Chapter 6 - The Fall of Daniel Carter
The basement hallway was cold and smelled of antiseptic. We approached the heavy reinforced doors of the auxiliary pharmacy in absolute silence. Through the small reinforced glass window, I could see them.
Daniel was frantically pulling small, highly secured vials from a climate-controlled locker, his usually perfect hair disheveled. Vanessa, a beautiful woman in her late twenties wearing designer clothes that cost more than my car, was packing them into a high-grade thermal cooler.
"Hurry up, Daniel!" Vanessa hissed. "If the auditors realize this batch is gone, we're screwed. The clients are paying fifty grand a pop for these injections on Friday."
"I'm moving as fast as I can!" Daniel snapped. "If my crazy wife hadn't made a scene, I wouldn't have to rush this. Once we get this to the clinic, we wipe the servers and deny everything."
I felt sick to my stomach watching them casually handle the glass vials that represented my daughter's only chance at life.
Detective Ramirez didn't bother knocking. She kicked the door open with a resounding CRASH that echoed off the tile walls.
"Police! Step away from the cooler and put your hands where I can see them!" Ramirez barked, while three other officers swarmed the room.
Daniel dropped a vial. It shattered on the floor, the precious liquid pooling on the linoleum. He spun around, his face pale as a ghost, his hands flying into the air. Vanessa let out a high-pitched scream and backed into a counter, her designer bag sliding off her shoulder.
"This... this is a misunderstanding!" Daniel stammered, his eyes darting frantically. "I'm the senior pharmacist! I'm transferring inventory!"
"Into an unmarked cooler with a civilian present?" Ramirez scoffed, slapping handcuffs onto his wrists. "Save it for the judge, Mr. Carter. You're under arrest for grand larceny, medical fraud, and reckless endangerment."
Daniel's eyes met mine through the doorway. The arrogance was finally gone, replaced by absolute, pathetic terror.
"Emily!" he pleaded, struggling against the officers. "Emily, tell them! I'm your husband! I pay for Lily's care! You need me!"
I walked slowly into the room, stepping over the shattered glass. I looked Vanessa up and down, watching her sob as an officer cuffed her. Then, I looked at Daniel.
"I don't need you, Daniel," I said, my voice cold and steady. "And Lily doesn't need a father who would sell her life for a quick buck. You're nothing to us now. Enjoy prison."
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As they dragged him out, screaming and crying like a petulant child, Dr. Bennett stepped forward and carefully secured the thermal cooler. He looked at me, a massive smile breaking across his exhausted face.
"We have the medication, Emily. Let's go save your daughter."
