Chapter 2 - THE TOXICOLOGY REPORTI called Dr. Patel immediately.
Not Daniel.
Not my sister.
Not police.
Her.
She answered on the second ring.
“Claire?”
“What sedative?”
Silence.
“You called Daniel before you told me.”
“I was on my way back to your room.”
“What was in my blood?”
She paused.
“A benzodiazepine-class medication.”
“I don’t take benzodiazepines.”
“I know.”
“Could the hospital have given it?”
“Your admission blood sample was taken before any sedating medication was administered here.”
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“How much?”
“We need toxicology to interpret the concentration in context.”
“Enough to make me fall?”
“It could impair balance, reaction time, coordination, and judgment.”
“Could it cause the placental abruption?”
“The fall caused significant trauma. The medication may be relevant to why you fell. I cannot tell you it directly caused the pregnancy loss.”
Good medicine.
Horrible sentence.
“Why Detective Harris?”
“Because you are pregnant—were pregnant—and presented after a serious unexplained fall with a prescription-class sedative you deny taking. Combined with what you told the emergency physician about your mother-in-law being present, the hospital initiated a safety referral.”
“What did I tell them?”
“You apparently said, ‘She watched me.’”
I had no memory of that.
“Did I say Evelyn pushed me?”
“No.”
“Did I say anyone pushed me?”
“No.”
Important.
I closed my eyes.
“I need you to preserve my blood sample.”
“We already are.”
“Everything.”
“Yes.”
“Dr. Patel?”
“Yes?”
“My husband is at home with another woman.”
A long pause.
“Do you feel safe returning there?”
May you like
“No.”
First clean answer of the night.
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