Chapter 6 - The Hidden Drive

Margaret refused to open the flash drive on a hospital computer.

A digital forensics team collected it and created an exact copy.

The original was placed in a tamper-proof evidence container.

For six hours, the specialists worked behind closed doors.

The drive was encrypted.

The password required a physical security key registered to Keller Medical’s regulatory department.

Vanessa’s surrendered laptop contained the matching key.

By midnight, the files opened.

There were thousands of documents.

Internal emails.

Shipping manifests.

Manufacturing reports.

Private recordings of executive meetings.

Grant had apparently copied everything before removing Vanessa from several financial discussions.

He must have hidden the drive in my coat before visiting the hospital, intending to retrieve it later.

He had chosen the coat because he believed no one would look inside something belonging to the wife he planned to discard.

One recording changed the investigation.

Grant’s voice filled the conference room where Margaret, Grandfather, and I listened.

“We can’t destroy the expired inventory without reporting a seven-million-dollar loss.”

A man named Calvin Ross answered him.

Calvin was the chief financial officer of Beacon Crest Health Network.

He had worked for my grandfather for sixteen years.

“Then change the dates and move the product through our smaller facilities.”

My grandfather’s face went still.

Grant spoke again.

“What if someone notices?”

Calvin laughed.

“I control the internal reporting system.”

Another voice joined them.

Vanessa.

“I can classify failures as installation errors.”

Grant asked the question that made my blood run cold.

“What about the NICUs?”

Calvin answered without hesitation.

“Premature infants already have unstable numbers.”

No one spoke after the recording ended.

My grandfather removed his glasses.

Calvin had attended family holidays.

He had sent flowers when my grandmother died.

He had stood beside Grandfather during hospital openings and charity galas.

Grandfather looked older than he had that morning.

“Margaret, suspend him.”

Margaret was already typing.

“His access is being terminated now.”

The hospital network’s security director appeared on the video screen.

“Mr. Hawthorne, we have a problem.”

“What happened?”

“Calvin Ross left headquarters twenty minutes ago.”

“Find him.”

“We are trying.”

The director paused.

“He accessed the neonatal transfer system before leaving.”

I looked through the window at my twins.

“What does that mean?”

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The director’s expression tightened.

“He created an emergency transfer order for Noah and Elise.”