Chapter 3 - The Batch Number

Hospital security sealed the discarded sensor in an evidence bag.

Margaret immediately called the network’s chief compliance officer.

Within twenty minutes, every Keller Medical product in Beacon Crest facilities was placed under emergency quarantine.

Grant paced beside the nurses’ station.

“You’re overreacting.”

Grandfather did not look at him.

“A premature infant nearly lost oxygen because of a device carrying your company’s name.”

“There are manufacturing defects in every industry.”

“Not at the rate indicated by the records I’m seeing.”

Margaret turned her tablet toward us.

Three incident reports had been filed during the previous month.

A pressure valve had failed in Denver.

A neonatal monitor cable had malfunctioned in Atlanta.

An oxygen sensor had produced false readings in Baltimore.

All three products belonged to the same manufacturing batch used for Elise.

My stomach tightened.

“Were the hospitals notified?”

“The reports were categorized as user error.”

“By whom?”

Margaret enlarged the approval signature.

Vanessa Cole.

Vanessa stepped backward.

“I relied on information from the engineering department.”

Margaret studied her.

“Then you will have no objection to surrendering your company phone and laptop.”

“I do object.”

“Why?”

“Because they contain private medical information.”

Grant grabbed Vanessa’s hand.

“We’re leaving.”

One of the security officers blocked the corridor.

“You are free to leave the hospital.”

He nodded toward the devices in Vanessa’s handbag.

“Company equipment connected to an active patient-safety investigation must remain.”

Grant’s jaw clenched.

“You can’t search her property without a warrant.”

“We are not searching it.”

Margaret held out a clear evidence pouch.

“We are requesting the return of assets owned by a company currently controlled by Emma’s trust.”

Vanessa looked toward Grant.

For the first time, he did not know what to tell her.

She slowly removed the phone.

Then the laptop.

Before placing the phone in the pouch, she pressed her thumb against the screen.

A notification appeared.

I saw only part of the message.

Destroy Dock Four manifests before Hawthorne audit.

Vanessa locked the screen.

Margaret had seen it too.

“Who sent that message?”

“No one.”

“It came from Grant’s private number.”

Grant’s eyes shifted toward the emergency exit.

Grandfather raised two fingers.

The security officers closed the corridor doors.

Margaret handed the evidence pouch to the compliance officer.

“Preserve all messages immediately.”

Grant glared at me.

“You’re going to regret turning this into a war.”

I looked through the glass at Elise.

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Her tiny chest rose beneath a web of wires.

“You started the war when you decided her life was worth less than your reputation.”