Chapter 2 - The Messages Cassandra Deleted
At 3:14 in the morning, the pediatric intensive care unit became so quiet that Naomi could hear the rain striking the windows three floors below.
She read the laboratory report again.
Varenol B detected. Estimated exposure: potentially toxic.
The experimental compound had never been approved for children.
It had never been approved for adults either.
Naomi lifted her eyes from the report and found Cassandra standing near the bathroom door, stabbing frantically at her phone screen.
“Put the phone down,” Naomi said.
Cassandra froze.
Elijah turned toward her.
“What are you deleting?”
“Nothing.”
“You’ve been deleting messages for the last minute.”
“I was contacting my attorney.”
“Then why are you deleting the conversation?”
Cassandra shoved the phone into her handbag.
“My child almost died, and both of you are treating me like a criminal.”
Naomi stepped between Cassandra and Toby’s bed.
“You told us he ate shrimp.”
“He did.”
“Toby said you gave him medicine.”
“He’s four years old. He’s confused.”
“The toxicology report supports his statement.”
Cassandra’s eyes darted toward the monitor above Toby’s bed.
His oxygen level had improved, but his heart rate remained irregular. Every few minutes, the rhythm shifted without warning.
Naomi had already contacted poison control and the state toxicologist. Neither had a treatment protocol for Varenol B because the available studies were confidential.
That meant the company owning the compound might possess information capable of saving Toby’s life.
It also meant the same company had concealed enough information that an emergency physician could not properly treat an exposed child.
“Elijah,” Naomi said, “what do you know about this drug?”
He stared at the report.
“Almost nothing.”
“You acquired the company.”
“Sherman Enterprises acquired Westbridge Therapeutics four months ago. I reviewed the financial projections, not individual compounds.”
“Who handled the scientific review?”
“My chief operating officer, Malcolm Voss.”
Cassandra looked down.
Naomi noticed.
“Does that name mean something to you?”
“No.”
“You reacted.”
“I’m terrified.”
Elijah held out his hand.
“Give me your phone.”
Cassandra laughed bitterly.
“You don’t own me.”
“No, but the device belongs to Sherman Enterprises. I gave it to you after you became a foundation consultant.”
Naomi’s expression sharpened.
“You work for the company?”
“It’s ceremonial,” Cassandra replied. “I attend charity events.”
“Then why were you carrying an experimental company drug?”
“I wasn’t.”
Naomi pointed toward the sealed bottle in Fiona’s evidence bag.
“It came from your purse.”
“That proves nothing. Naomi could have planted it.”
Fiona, the charge nurse, stared at her in disbelief.
“I removed it from your bag while you watched.”
“You’re her friend.”
“I’m Toby’s nurse.”
The hospital’s medical director, Dr. Paul Marlow, entered with two members of the legal department.
“We should calm down,” he said. “Mrs. Kelley is under tremendous stress.”
“She is interfering with a medical investigation,” Naomi replied.
“This is not a police matter yet.”
“A child was exposed to an unapproved compound.”
“Possibly by accident.”
“Then preserving evidence should not concern anyone.”
Dr. Marlow avoided her eyes.
Naomi understood immediately.
He had already spoken to Sherman Enterprises.
Elijah appeared to reach the same conclusion.
“Who called you?” he asked.
“No one.”
“Paul.”
The medical director straightened his tie.
“The hospital received a call from Sherman legal counsel. They advised that Varenol B is protected intellectual property.”
Naomi nearly laughed.
“Toby’s blood is not corporate property.”
“No one said it was.”
“You’re treating a nondisclosure agreement as if it outranks a child’s life.”
Dr. Marlow lowered his voice.
“There are relationships between this hospital and the Sherman Foundation that must be considered.”
Elijah stepped toward him.
“My son is not a relationship to be managed.”
The director’s face reddened.
“I am trying to protect the hospital.”
“Then protect the patient.”
Elijah turned back toward Cassandra.
“Give me the phone.”
When she refused again, Elijah removed his own device and called the company’s technology director.
“Lock Cassandra Kelley’s corporate account,” he ordered. “Preserve every cloud backup, message, photograph, and deleted file from the past ninety days.”
Cassandra’s face went pale.
“You have no right.”
“I have every right to preserve company records.”
“You’re doing this because Naomi wants revenge!”
Naomi did not respond.
The heart monitor suddenly sounded.
Toby’s rhythm accelerated.
His small body jerked as his breathing became shallow again.
Naomi moved instantly.
“Fiona, repeat the electrocardiogram. Gabriel, prepare magnesium and call respiratory therapy. Elijah, step outside.”
“I’m staying.”
“Then stand against the wall and do not interfere.”
For the next twenty minutes, the past disappeared.
Naomi adjusted Toby’s treatment while Fiona read the changing numbers aloud. They stabilized his heart rhythm, but the improvement was fragile.
When Toby finally opened his eyes, he looked around until he found Elijah.
“Daddy?”
Elijah rushed to the bedside and took his hand.
“I’m here.”
“Mommy said the sweet medicine would make me brave.”
Cassandra turned away.
Naomi leaned closer.
“How many times did she give it to you?”
Toby slowly raised four fingers.
“Four times tonight?”
He shook his head.
“Before sleep. Lots of nights.”
Elijah looked at Cassandra as if he no longer recognized her.
“You have been giving him this repeatedly?”
“It was a vitamin.”
“Who gave it to you?”
“I bought it online.”
“From whom?”
“I don’t remember.”
Toby’s eyelids fluttered.
“The tall man,” he whispered.
Naomi watched Cassandra.
“What tall man?”
Toby’s voice became faint.
“The man from Daddy’s office. He said Mommy had to write down if my tummy hurt.”
Elijah released his son’s hand and stepped backward.
“Malcolm.”
Cassandra said nothing.
A hospital security officer appeared in the doorway.
“Mrs. Kelley, we need you to remain here while the police are contacted.”
Cassandra suddenly reached for her purse.
The officer blocked her.
Elijah’s phone rang.
The technology director had completed the first recovery of Cassandra’s deleted messages.
Elijah opened the restored conversation.
The sender was saved only as M, but the corporate number belonged to Malcolm Voss.
The most recent message had been sent thirty-five minutes before Toby collapsed.
Increase tonight’s dose. Elijah signs the acquisition release tomorrow. We need final pediatric tolerance data before the board meeting.
Beneath it, Cassandra had replied:
He’s already coughing. What if something happens?
Malcolm’s answer consisted of one sentence.
Then blame the shrimp and let Naomi take the fall.
Elijah looked up slowly.
Naomi expected rage.
Instead, she saw something worse.
Recognition.
“What does he mean by letting Naomi take the fall?” Elijah asked.
Cassandra’s lips began to tremble.
Before she could answer, Dr. Marlow’s tablet sounded with an urgent laboratory alert.
Naomi took it from him.
A second report had arrived.
The Varenol B batch found in Toby’s blood had been registered under an internal trial authorization.
The listed supervising physician was Dr. Naomi Wheeler.
May you like
And the approval date was six months earlier—the same week Elijah had thrown her out of their home.
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