Chapter 2 - No Accident
The ambulance cut through the rain with Daniel sitting beside Lily's stretcher, holding two of her fingers because he was afraid to let go of more.
Rachel sat across from him, bloodless and silent.
"She's breathing," the paramedic said. "Stay with me, Dad."
Daniel nodded, but his eyes kept returning to the small oxygen mask over Lily's face.
At St. Matthew's, doctors rushed Lily through double doors. Rachel tried to follow until a nurse stopped her.
"We need room to work."
"That's my baby."
"I know."
Daniel wrapped both arms around Rachel as her knees gave out.
Twenty minutes later, Detective Maya Torres arrived. Someone at the gala had called police before the ambulance left.
"I need to know exactly what happened," she said.
Daniel's voice was flat. "My mother dropped my daughter on purpose."
Rachel looked at him. "She didn't just drop her. She held Lily over the rail first."
Torres narrowed her eyes. "Over the rail?"
Rachel nodded. "Like she wanted people to see."
Daniel remembered Celeste's first words. Watch how fast she falls.
He felt sick.
His phone buzzed. A text from Celeste.
You are emotional. Do not destroy this family over a misunderstanding.
He showed it to Torres.
"Don't answer," she said.
A doctor finally came out. "Lily has a mild concussion and a fractured collarbone. No brain bleed. We expect a full recovery."
Rachel covered her face and sobbed.
Daniel exhaled for what felt like the first time in an hour.
Then the doctor added, "There's something else."
They followed him into a consultation room.
"We found traces of a sedative in Lily's blood."
Rachel froze. "A sedative?"
"A medication not prescribed to her. Enough to make an infant unusually sleepy."
Daniel stared at the doctor.
That explained why Lily had barely moved in Celeste's arms before the fall. Why she had not grabbed at the blanket. Why her cry had faded so quickly.
Torres leaned forward. "Could it have been given accidentally?"
"Possible," the doctor said. "But with a baby this young, someone would have had to administer it."
Rachel whispered, "Celeste fed her a bottle before the gala."
Daniel's phone buzzed again.
This time the message came from an unknown number.
You think the fall was the first time she tried to hurt Lily?
May you like
A second message appeared before he could speak.
Check the nursery camera from Tuesday night.
