Rosalind listened to the full recording twice, her silence on the other end of the line growing heavier with each pass. “Miranda, this is attempted murder for hire, on record, with your unborn child’s delivery as the planned method. We need law enforcement involved immediately, and we need to make sure Dr. Wexler isn’t anywhere near your delivery tomorrow.”
“If I suddenly demand a new doctor hours before delivery, Desmond will know something’s wrong.”
“Then we handle it carefully,” Rosalind said. “I’m calling a detective I’ve worked with before, first thing this morning. In the meantime, I want you to request a hospital patient advocate, citing anxiety about your delivery team given the high-risk nature of a first pregnancy at your age. That’s a completely normal, unremarkable request that gives us grounds to review and potentially reassign your medical team without raising suspicion.”
By 7 a.m., Detective Priya Anand had reviewed the recording and moved with a speed that left even Rosalind visibly impressed. Hospital administration was contacted directly, under strict confidentiality, and by 9 a.m., Dr. Wexler had been quietly reassigned off my case, replaced by Dr. Ines Calloway, a maternal-fetal specialist with an unimpeachable reputation, briefed only on the barest necessary details to ensure my safety without compromising the ongoing investigation.
Desmond, arriving at the hospital just before 10 a.m., seemed puzzled by the change but not alarmed. “Where’s Dr. Wexler?”
“Family emergency, apparently,” I said, keeping my voice carefully neutral. “Dr. Calloway’s covering. She’s supposed to be excellent.”
He didn’t push further, though I caught him texting someone—presumably Wexler—shortly after, his expression tightening slightly at whatever response he received.
PART 3
