Chapter 13: The Nurse Who## Chapter 13: The Nurse Who Knew Too Much
"Your mother wasn't the only person who was poisoned.""
Catherine's final words Knew Too Much
"Your mother wasn't the only person who was poisoned.""
Catherine's final words kept replaying in my head.
Daniel immediately called the nursing home in Cincinnati.
He asked for Catherine by name and requested to speak with the administrator.
After several minutes, he ended the call.
"She's kept replaying in my head.
Daniel immediately called the nursing home in Cincinnati.
He asked for Catherine by name and requested to speak with the administrator.
After several minutes, he ended the call.
"She's not answering her room phone.""
My stomach tightened.
"Could she be sleeping?""
"Possibly. But the administrator says she left the building approximately thirty minutes ago.""
"Did she say where she was going?""
"No.""
I grabbed my coat.
"We need to find her.""
Daniel caught my arm.
"Rebecca, we're not walking into another dangerous situation not answering her room phone.""
My stomach tightened.
"Could she be sleeping?""
"Possibly. But the administrator says she left the building approximately thirty minutes ago.""
"Did she say where she was going?""
"No.""
I grabbed my coat.
"We need to find her.""
Daniel caught my arm.
"Rebecca, we're not walking into another dangerous situation without involving the authorities.""
"She might be the only person who knows what happened to my mother.""
"And that's precisely why we need to protect her.""
He contacted the investigator who had helped us locate Walter. Within twenty minutes, we had an without involving the authorities.""
"She might be the only person who knows what happened to my mother.""
"And that's precisely why we need to protect her.""
He contacted the investigator who had helped us locate Walter. Within twenty minutes, we had an officer checking Catherine's residence and another reviewing the nursing home's security footage.
Opal sat quietly in the living room.
She had spent the last several hours calling Walter's hospital, arranging for his belongings to be collected, and trying to process the fact that her husband was alive.
Now she was watching me with concern.
"Rebecca, what exactly did Catherine say?""
I showed her the text.
Opal read it twice.
Then she looked up.
"Someone has been protecting this secret for officer checking Catherine's residence and another reviewing the nursing home's security footage.
Opal sat quietly in the living room.
She had spent the last several hours calling Walter's hospital, arranging for his belongings to be collected, and trying to process the fact that her husband was alive.
Now she was watching me with concern.
"Rebecca, what exactly did Catherine say?""
I showed her the text.
Opal read it twice.
Then she looked up.
"Someone has been protecting this secret for a very long time.""
I sat beside her.
"Do you think Monica hurt my mother?""
Opal took my hand.
"I don't know, sweetheart. But I know your father loved Margaret. He would never have written that letter unless he believed something terrible had happened.""
Daniel's phone rang.
He answered.
"Price.""
A pause.
"Where?""
He stood.
"All right. Don't touch anything until we arrive.""
He ended the call.
"They found Catherine's car.""
"Where?""
"At a pharmacy a very long time.""
I sat beside her.
"Do you think Monica hurt my mother?""
Opal took my hand.
"I don't know, sweetheart. But I know your father loved Margaret. He would never have written that letter unless he believed something terrible had happened.""
Daniel's phone rang.
He answered.
"Price.""
A pause.
"Where?""
He stood.
"All right. Don't touch anything until we arrive.""
He ended the call.
"They found Catherine's car.""
"Where?""
"At a pharmacy parking lot about two miles from the nursing home.""
"Was she inside?""
"No. Her handbag was on the passenger seat, and her phone was on the floor.""
I felt sick.
We drove to Cincinnati with two officers accompanying us.
The car was parked near the back of the lot.
An officer opened the driver's door.
C parking lot about two miles from the nursing home.""
"Was she inside?""
"No. Her handbag was on the passenger seat, and her phone was on the floor.""
I felt sick.
We drove to Cincinnati with two officers accompanying us.
The car was parked near the back of the lot.
An officer opened the driver's door.
Catherine's handbag sat beside the seat.
Her reading glasses were broken.
On the floor was a small envelope.
Daniel picked it up after the officers photographed it.
My name was written across the front.
Inside was a folded note.
Rebecca, if you receive this, I may not have another chance to speak.
*Your mother discovered thatatherine's handbag sat beside the seat.
Her reading glasses were broken.
On the floor was a small envelope.
Daniel picked it up after the officers photographed it.
My name was written across the front.
Inside was a folded note.
Rebecca, if you receive this, I may not have another chance to speak.
Your mother discovered that someone had been changing her medication records. She confronted the person responsible.
I was there when it happened.
But the person who gave her the medication wasn't Monica.
I read the sentence twice.
"Who was it?""
The note continued.
It was your husband.
My vision blurred.
Trevor.
The same man who had testified against me.
The same man who had taken my home and helped my sister steal my company.
Daniel took the paper.
"There's more.""
At the bottom, Catherine had written:
Your someone had been changing her medication records. She confronted the person responsible.
I was there when it happened.
But the person who gave her the medication wasn't Monica.
I read the sentence twice.
"Who was it?""
The note continued.
It was your husband.
My vision blurred.
Trevor.
The same man who had testified against me.
The same man who had taken my home and helped my sister steal my company.
Daniel took the paper.
"There's more.""
At the bottom, Catherine had written:
Your mother survived the first incident. She was recovering. Then someone changed her medication again. I saw Trevor enter her room shortly before her condition deteriorated.
I leaned against the car.
My husband had been involved in my mother's death?
I remembered Trevor bringing flowers to the hospital.
His gentle voice.
His hand on my shoulder.
He had stood beside mother survived the first incident. She was recovering. Then someone changed her medication again. I saw Trevor enter her room shortly before her condition deteriorated.*
I leaned against the car.
My husband had been involved in my mother's death?
I remembered Trevor bringing flowers to the hospital.
His gentle voice.
His hand on my shoulder.
He had stood beside me at the funeral and told me everything would be all right.
I had cried against his chest.
He had held me while knowing what he had done.
"Rebecca?""
Daniel's voice sounded distant.
I looked up.
"He's not just a thief.""
"No," Daniel replied.
"And if Catherine's account is accurate, this is now a potential homicide investigation.""
An officer approached.
"We found something else.""
He held up a small security photograph.
me at the funeral and told me everything would be all right.
I had cried against his chest.
He had held me while knowing what he had done.
"Rebecca?""
Daniel's voice sounded distant.
I looked up.
"He's not just a thief.""
"No," Daniel replied.
"And if Catherine's account is accurate, this is now a potential homicide investigation.""
An officer approached.
"We found something else.""
He held up a small security photograph.
It showed a woman entering the pharmacy parking lot.
She was wearing a dark coat and a baseball cap.
But I recognized the posture.
The way she carried her handbag.
Monica.
"She was here," I whispered.
The officer nodded.
"Do you know her?""
"My sister.""
Daniel examined the photograph.
"Can you identify the vehicle?""
I looked at the background.
A black luxury SUV.
It belonged to Trevor.
My hands began shaking.
They had been followingIt showed a woman entering the pharmacy parking lot.
She was wearing a dark coat and a baseball cap.
But I recognized the posture.
The way she carried her handbag.
Monica.
"She was here," I whispered.
The officer nodded.
"Do you know her?""
"My sister.""
Daniel examined the photograph.
"Can you identify the vehicle?""
I looked at the background.
A black luxury SUV.
It belonged to Trevor.
My hands began shaking.
They had been following Catherine.
They had known she was trying to contact me.
The officer spoke into his radio.
"We're issuing an alert for both vehicles.""
I turned toward Daniel.
"We need to find Catherine before they do.""
He nodded.
"We will.""
Then his phone rang again.
This time, the caller was Walter's hospital.
Daniel answered Catherine.
They had known she was trying to contact me.
The officer spoke into his radio.
"We're issuing an alert for both vehicles.""
I turned toward Daniel.
"We need to find Catherine before they do.""
He nodded.
"We will.""
Then his phone rang again.
This time, the caller was Walter's hospital.
Daniel answered.
His expression changed.
"What happened?""
He listened.
Then he looked at me.
"Rebecca, Walter has regained consciousness.""
I felt a small wave of relief.
"That's good.""
Daniel shook his head.
"He asked to speak with you immediately.""
"Why?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Because he remembered who arranged your mother's second medication change.""
He handed me the phone.
A weak voice came through.
"Rebecca?""
"Walter, I'm here.""
"Listen to.
His expression changed.
"What happened?""
He listened.
Then he looked at me.
"Rebecca, Walter has regained consciousness.""
I felt a small wave of relief.
"That's good.""
Daniel shook his head.
"He asked to speak with you immediately.""
"Why?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Because he remembered who arranged your mother's second medication change.""
He handed me the phone.
A weak voice came through.
"Rebecca?""
"Walter, I'm here.""
"Listen to me. I should have told you years ago.""
"Who did it?""
He began coughing.
Then he whispered:
"Trevor didn't act alone. Your father discovered the truth, and he made one final arrangement before he died.""
"What arrangement?""
"Your mother left something for you. Something that proves everything.""
I gripped the phone.
me. I should have told you years ago.""
"Who did it?""
He began coughing.
Then he whispered:
"Trevor didn't act alone. Your father discovered the truth, and he made one final arrangement before he died.""
"What arrangement?""
"Your mother left something for you. Something that proves everything.""
I gripped the phone.
"Where is it?""
Walter took a shaky breath.
"Inside the hospital bracelet she wore the night she died.""
I stared at Daniel.
Then Walter said one final thing.
"Rebecca, your mother knew she was going to die. And she recorded a message for you.""
The line went silent.
A nurse hurried into the room.
"Mr. Hargrove needs to rest.""
I lowered the phone.
For the first time, I wasn't simply searching"Where is it?""
Walter took a shaky breath.
"Inside the hospital bracelet she wore the night she died.""
I stared at Daniel.
Then Walter said one final thing.
"Rebecca, your mother knew she was going to die. And she recorded a message for you.""
The line went silent.
A nurse hurried into the room.
"Mr. Hargrove needs to rest.""
I lowered the phone.
For the first time, I wasn't simply searching for evidence of financial fraud.
May you like
I was searching for the truth about my mother's death.
And somewhere, my sister and husband knew exactly what I was about to discover.
