Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Ella returns to St. Mary’s Hospital to identify Thomas’s accomplice among the nursing staff. With Evan and plain-clothes constables watching, she observes suspicious behavior in Nurse Hodges, a quiet woman with a hidden past. A confrontation leads to a confession, but not before the accomplice reveals Thomas’s final, desperate plan—a threat against the hospital itself. Ella and Evan race to prevent a catastrophe, ending with an explosion in the supply ward.
The morning light was pale and thin as Ella stepped into the familiar corridors of St. Mary’s Hospital. The smell of carbolic soap and old wood normally brought her comfort, but today it felt like a shroud. She wore her uniform as armor, her cap pinned tightly, her hands steady despite the tremor in her heart. Beside her, Evan walked in his doctor’s coat, his presence a quiet anchor. Two constables in civilian clothes lingered near the entrance, pretending to read newspapers.
“Remember,” Evan murmured, “you are only to observe. If you see anything amiss, signal me.”
Ella nodded. She had agreed to this plan reluctantly. It was dangerous to confront the accomplice alone, but she knew the rhythms of the hospital better than any detective. She would walk the wards, speak to the nurses, and watch for the telltale shift of guilt.
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