“His name wasn’t Thomas Becker.”
Evelyn stared.
“That was the name on the chart.”
“The chart was false.”
Adrien stepped closer.
“Who was he?”
Harris looked at Evelyn.
“We ran the original fingerprints from the ICU transfer.”
He paused.
May you like
“The man you treated four years ago was a federal witness.”
And someone had gone to extraordinary lengths to hide his real identity.
