Chapter 13: The Nurse Who Entered After Grandma
“Who was wearing the uniform?””
Danielle's voice trembled.
Officer Brooks placed a photograph on Lily's desk.
It showed a nurse entering Lily's hospital room at 8:03 a.m. on Sunday morning.
The woman was wearing blue scrubs, a surgical mask, and an identification badge.
Her name was Rebecca Shaw.
The same nurse who had sent Danielle photographs of Lily during her hospitalization.
The same nurse who had supposedly been concerned about my daughter's condition.
I stared at the photograph.
“Rebecca?””
Officer Brooks nodded.
“Rachel says she saw Rebecca enter the room shortly after Patricia left.””
“Did she give Lily something?”” Danielle asked.
“That's what we're investigating.””
I immediately remembered the conversation with Dr. Reed.
He had mentioned that medication had disappeared from his office.
Now a nurse was entering my daughter's hospital room after my mother had tried to give her something.
“How long was Rebecca inside?”” I asked.
“Approximately four minutes.””
“Four minutes?””
“Yes.””
“And nobody questioned it?””
“According to the hospital, she was assigned to that floor.””
Danielle grabbed her phone.
“Call the hospital.””
Officer Brooks stopped her.
“We've already contacted hospital administration. Rebecca has been placed on administrative leave while investigators examine the records.””
I looked at him.
“Where is she?””
“She hasn't reported for her shift today.””
My stomach tightened.
“She's missing?””
“We haven't established that. Her apartment was empty when officers visited.””
Danielle began pacing.
“Everyone knew. Everyone knew something was happening to my daughter, and nobody told us.””
Officer Brooks spoke carefully.
“We're trying to determine exactly what happened during those final hours.””
I couldn't wait any longer.
“Show me the footage.””
He opened the hospital security recording.
At 7:42 a.m., Patricia entered the room.
At 7:43, Rachel followed.
At 7:51, Rachel left.
At 7:56, Patricia left.
At 8:03, Rebecca entered.
She carried a small tray.
At 8:07, she exited without it.
I leaned closer.
“What was on that tray?””
“We're examining the original footage.””
“Can you tell whether she administered medication?””
“Not from this camera angle.””
Danielle began crying.
Then Officer Brooks showed us something else.
A photograph taken by another hospital employee.
It showed a medication administration sheet with Rebecca's initials beside an entry that had been crossed out.
The time was 8:05 a.m.
The medication name was partially obscured.
“Why was this crossed out?”” I asked.
“The hospital claims the entry was corrected because of a documentation error.””
“Was it?””
“We don't know yet.””
I stared at the photograph.
My daughter had been lying in that bed.
She had been frightened, confused, and asking for her father.
And someone had entered her room with a tray.
Officer Brooks received a phone call.
He listened.
Then he stood.
“We've located Rebecca.””
“Where?””
“At a relative's house. She's agreed to come in.””
I looked at Danielle.
She nodded.
“I'm coming.””
Officer Brooks hesitated.
“Mrs. Williams, this could be difficult.””
“I don't care. I want to hear what she has to say.””
An hour later, Rebecca sat across from us in the interview room.
She looked exhausted.
Her eyes were red, and her hands shook as she held a paper cup of water.
“I loved Lily,” she said before anyone asked a question.
Danielle stared at her.
“Then why did you let this happen?””
Rebecca began crying.
“I didn't understand what was happening at first.””
“Were you the person who entered her room at 8:03?””
“Yes.””
“Did you give her medication?””
Rebecca looked toward Officer Brooks.
“I gave her what was listed on the administration sheet.””
“Then why was the entry crossed out?””
Rebecca swallowed.
“Because the medication hadn't been ordered by Lily's attending physician.””
The room went silent.
Officer Brooks leaned forward.
“Who instructed you to administer it?””
Rebecca closed her eyes.
“Dr. Reed.””
I gripped the table.
“He told you to give my daughter medication?””
“He said it was an adjustment to her treatment.””
“Was it prescribed?””
“No.””
Danielle made a broken sound.
Rebecca began sobbing.
“I questioned it. I really did. But Dr. Reed told me he had discussed it with the family.””
“Which family member?”” Officer Brooks asked.
“Patricia.””
I felt sick.
Rebecca continued.
“Patricia told me Lily was having severe anxiety. She said the child had become difficult to manage and that the medication would help her rest.””
Danielle stood.
“MY DAUGHTER WAS DYING! SHE DIDN'T NEED TO BE MADE TO REST!””
Rebecca covered her face.
“I know.””
Officer Brooks asked her to continue.
“Did you know the medication was not part of Lily's approved treatment?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did you administer it?””
Rebecca hesitated.
“Because Dr. Reed told me it was safe.””
I leaned forward.
“Did you know my mother had been giving Lily medication at home?””
Rebecca nodded.
“She mentioned it.””
“When?””
“During the first week Lily was admitted.””
“Did you report it?””
“No.””
“Why?””
Rebecca looked down.
“Dr. Reed told me not to create unnecessary conflict.””
Officer Brooks placed a document on the table.
“Rebecca, the medical examiner has detected a medication in Lily's system that was not included in her prescribed treatment. We need to establish whether the substance you administered was the same.””
Rebecca began shaking.
“I didn't know the amount was dangerous.””
Officer Brooks looked at her.
“Did you follow the doctor's instructions?””
“Yes.””
“Did you document the actual amount?””
Rebecca hesitated.
“No.””
Danielle stepped closer.
“What did you give my daughter?””
Rebecca began crying uncontrollably.
“I gave her the medication Dr. Reed supplied. He said it would calm her down.””
I felt my hands turn cold.
“Did Lily say anything?””
Rebecca nodded.
“She asked whether her daddy was coming.””
My eyes filled.
“What did you tell her?””
Rebecca looked at me.
“I told her I didn't know.””
Danielle whispered, “What else?””
Rebecca swallowed.
“She asked me to call you. She said she had something important to tell you.””
I couldn't breathe.
“And?””
Rebecca looked down.
“I told her I would.””
“Did you?””
“No.””
“Why?””
She began crying again.
“Because Dr. Reed told me not to.””
Officer Brooks closed his folder.
“Rebecca, we're going to need a complete account of everything that happened during your shift.””
She nodded.
Then she said something that made the detective stop writing.
“There's something else about Dr. Reed.””
“What?””
“He wasn't the person who originally supplied the medication.””
Officer Brooks leaned forward.
“Who did?””
Rebecca looked directly at me.
“Your mother brought it to the hospital.””
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Then she whispered:
“And she told Dr. Reed that if Lily died, nobody would ever know what had happened.””
