Chapter 8 - Maude starts destroying distance
Maude denied everything.
Her attorney said:
“She did not cause the transfer error.”
Probably true.
The original wristband swap appeared accidental.
Chaotic evacuation.
Two pregnant women.
Similar demographics.
No evidence Maude engineered explosion or hospital mistake.
Important.
Her wrongdoing began afterward.
She discovered Evelyn survived.
How?
Renwick Medical Transit handled one leg of emergency transfers.
A discrepancy report crossed her family office because an insurer rejected duplicate charges under the same transfer code.
Maude was then twenty-five.
Worked in the Renwick health-services division.
She saw:
One “deceased” Evelyn Halstead at County Memorial.
One living Jane Doe with matching Halstead details at Mercy East.
Instead of correcting.
She asked questions.
Then visited Evelyn.
Why?
Maude had known me since childhood.
Wanted me.
Maybe not enough to plan murder.
Enough to seize an opportunity.
At first she told herself:
Evelyn needed rest.
Then she lied.
One lie required another.
May you like
By the time Evelyn delivered Finley, correcting the record would expose Maude.
So she continued.
