After they left, I didn’t cry. I went to the records department.
Being the Chief of Surgery has its perks. I pulled Bella Vance’s medical file from the system. As I scrolled through the data, my professional curiosity began to override my personal trauma.
Stage four renal failure. It was aggressive. But something was wrong. The labs showed high levels of certain synthetic stimulants.
I pulled up her history. Bella had been hospitalized three times in the last two years for “exhaustion.” Each time, the Vances had checked her out against medical advice.
I sat back, the blue light of the monitor reflecting in my glasses. I knew that pattern. It wasn’t just “stage four failure.” It was accelerated.
