Chapter 15 - No Special Room
Leah laughed when the ambulance driver said Arbor Crown.
Because sometimes the universe had no respect for subtlety.
"There has to be another hospital," Elliott said.
The paramedic shook his head.
"Not with her contractions this close and pressure this high."
"We are going."
"After everything?"
"The nurses did not create this. The doctors did not all create this. And I am not risking our baby to make a point."
No red carpet.
No donor escort.
No private hallway.
A triage nurse named Tessa checked Leah's vitals and said, "We are moving you upstairs now."
Leah caught her sleeve.
"Is there a Crown Access flag on my chart?"
Tessa blinked.
"Not anymore."
"Are you sure?"
"I am sure."
"And I am not displacing another patient?"
Tessa's face softened.
"Mrs. Sutton, you are being admitted because your doctor says you need to be here. That is the only reason I care about."
"Okay."
Elliott kissed her forehead.
"Okay."
Labor moved quickly.
Between contractions, Leah heard snippets of the hospital outside her room.
Reporters downstairs.
Administrators meeting.
Staff whispering about the audit.
Then Corinne appeared in the doorway.
Leah stared.
"You have got to be kidding me."
Elliott stepped forward.
"Get out."
Corinne raised both hands.
"I am not here for Leah."
"Then why are you here?"
"My mother is a patient on this floor."
For one second, nobody knew what to say.
Corinne looked at Leah.
Her perfect composure was gone.
"I heard what happened."
"Do not pretend concern now."
"I am not."
Corinne's eyes dropped.
"I came to tell you Grant is blaming me for everything."
Rachel, who had arrived minutes earlier, moved to the doorway.
"You should speak through counsel."
Corinne laughed bitterly.
"My counsel quit."
Then she looked at Leah.
"There is one thing Grant does not know I kept."
A contraction tore through Leah.
She gripped the bedrail.
"This is not the moment."
Corinne nodded.
"I know."
She placed a small flash drive on the counter.
"It is the full Crown Access archive."
Elliott stared.
"Why give it to us?"
May you like
Corinne's answer was almost a whisper.
"Because Charles told Grant to destroy it tonight."
