My patient came in with a 103.8-degree fever, purple fingers, and a month-old cast concealing something horrifying beneath it, yet her husband looked directly at me and calmly said, “It’s probably just the flu.” The instant I told him I was going to cut the cast open, his composure cracked into panic, and I realized I was seconds away from discovering something he was desperate to keep hidden.

I stared at the police officer in absolute disbelief.

His name tag read "Officer Vance," and his eyes were completely devoid of any empathy.

"Daniel Harris just assaulted a doctor and intentionally infected his wife to hide contraband," I told the officer.

Officer Vance stepped closer, completely ignoring my medical assessment.

"Mr. Harris is a respected businessman, and you are holding a classified corporate drive that belongs to his company," he said coldly.

I realized instantly that Daniel had used his immense wealth to buy the loyalty of the local police.

If I gave this man the capsule, the evidence of Emily's torture would disappear forever.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," I lied smoothly.

"The medical waste was already incinerated in the basement biohazard unit."

Vance glared at me, clearly debating whether he should arrest me on the spot.

His radio suddenly crackled with a priority dispatch call, forcing him to step back.

"Do not leave this hospital, Doctor," Vance warned before turning around and exiting the room.

I quickly retrieved the bloody capsule from under the bed and locked myself inside the staff bathroom.

I washed the blood off the metal casing and noticed a small numerical keypad hidden beneath a sliding panel.

Emily had muttered a series of numbers in her delirious state when she first arrived.

I typed the numbers into the keypad, and the capsule clicked open with a soft hiss.

Inside was a small micro-SD card and a folded piece of bloody paper.

When my newborn 'passed away,' my mother-in-law leaned in and said

My Husband Left Me Alone in My Car While I Was in Labor

“You’re Dead When We Get Home,” He Snapped

I unrolled the paper and read the handwritten message.

The note simply said, "He killed the others, and the hospital chief is helping him."

Chapter 3 - The Corrupt Badge