Chapter 2 - The Digital Fingerprint
Gabriel Ortiz adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses, zooming in on the scrolling lines of code on his diagnostic monitor. The blue light reflected off the polished steel casing of Ethan’s electric wheelchair, which sat immobilized on a workbench in St. Catherine’s biomedical basement.
Dr. Lena Foster leaned over Gabriel’s shoulder, her eyes fixed on the timestamp.
“Look at the device ID,” Gabriel said, tapping the glass with a stylus. “This wasn’t a glitch in the chair’s firmware. The signal came from an external IP address connected via the hospital’s guest Wi-Fi, routed through the RemoteCare companion app.”
Dr. Foster felt a chill run down her spine. “Who holds the admin credentials for that app?”
Gabriel brought up the registered user profile attached to Ethan’s medical equipment file. There were only two accounts listed: one belonged to Ethan’s primary physical therapist, and the other was registered to Richard Cole.
“The therapist’s account hasn’t logged in since last Tuesday during Ethan’s routine check-up,” Gabriel said softly. “The administrator login at 2:17 p.m. was initialized from account user R_Cole_BennettGrand.”
Dr. Foster straightened up immediately, pulling her phone from her lab coat pocket. “Keep this terminal locked. Don't touch the logs, and don't let anyone from hospital administration clear the cache.”
She dialed Detective Aaron Blake directly.
Upstairs, in the small, windowless security holding room on the third floor, Maya sat with her elbows on her knees. Her knuckles were bruised where she had hit the marble floor while catching Ethan, and her shoulders throbbed from the sudden strain.
The heavy wooden door clicked open.
It wasn't Detective Blake. Nora Cole walked in, stepping softly on the linoleum floor. Her designer handbag was tucked neatly under her arm, her diamond earrings catching the harsh overhead light. She looked every bit the polished hotel heiress, though her smile was tight and strained.
“Maya, dear,” Nora said softly, closing the door behind her. She did not sit in the empty metal chair across from Maya; she remained standing near the door frame.
“How is Ethan?” Maya asked instantly, her voice raspy. “Did the second scan show anything in his chest?”
“Ethan is resting,” Nora replied smoothly, ignoring the question. “Richard is handling the doctors. But we need to talk about you, Maya.”
Maya narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”
“The police are asking very uncomfortable questions,” Nora said, lowering her voice to an intimate whisper. “They’re looking at the hotel’s financial records. They’re looking at your history in our home. You know how volatile you’ve been since your mother passed away. You’ve always struggled with your temper.”
“I saved his life, Aunt Nora!” Maya stood up, her voice trembling with indignation. “His chair was heading straight for the concrete stairs! If I hadn't pulled him out, he would have fallen twenty feet onto the lower lobby level! He would have died!”
Nora sighed, a sound filled with fake pity. “That isn't what the video looks like, Maya. To anyone watching that monitor, it looks like an angry teenager having an outburst and assaulting a disabled boy. If Richard presses charges, you will be tried as an adult for felony child abuse.”
Nora took one step forward, resting her manicured hand on the edge of the table.
“However,” Nora continued, “if you agree to sign a voluntary statement admitting that you had a panic attack—that you lost control and accidentally tipped the chair—Richard will ensure the police drop the criminal investigation. We will send you to a quiet residential boarding school in Vermont. You can start over.”
Maya stared at her aunt, the pieces suddenly aligning in her mind.
“You don't want me to start over,” Maya whispered, horror creeping into her tone. “You want me to take the blame so no one asks why the chair accelerated in the first place.”
Before Nora could answer, the door swung open with a sharp thud.
Detective Aaron Blake stood in the doorway, holding a sealed evidence bag. Beside him stood Dr. Foster, her face set in an unyielding line.
“Mrs. Cole,” Detective Blake said calmly. “I must ask you to step out of this room immediately.”
Nora adjusted her handbag, keeping her composure. “I am this girl’s legal aunt and guardian, Detective. I am simply comforting her.”
“You are also a potential co-conspirator in an active criminal investigation,” Blake countered, stepping into the room and gesturing toward the hallway. “Officer Miller, please escort Mrs. Cole to the main waiting lobby. She is not to approach the minor again.”
Nora’s eyes flashed with a sudden, ugly venom as Officer Miller stepped forward. She glared at Maya one last time before turning on her heel and sweeping into the corridor.
May you like
Detective Blake pulled out a chair and sat down across from Maya. He set the sealed evidence bag on the table. Inside was Ethan’s diagnostic report, fresh off Gabriel Ortiz’s printer.
“Maya,” Blake said, looking her in the eyes. “I need you to tell me everything about Richard Cole’s access to Ethan’s equipment. And don't leave out a single detail.”
