So when Mason called the hospital asking for me, the staff told him I was still unconscious. And when he and his parents showed up three days later carrying a fruit basket and a practiced smile, Nurse Mendez moved me to a secure, private room at the end of the hallway.
From a narrow window, I saw them arrive. Beatrice wore her finest blouse and a smug, satisfied smile. They hadn’t come out of concern; they had come to inspect the damage they had inflicted.
When they found Room 304 empty, they began yelling at the nurses’ station.
“I am her husband! I have every legal right to see her!” Mason demanded.
Dr. Lawson stepped out in front of patients, visitors, and hospital staff.
“Mrs. Danielle Vance has been moved to a protective care unit,” Dr. Lawson announced loudly. “The forensic evaluation confirms that her compound fractures were caused by multiple blows from a heavy, blunt object. They are entirely inconsistent with a fall. The case is officially documented, and any further contact must go through her attorney or the District Attorney’s office.”