Chapter 5

Alastair Sinclair, the hospital's chief administrator, wiped his sweaty forehead with a silk handkerchief for the third time in two minutes. He pushed open the frosted glass door of the VIP lounge, his knees feeling like jelly.

Devin Ayers was sitting on a single sofa, an island of cold fury in the center of the room. He was scrolling through his iPad, not bothering to look up as Alastair approached.

"Mr. Ayers," Alastair began, his voice trembling slightly. "Regarding last night's incident... the Medical Board has reviewed the case. They believe it was a tragic error caused by fatigue. Dr. Dillon has been under a lot of stress..."

Devin didn't look up. He just turned a page on his screen. "A tragic error that nearly stopped my ward's heart?"

Alastair swallowed hard. He had to play his trump card. He straightened his tie and forced a confident smile. "Mr. Ayers, Dr. Dillon is engaged to Sterling Coleman. She is practically family. I'm sure we can resolve this quietly, for the sake of the Coleman family name."

Devin finally looked up. His eyes were devoid of any warmth. A sneer curled his lip.

In the bedroom, Kenzie was lying in her crib, listening through the slightly ajar door. She couldn't help but snicker internally. "This old fool has no idea he's talking to the actual head of the Coleman family. He's trying to name-drop you to your face."

Devin heard the thought. The sneer turned into a genuine, chilling smile. He leaned back, crossing his arms. "The Coleman family name? Is that supposed to impress me?"

Alastair blinked, confused by the reaction. "Well, I just thought-"

The door opened. Miles walked in, holding a black, encrypted folder. He ignored the administrator entirely, walking straight to Devin. "Sir. The security footage has been recovered, and the background check is complete."

Devin took the folder. He pulled out a stack of glossy photographs and, with a flick of his wrist, threw them into Alastair's face. The sharp edges scraped against the older man's cheek.

Alastair scrambled to catch them. He looked down at the photos. His blood ran cold. They were surveillance shots of Desiree in a dimly lit underground casino, handing over cash to a man with a scarred face. Other photos showed her buying small amber vials from a street dealer.

"Medical error?" Devin asked softly. He placed his iPad on the coffee table and hit play.

The screen filled with the high-definition footage from the ER. It was zoomed in, slow-motion. It clearly showed Desiree slipping the correct vial of medication into her right pocket and pulling the amber vial from her left. It showed the deliberate, calculated movement of her thumb on the syringe, pushing the plunger far past the safe limit.

There was no fatigue. There was no mistake. It was cold-blooded, premeditated attempted murder.

Alastair dropped to his knees. The carpet absorbed the impact, but the thud of his pride hitting the floor was audible. "Mr. Ayers... I didn't know..."

"The Diazepam in that syringe was concentrated enough to kill a grown man," Devin said, his voice dropping to a lethal whisper. "She was going to make it look like Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. And you were going to help her cover it up."

"No! Never!" Alastair cried, tears streaming down his face. "I swear! I was just trying to protect the hospital's reputation!"

"You were protecting a murderer," Devin stood up, towering over the cowering man. "Fire her. I want her face on every disciplinary board in the country. I want her license revoked by noon. Or I will buy this hospital tomorrow and turn it into a parking garage, and you will be the first one I evict."

"I'll do it!" Alastair scrambled to his feet, nodding frantically. "I'll draft the termination and the public report right now!" He ran out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Miles stepped forward, handing Devin another document. "Sir, we confirmed it. Her degree is forged. She paid off the admissions dean."

Devin took the paper. "Send it to the Coleman family lawyers," Devin ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument. "Instruct them to forward it to Sterling as an urgent due diligence report. And attach a message from me: Devin Ayers requested this report. Review it before you do anything foolish."

Kenzie, listening from the other room, felt a surge of satisfaction. "Smart move," she thought. "Let the brother do the dirty work. It'll hurt more coming from him."

Devin walked into the bedroom. He looked down at Kenzie, who was staring up at him with wide, innocent eyes. He reached out and poked her soft cheek with one finger.

"Bad guys gone," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "Happy now?"

Kenzie wrinkled her nose and turned her head away from his finger. "Stop poking me," she thought irritably. "I'm not a toy. Personal space!"

Devin let out a low chuckle. The sound was rusty, as if he hadn't made it in a long time.

Just then, his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen. The name flashing on it was "Sterling."

Devin's smile vanished. He answered the call, his face hardening. "Hello, Sterling."