Surgical Shadows

2. Silent Threats

The hospital buzzed with hushed conversations and furtive glances. Word of Dr. Nathaniel Smith's death had spread quickly, leaving a cloud of suspicion hanging over the staff and students. Hera Wynters and Helen Scarlett, though still reeling from the shock, were determined to uncover the truth behind their mentor's demise.

Hera sat at the corner table in the hospital's bustling cafeteria, her laptop open in front of her. Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she scoured Dr. Smith's medical records and recent activities, searching for anything out of the ordinary. Helen joined her, dropping a stack of folders onto the table with a sigh.

"I've been going through his patient files," Helen said, sliding into the seat across from Hera. "There's nothing that screams motive yet, but I did find something odd. He was working on a case involving experimental treatments."

Hera glanced up, intrigued. "Experimental treatments? That could mean someone didn't want his work to see the light of day."

Helen nodded. "Exactly. And there's more. I found a few emails from an anonymous sender threatening Dr. Smith to stop his research. The language was vague but menacing."

Before Hera could respond,Michael and Alfred appeared, carrying trays of coffee. Michael, with his usual intensity, placed a folder in front of Hera. "I pulled the autopsy report. Preliminary findings suggest that Dr. Smith was poisoned. The substance isn't common, something that would be hard to trace."

Alfred, ever the pragmatist, added, "This means whoever did this had access to specialized medical knowledge and resources. It narrows down the suspects to people within the hospital."

Hera's mind raced. "We need to find out who had the most to gain from Dr. Smith's death. Let's start by interviewing his colleagues and patients."

Their first stop was Dr. Lisa Carter, a close colleague of Dr. Smith. Her office was neat, almost sterile, reflecting her meticulous nature. She looked up from her paperwork as the group entered, her expression wary.

"We're sorry to disturb you, Dr. Carter," Helen began, "but we need to ask you a few questions about Dr. Smith."

Dr. Carter's eyes flickered with a mix of sadness and caution. "Of course. Nathaniel was a dear friend. What do you need to know?"

Hera took a deep breath. "We found out that he was working on some experimental treatments and received threats because of it. Do you know anything about this?"

Dr. Carter hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Yes, Nathaniel was always pushing the boundaries, trying to find better ways to treat our patients. He mentioned the threats but didn't take them seriously. He thought it was just someone trying to scare him."

Michael leaned forward. "Do you know who might have wanted to stop his research?"

Dr. Carter's expression darkened. "There were a few people who disagreed with his methods, thought he was too reckless. Dr. James Harris, for one. He and Nathaniel had many heated arguments."

As they left Dr. Carter's office, Hera couldn't shake the feeling that they were onto something. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together, but they still had a long way to go.

"We should talk to Dr. Harris next," Alfred suggested. "If he had conflicts with Dr. Smith, he might know something useful."

With renewed determination, the group headed towards Dr. Harris's office, ready to dig deeper into the tangled web of secrets and lies that surrounded Dr. Smith's death. Little did they know, they were about to uncover truths that would change their lives forever.

~ Tales From The Moon