Sveta added:
— The head doctor often holds closed-door meetings. And sometimes they bring people in at night, we’ve seen them.
The investigator nodded and turned his gaze to Marina:
— And what can you tell me?
Marina took a deep breath. It was now or never.
— I… Two weeks ago, I saw documents on the head doctor’s desk. There were lists with people’s data, blood types. And sums in dollars. And words about donor organs.
It became quiet in the staff room. Everyone stared at Marina. The investigator looked at her intently.
— Can you describe these documents in more detail?
Marina told him everything she remembered. About how she went in for the forms, saw the open folder, read a few lines. Her voice trembled, but she spoke, trying not to miss any details.
— Why didn’t you report this sooner? — the investigator asked.
— I… I wasn’t sure. I thought maybe they were normal medical documents. And I was afraid of losing my job. I have a sick father, I need the money.
The investigator nodded with understanding:
— Alright. You will have to give an official statement. But first, wait until we finish the search.
He left, and the nurses bombarded Marina with questions. What documents? What was she talking about? Was something illegal really happening at the clinic? Marina didn’t answer. She sat down on a chair and covered her face with her hands. That’s it, there was no turning back now. She had given her testimony. If these were indeed criminals, they would find out what she told the police. What would happen next?
The search lasted for several hours. The police carried boxes of documents, a computer, and some folders out of the head doctor’s office. Then they went up to the third floor, to the closed wing. From there, they brought out several people — those same strange patients Marina had sometimes seen.
By evening, the head doctor, Oleg Viktorovich, was escorted out of the building. He was in handcuffs, his face gray, his lips pressed together. The security guard, Semyon, was led out behind him. Then two more men Marina didn’t know were brought out. All the clinic staff crowded by the windows, watching what was happening. Someone gasped, someone crossed themselves, someone just stood silent in shock.
— They arrested the head doctor, — Sveta whispered. — My God, what was going on here?
Around seven in the evening, the investigator came up to the department again and asked Marina to come with him. They went down to the first floor, to an empty ward, where the investigator took out a voice recorder and asked her to tell him everything from the beginning. Marina spoke for a long time. About the documents she saw. About the strange patients on the third floor. About the head doctor’s closed-door meetings. She didn’t mention Vera Ivanovna or that the old woman had warned her about the danger. She decided not to put her at risk for now.
The investigator listened attentively, took notes, and sometimes asked clarifying questions.
— You’ve been a great help to the investigation, — he said when Marina finished. — Thanks to your testimony, we’ll be able to build a case. What was happening in this clinic is a serious crime. Trafficking of donor organs. People would come here, they were examined, then taken to other cities where their organs were removed. Some didn’t even understand what they were agreeing to; they were deceived, promised easy money for participating in medical research.
Marina listened and felt a growing horror inside her. So it was true. Everything Vera Ivanovna had said was true. And they really had wanted to kill her because she had accidentally found out about it.
— What happens now? — she asked quietly.
— The arrested individuals will be held in custody until the trial. We are seizing all documents, interviewing witnesses, and collecting evidence. This is a serious case; they will get long sentences. And you are not in any danger. You are under protection.
— And the clinic?
Comments are closed.