Chapter 15 - THE LOWEST POINT
The hearing stopped immediately.
Investigators separated everyone.
Alex denied buying the phone.
Valerie claimed he used the prepaid device to leak selective evidence against himself and Mark.
At first, it made no sense.
Then she explained.
“He wanted the public to believe Mark was obsessed with Lucy.”
I stared at her.
“Why?”
“To weaken Mark’s credibility.”
Alex looked at me.
“This is insane.”
Valerie laughed.
“You told me exactly what you were doing.”
“I never said that.”
“You said if Reed looked compromised, his report became compromised.”
Captain Torres asked Valerie for proof.
She produced messages.
Alex: Kid thinks he’s a hero now.
Valerie: Leave him alone.
Alex: He inserted himself into my marriage.
Valerie: You handed him the opportunity.
Alex: If his judgment becomes the story, mine stops being the only story.
My stomach turned.
Alex had been on administrative leave.
Facing termination.
Being divorced.
And still he had found energy to build another lie.
The investigators took his department phone.
The hearing was postponed.
But the worst moment came later.
At my obstetric appointment, the doctor frowned at the ultrasound.
“What?”
She moved the probe again.
“Her growth has slowed.”
My chest tightened.
“How much?”
“She’s measuring smaller than expected.”
“Because of the elevator?”
“We can’t say that.”
“But it could be.”
“Yes.”
The word hollowed me out.
They admitted me for additional monitoring.
That night, contractions began.
Too early.
Twenty-six weeks.
Nurses rushed in.
Medication.
Fluids.
Monitors.
My mother held my hand.
I stared at the fetal heart tracing, terrified each dip would become permanent.
Alex heard through the hospital notification system because he was still listed as emergency contact.
He arrived at midnight.
Security stopped him.
I could see him through the glass doors.
He was begging.
I turned my face away.
For six hours, doctors fought to stop labor.
By morning, the contractions slowed.
My daughter stayed inside.
Barely.
The obstetrician stood beside my bed.
“You need very low stress.”
I almost laughed.
My entire life had become stress.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Mark.
I DIDN’T SEND ANYTHING.
I BELIEVE YOU, I typed.
Then another message appeared.
This one from Captain Torres.
We found the original elevator radio recording.
There is something you need to hear.
The recording arrived.
I pressed play.
Valerie’s voice came first.
Then Alex.
Then static.
Then something nobody had mentioned before.
A second male voice.
“Lieutenant, pregnant patient is rear left.”
Alex answered immediately.
“I see her.”
My heart stopped.
Then the unknown firefighter asked.
“You want me to take your wife?”
A pause.
May you like
Alex replied.
“Get Mercer out first.”
