Chapter 8 - DR. PIERCEDr. Nathaniel Pierce had built his career on saving children.
That was what made the accusation feel impossible.
He had gray hair, warm hands, and a calm voice parents trusted. He remembered birthdays. He donated to shelters. He cried at retirement parties. He had once stood beside me after I lost a patient and told me grief meant I had not become numb.
Now Detective Hayes was saying Anna Carter had named him in a letter hidden behind a clinic shelf.
I did not want to believe it.
That frightened me, because it showed how easily Greg had survived for so long. People did not protect monsters because they looked monstrous. They protected them because believing the truth would destroy something inside themselves.
Hayes asked hospital security to restrict Pierce’s system access quietly. Administration resisted for exactly three minutes before Hayes mentioned obstruction.
At 3:42 a.m., Pierce appeared in the emergency department.
“Mara,” he said, as if surprised to see me. “I heard there was a situation with Lily Carter.”
His eyes moved toward the guarded hallway.
I stepped in front of him. “She’s stable.”
“Good.” His expression softened perfectly. “Poor child. Greg must be beside himself.”
I watched his face when he said Greg.
Nothing.
No flicker.
No guilt.
Or too much practice hiding it.
Detective Hayes came around the corner. “Dr. Pierce.”
He smiled politely. “Detective.”
“We need to speak with you.”
“Of course,” he said. “But I’m due upstairs.”
“No,” Hayes replied. “You’re not.”
The smile faded by one careful degree.
I saw it then. Not fear. Irritation.
The reaction of a man unused to being blocked.
Pierce looked at me. “Mara, what is this?”
I wanted to ask him the same thing. I wanted him to laugh, explain, prove Anna wrong. Instead, he held my gaze and gave the smallest shake of his head.
A warning.
Do not.
My blood went cold.
Hayes said, “Your access badge was used to open Lily Carter’s pediatric file thirteen times in the past eight months. Several accesses occurred when you were out of state at conferences.”
Pierce said nothing.
“Would you like to explain that?” Hayes asked.
He looked past her toward Lily’s room.
Then he said quietly, “You have no idea what Greg Carter is capable of.”
May you like
It was not denial.
It was confession wearing a different coat.
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