Chapter 3 - Three Words at the HospitalEthan's body temperature was thirty-three degrees Celsius when the ambulance arrived at St. Catherine's.
Richard didn't understand the number.
He understood the doctor's face.
“Moderate hypothermia,” Dr. Kelly said. “Possibly approaching severe. We're warming him gradually. His heart rhythm is stable right now.”
“Right now?”
Richard hated those words.
Dr. Kelly spoke carefully.
“Cold exposure can cause complications. But he was found in time.”
Richard looked through the glass panel at his son.
Ethan looked impossibly small beneath the heated blankets.
Vanessa sat beside Richard in the waiting area.
Her hand rested on his knee.
“You saved him.”
Richard stared ahead.
“No.”
“What?”
“Maria found him.”
Vanessa's fingers tightened slightly.
“She put him there.”
Richard turned toward her.
“How do you know?”
Vanessa's expression hardened.
“Richard.”
“I'm asking.”
“We're doing this now?”
“You said you saw her.”
“I was panicking.”
“You said she locked him inside.”
“Because who else would?”
Richard stood.
Vanessa lowered her voice.
“She resents me.”
“This isn't about you.”
“It absolutely is.”
Vanessa followed him.
“You've ignored what I've been telling you for months. Maria undermines me constantly. She treats Ethan like he's hers. Every time I discipline him, she interferes.”
Richard stared.
“Discipline him?”
“You know what I mean.”
“No. Explain.”
Vanessa looked around at the nurses.
“Not here.”
Richard's smartphone buzzed.
Officer Harper.
He stepped aside to answer.
“Mr. Cole, we're processing the basement.”
“Did you arrest Maria?”
“Not yet.”
Richard didn't know whether he felt relief or anger.
“Why not?”
“The circumstances aren't clear.”
“You found the key in her laundry basket.”
“We did.”
“And?”
“And we also found what appears to be blood on the freezer latch.”
Richard looked toward Vanessa.
Her injured hand disappeared behind her back.
“Whose blood?”
“That's what we're determining.”
Richard said nothing.
Officer Harper continued.
“We need to establish who was in the house and when.”
“My wife was out.”
“Do you know that personally?”
Richard's throat tightened.
“She told me.”
“We'll be checking security footage.”
Richard looked toward the ceiling as if the hospital itself might have cameras watching him.
“You'll call me?”
“Yes.”
The line disconnected.
Vanessa approached.
“What did he say?”
“Nothing.”
“You're terrible at lying.”
“So are you.”
The words escaped before Richard could stop them.
Vanessa went pale.
“Excuse me?”
The door to Ethan's room opened.
A nurse appeared.
“Mr. Cole?”
Richard was beside her immediately.
“He's awake.”
Everything else disappeared.
Richard entered the room.
Ethan's eyes were open but unfocused.
“Hey, buddy.”
Richard sat beside him.
Ethan slowly turned his head.
“Dad?”
“I'm here.”
Richard squeezed his hand carefully.
“You scared me.”
Ethan's lips trembled.
“Maria…”
“She's okay.”
That wasn't entirely true.
But Richard couldn't tell his son that police were questioning her.
“Maria found you.”
Ethan blinked.
Then whispered, “She saved me.”
Richard closed his eyes.
Something sharp twisted in his chest.
He saw Maria staggering after his hand struck her.
He heard himself shouting.
You'll pay for this.
“Yeah,” he whispered. “She did.”
Ethan shifted.
Pain crossed his face.
“What happened?”
Richard leaned closer.
“How did you get inside the freezer?”
Ethan's breathing changed.
Faster.
“It's okay.”
“No.”
“What?”
Ethan looked toward the door.
Vanessa stood beyond the glass.
The moment Ethan saw her, his entire body stiffened.
The heart monitor began beeping faster.
Richard followed his gaze.
“Ethan?”
Vanessa smiled through the glass.
A sweet, worried smile.
Ethan grabbed Richard's wrist.
Hard.
“Dad.”
“What?”
“Don't let her in.”
Richard's stomach dropped.
“Who?”
Ethan's eyes remained fixed on Vanessa.
“Her.”
Richard slowly turned.
Vanessa must have realized something was wrong because her smile disappeared.
Richard moved closer to Ethan.
“What did Vanessa do?”
Ethan swallowed.
“She took it.”
“Took what?”
“My phone.”
Richard frowned.
“You don't have a phone.”
Ethan shook his head.
“Not mine.”
“What phone?”
Ethan's voice dropped to almost nothing.
“The red one.”
Richard stared at him.
“What red phone?”
Ethan's eyes began closing again.
“Vanessa's.”
May you like
Outside the room, Vanessa stepped backward.
Richard looked up just in time to see her turn and walk quickly down the corridor.
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