Chapter 6: The Donor Theft

The guardianship petition shook once in my hand, then I folded it small enough to fit in my fist. Dr. Hall did not look away from Noah's infusion line. "The medicine already running can continue. But if a judge freezes nonemergency choices, every next dose, test, and transfer could become a fight." That was what Vittoria wanted. Not to pull Noah out of the room tonight. To make me spend tomorrow begging permission to keep him alive. The door opened before I could answer. Bianca walked in with a hospital compliance officer at her shoulder. She wore white, because of course she did. Her face held the same wounded innocence she had worn at my wedding while the screen destroyed me. "There she is," Bianca said. "The woman who stole from the blood vault." The officer's gaze flicked to Noah, then to the yellow petition in my hand. "Ms. Vale, a restricted donor packet is missing. Ms. De Luca says she saw you take it." Dante moved toward them. I put out my arm without looking at him. "Do not do that." His step stopped. Five years ago, he had filled a room with his certainty and left no space for my voice. Now he stood behind my shoulder, silent because I told him to be. It was a small thing. It cost him more than it should have. "You came here with an accusation while my son is receiving blood," I said to Bianca. "Say exactly what you saw." She smiled at the compliance officer. "A blue vault packet. She put it in her tote after the courier left. She wants evidence she can use to control the treatment." "You saw me take it?" "I saw enough." "No." I set my phone on Noah's empty meal tray and tapped the red record circle. "You saw enough to invent the rest." The officer cleared his throat. "We need to inspect your bag." "You may inspect it outside this room. No one gets to turn Noah's bedside into a search scene." I looked at Dr. Hall. "His infusion stays watched." "It will," she said. Bianca's mouth tightened. She wanted the nurses looking at me like I was dangerous. She wanted Noah to watch his mother being taken apart. I lifted my tote from the chair and carried it into the family alcove across the hall. Dante followed but did not take it from me. The compliance officer opened the bag while Bianca hovered close enough for her perfume to burn my throat. He found the blue folder in the side pocket. For half a second, the world narrowed to its stamped silver seal and the bright, pleased flash in Bianca's eyes. "That is restricted vault material," he said. "I know," I said. Bianca gave a soft, miserable sigh. "Dante, she is desperate. Please do not make this worse for Noah." The old Elena would have spent the next ten minutes saying I did not do it. The old Elena would have begged him to believe me. I reached into the tote and pulled out a small black voice recorder. Bianca went white. "You brushed against me when you came in," I said. "You thought I was looking at the petition. You dropped this in my bag with the folder." "That is ridiculous." "You are right." I held the recorder out to the compliance officer. "A thief who wants to frame someone does not usually leave the part where she tells the truth." He pressed play. Static filled the alcove. Then Bianca's voice, close and breathless. "The packet is in her tote. I told you, I can make her look unstable before the judge sees her." Bianca lunged for the recorder. I caught her wrist the way I had caught Vittoria's courier. Dante did not pull me away. He took Bianca's other arm only when she twisted hard enough to knock the folder toward Noah's doorway. "Let go of me!" she snapped. "No," I said. "You do not get to touch my life and call it concern." The recording crackled again. A man's voice came through, low and unfamiliar. "You were supposed to put the fear in her, not leave proof." Bianca's face emptied. "I did what you asked five years ago," she whispered at the recording. "I gave you the screen. I gave you the papers." The compliance officer stared at her. Dr. Hall had come to the doorway, one hand still on Noah's chart. The man's voice returned, colder this time. "Then remember the first instruction, Bianca. She was never supposed to survive."