Chapter 2 - CODE M-17
The door burst open thirty seconds later.
Two security officers entered.
Behind them stood the woman in blue scrubs.
She pointed directly at Luka.
“That man has no relationship to the patient.”
Luka remained perfectly calm.
“She’s right.”
I stared at him.
One officer frowned.
“Then you need to leave.”
“No.”
Luka pulled out his phone.
“I need Detective Aaron Price from Major Crimes.”
The woman went pale.
That was the first moment I understood Luka wasn't bluffing.
The larger security officer reached for him.
Luka raised one finger.
“You touch me before Detective Price gets here, and this hospital will spend the next decade explaining why it deleted the medical records of seventeen pregnant women.”
Silence.
The woman in scrubs ran.
Luka pointed.
“Stop her.”
Nobody moved.
She vanished around the corner.
“Damn it.”
Luka went after her.
I was alone again.
Emma cried against my chest.
I looked down at the flash drive in my hand.
Then I heard footsteps.
Daniel entered.
My husband.
Except something about him had changed.
His mistress wasn't with him anymore.
His face was gray.
“Claire.”
I couldn't believe he had come back.
“Get out.”
“Listen to me.”
“You walked out on your daughter.”
“I made a mistake.”
“A mistake?”
My voice cracked.
“You brought another woman to the hospital while I was bleeding in a bed after delivering your child.”
Daniel looked toward the hallway.
“Where is Moretti?”
I froze.
“You know him?”
Daniel's expression answered before his mouth did.
I felt sick.
“How do you know Luka?”
“Claire, give me whatever he gave you.”
My fingers closed around the flash drive beneath the blanket.
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
Daniel moved closer.
“Don't lie to me.”
Emma started crying again.
“Stay away from us.”
“Give it to me.”
He grabbed my wrist.
Pain shot through my IV.
I screamed.
Then Daniel flew backward.
Luka had returned.
He slammed Daniel against the wall so hard the framed hospital notice fell crooked.
“You touch her again,” Luka said, “and I'll forget we're in a building full of witnesses.”
Daniel stared at him.
“You don't know what you're doing.”
Luka almost laughed.
“I know exactly what I'm doing.”
Daniel's eyes flicked toward me.
“Claire, he isn't protecting you.”
“Neither did you.”
“You don't understand.”
“Then explain.”
Daniel said nothing.
Luka released him.
“Tell her about M-17.”
Daniel stopped breathing.
I saw it.
Luka saw it too.
“What is M-17?” I asked.
Daniel backed toward the door.
“Nothing.”
Luka's voice followed him.
“You had her medical records accessed eleven times during the pregnancy.”
Daniel turned.
“You've been watching me?”
“For six months.”
Daniel's face twisted.
“Then you know what happens if that file gets opened.”
Luka stepped forward.
“I know what happens to you.”
Daniel laughed nervously.
“No.”
He looked at me.
“You still don't understand.”
Then he said something that made Luka go completely still.
“If Claire opens M-17, she doesn't just lose me.”
May you like
Daniel pointed toward Emma.
“She loses that baby.”
