Chapter 4: The Man Behind the Glass
Victor's silence lasted only three seconds.
Then he reached for his phone.
“Everyone needs to calm down,” he said, forcing a smile that never reached his eyes.
“Maya is injured, and General Carter has allowed a misunderstanding to become an accusation.””
Maya kept her damaged smartphone pressed against her chest.
“You said you weren't there.””
“I said I wasn't involved in the accident.””
“That's not what you said before.””
Victor pointed at her.
“You're putting words in my mouth.””
General Nia Carter stepped between them.
“Mr. Victor, your explanations keep changing. I suggest you stop talking until someone qualified to investigate this incident can document what you're saying.””
Victor's nostrils flared.
“You cannot dictate what happens to me.””
“No,” Nia replied.
“But I can refuse to let you intimidate this patient.””
She pressed the call button beside Maya's bed.
A nurse would arrive soon. Until then, Nia wasn't taking her eyes off Victor.
Across the observation window, Malcolm Reed hurried to retrieve his fallen folder. Denise Walker stood beside him, speaking rapidly into her phone. Both officials had stopped pretending this was an ordinary corporate review.
Maya watched them through the glass.
“General?””
“Yes, sweetheart?””
“Why are they so scared of a video?””
Nia looked toward the window.
“That's something we're going to find out.””
Victor laughed bitterly.
“You're making a serious mistake by encouraging her.””
Nia turned back to him.
“Encouraging her to do what? Keep evidence she says belongs to her?””
“You don't understand the consequences.””
“Then explain them.””
Victor looked at the phone again.
His right hand moved toward his jacket pocket, then stopped when Nia noticed.
“Is someone expecting you to retrieve that device?”” she asked.
“No.””
“Then why do you keep reaching for your phone?””
Victor slowly withdrew his hand.
Maya's fingers trembled around the damaged device. She wanted to be brave, but every time Victor looked at her, she remembered his voice beside the wreckage, cold and impatient, telling someone to stop asking questions.
She remembered another voice, too.
A man's voice from inside the vehicle.
A voice she hadn't mentioned yet.
Nia pulled the chair closer.
“Maya, you don't have to open the recording. Not now. We can make sure the phone is preserved properly.””
“I know.””
“Are you feeling well enough to tell me anything else about the accident?””
Maya stared at the screen.
“I remember a watch.””
Victor's expression changed.
It was small. A tightening around the mouth. A sudden stillness in his shoulders.
Nia caught it.
“What kind of watch?”” she asked.
“Silver. With a black face.”” Maya closed her eyes, searching through the fragments of that terrible night.
“I saw it when somebody reached through the broken window. There was blood on his sleeve.””
Victor shook his head.
“This is ridiculous.””
Maya opened her eyes.
“The watch had a scratch across the face.””
Victor's mouth closed.
Nia didn't look at him. She kept her attention on Maya.
“Did you recognize the person wearing it?””
“Not at first.””
“What changed?””
Maya glanced toward Victor.
“He came to the hospital.””
Victor took a sharp step backward.
“That never happened.””
Maya flinched at his voice, but she didn't retreat.
“You were standing outside the emergency room. You were talking to somebody on the phone, and you kept rubbing your watch with your thumb.””
Victor looked down involuntarily at his wrist.
A silver watch gleamed beneath his shirt cuff.
Its black face caught the hospital lights.
Maya stared at it.
“That's the one.””
For a moment, Victor appeared genuinely stunned. Then anger flooded his face.
“Do you have any idea how many people own watches like this?””
“No,” Maya said.
“But I know what I saw.””
The door opened, and a nurse entered carrying a small medical tray. She stopped when she noticed the tension.
“Is everything all right in here?””
“No,” Nia replied.
“I'd like you to assess Maya's breathing and pain. And please ask hospital security to come to the room.””
Victor turned toward her.
“Security? For what?””
“For a man who keeps approaching an injured patient after being told to step away.””
“I have every right to be here.””
The nurse placed her tray on the counter.
“Sir, if the patient doesn't want you in the room, you'll need to step outside while we address the situation.””
Victor stared at her as though nobody had ever spoken to him that way.
“You work for this hospital. Do you know who I am?””
“I know she's my patient,” the nurse replied.
“That's enough.””
Nia almost smiled.
Maya didn't. She was looking at Victor's wrist again.
He noticed.
He covered the watch with his other hand.
Then the second official, Denise Walker, appeared in the doorway.
“General Carter, I need a private word with you.””
“Say it here.””
Denise glanced at Victor.
“It's confidential.””
“Then it can wait until the patient is comfortable.””
Denise lowered her voice.
“Mr. Victor has authorization to represent the company in this matter.””
“Authorization to represent a company isn't authorization to pressure a patient.””
Denise's face tightened.
“You're interfering with a process you don't understand.””
Nia stood to her full height.
“Then help me understand it. Why does your company need a frightened, injured woman to accept all blame before she has even given a formal statement?””
Denise looked toward Victor.
He gave her a tiny shake of his head.
It was enough.
Nia saw it. So did Maya.
Denise swallowed.
“The waiver was prepared because there are concerns about the circumstances surrounding the accident.””
“What concerns?””
“I can't discuss them here.””
“Then don't expect me to accept your explanation.””
Denise turned to leave.
But before she reached the corridor, Maya spoke.
“Ms. Walker?””
Denise stopped.
“Were you there that night?””
“No.””
“Then why did you tell the nurse I had already agreed to the waiver?””
Denise's expression froze.
“I never said that.””
“You told her I was confused and couldn't be trusted to explain what happened.””
“I was repeating information provided to me.””
“By Victor?””
Denise didn't answer.
Nia stepped toward the door.
“Ms. Walker, I recommend that you remain available to investigators. The same applies to Mr. Reed.””
Denise walked out without another word.
Victor followed her, but paused at the threshold.
He looked at Maya with an expression so cold that she felt it like a hand closing around her throat.
“You think that phone makes you untouchable,” he said quietly.
Nia moved between them.
“Leave.””
Victor's gaze remained fixed on Maya.
“You should have let this go.””
Then he disappeared into the corridor.
The nurse immediately checked Maya's pulse and adjusted the monitor.
“Your heart rate is elevated,” she said gently.
“Try taking a slow breath for me.””
Maya obeyed, but her eyes stayed on the doorway.
Nia sat beside her.
“He won't get another chance to threaten you.””
Maya shook her head.
“You don't understand. He wasn't threatening me because of the accident.””
“Then why?””
Maya looked down at the phone.
“Because he knows what the video shows.””
Nia waited.
Maya's lips trembled.
“And I think he knows the person who was inside that car.””
Before Nia could ask another question, her own phone vibrated.
An unknown number had sent her a single message.
*GENERAL CARTER, IF YOU WANT MAYA TO SURVIVE THIS, DO NOT LET HER PLAY THAT VIDEO.*
A second message appeared before she could respond.
*ASK HER WHO WAS DRIVING.*
Nia read the words twice.
Then she slowly raised her eyes toward Maya.
“Sweetheart,” she said, “I need to ask you something.””
Maya's face had gone pale.
“Who was driving the vehicle?””
May you like
Maya gripped the blanket.
And whispered a name Nia hadn't expected to hear.
