Chapter 3
Detective Cole separated them immediately.
Rachel stayed with Ellie.
Lucas went into another room.
Margaret demanded a lawyer.
That demand changed everything.
Until then, Rachel had still been trying to convince herself there had to be another explanation.
Maybe Ellie misunderstood.
Maybe Margaret had said something similar.
Maybe fear was twisting everyone’s memories.
But innocent people sometimes asked for lawyers too.
Rachel knew that.
Still, the speed of Margaret’s reaction disturbed her.
“I won’t answer another question,” Margaret said.
Detective Cole nodded.
“That is your right.”
“You’re treating me like a criminal because of a four-year-old.”
“No one said that.”
“You brought security.”
“For everyone’s safety.”
Margaret laughed bitterly.
“Safety?”
Her eyes landed on Rachel.
“You have no idea what your husband has been doing behind your back.”
Rachel’s stomach tightened.
“What does that mean?”
Margaret looked away.
Detective Cole stepped between them.
“That’s enough.”
“No,” Rachel said. “Let her talk.”
Margaret smiled.
It wasn’t warm.
“Nathan wasn’t the man you thought he was.”
Rachel’s mouth went dry.
“You’re trying to turn this around.”
“I’m telling you that there are things you don’t know.”
“What things?”
Margaret glanced toward the detective.
“Ask your husband when he wakes up.”
Then she walked away with security beside her.
Rachel stood frozen.
Ellie pulled at her sleeve.
“Mommy?”
Rachel forced herself to look down.
“Yes, baby?”
“Is Grandma mad?”
Rachel knelt.
“Grandma is upset.”
“Because Daddy woke up?”
The question broke something inside her.
“No.”
Ellie’s eyes searched her face.
“Then why?”
Rachel pulled her close.
“I don’t know yet.”
Detective Cole waited until Ellie was distracted with crayons before sitting across from Rachel.
“I need you to walk me through yesterday.”
“I already told the hospital.”
“I need you to tell me.”
Rachel inhaled.
Nathan had left home at 6:30 in the morning.
He had kissed Ellie while she slept.
He had kissed Rachel in the kitchen.
He had complained about a headache.
Nothing severe.
He was supposed to meet a subcontractor, then his mother, then return to the office.
At 9:12, Margaret called Rachel.
Nathan had collapsed.
An ambulance had taken him to St. Matthew’s.
Rachel arrived at 9:39.
By 10:17, doctors were fighting to stabilize his heart.
At 10:51, a nurse told Rachel to wait outside.
At 11:09, the doctor came out.
Nathan was dead.
Detective Cole looked at his notes.
“Who was the doctor?”
“Dr. Samuel Brent.”
“Was he working tonight?”
“I don’t know.”
“He’s not.”
Rachel looked at him.
“Why not?”
“He called in sick.”
Something in the detective’s voice made her skin crawl.
“Do you think he’s involved?”
“I think we have questions.”
“About the eleven minutes?”
“Yes.”
Rachel leaned forward.
“What exactly is missing?”
Cole hesitated.
“Electronic charts create timestamps. Medication scans. Vital-sign entries. Staff logins. Equipment access.”
“And?”
“From 10:53 to 11:04 yesterday morning, almost everything associated with your husband’s room was manually altered or deleted.”
“Can someone do that?”
“Not easily.”
“Who could?”
“Someone with administrative access.”
Rachel immediately thought of Dr. Brent.
Then another memory surfaced.
Margaret standing near the nurses’ station.
Talking to someone.
Rachel had barely noticed because she was crying.
“Margaret knew one of the nurses.”
Cole looked up.
“Which nurse?”
“I don’t know her name.”
“Describe her.”
“Maybe forty. Dark hair. Red glasses.”
Cole’s expression sharpened.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He stood.
“Excuse me.”
“Why?”
He was already crossing the room.
Rachel followed.
“Detective.”
He stopped.
“The nurse matching that description is Amelia Voss.”
“Okay.”
“She entered your husband’s room during the missing eleven minutes.”
Rachel felt her throat close.
“And?”
“And she hasn’t reported for work today.”
Cole walked away to make a call.
Rachel returned to Ellie.
The little girl was drawing.
Three people stood beside a square box.
One was small.
One wore a long dress.
One lay inside the box.
Rachel swallowed.
“Is that Daddy?”
Ellie nodded.
“And that’s you?”
Another nod.
“Who is this?”
Rachel pointed at the third figure.
Ellie stopped coloring.
“Grandma.”
Rachel stared at the picture.
“Was Grandma at the funeral?”
Ellie shook her head.
“No. Before.”
“At the hospital?”
Ellie nodded.
Rachel sat beside her.
“Can you tell Mommy what you saw?”
Ellie’s crayon trembled.
“Grandma was angry.”
“With Daddy?”
“Yes.”
“What did she say?”
Ellie frowned, struggling to remember.
“She said Daddy was bad.”
Rachel’s heart started pounding.
“What else?”
“She said he was taking everything.”
“Taking what?”
Ellie shrugged.
“Daddy said no.”
“Did you hear Daddy talking?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“When Aunt Jenna took me to see him.”
Rachel stared.
Jenna was Rachel’s younger sister.
She had picked Ellie up after Rachel rushed to the hospital.
Later, against Rachel’s wishes, Jenna brought Ellie to the hospital because the child wouldn’t stop crying.
Rachel had been meeting with the funeral coordinator.
She never knew Ellie had reached Nathan’s room.
“Where was Aunt Jenna?”
“Getting juice.”
“And you went inside?”
Ellie nodded.
“Daddy was sleeping.”
“Was Grandma there?”
“Yes.”
Rachel’s hands went cold.
“What did Grandma do?”
Ellie drew a blue cup.
“She had Daddy’s water.”
“What happened?”
“She had a little bottle.”
Rachel’s breath caught.
“What kind of bottle?”
“Tiny.”
“What color?”
“Brown.”
Rachel looked toward Detective Cole.
He was watching them.
He had heard.
“Ellie,” he said gently, approaching slowly. “Would you draw the bottle for me?”
Rachel’s protective instinct surged.
“Do you have to question her now?”
“I’m not going to pressure her.”
He crouched several feet away.
“You don’t have to tell me anything, Ellie.”
Ellie looked at him.
“Are you police?”
“Yes.”
“Do you catch bad people?”
“I try.”
Ellie thought about that.
Then she drew a small rectangle beside Margaret’s figure.
Detective Cole looked at Rachel.
“Did Nathan take any liquid medication?”
“No.”
“Herbal supplements?”
“No.”
“Drops? Tinctures?”
“No.”
Cole photographed the drawing.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed quickly.
“When?”
A pause.
“Secure the area. Don’t touch anything.”
He hung up.
“What happened?” Rachel asked.
“They found Nurse Voss.”
Relief came first.
Then she saw his face.
“Is she alive?”
Cole didn’t answer directly.
“She was found unconscious in her apartment.”
Rachel covered Ellie’s ears.
“What happened?”
“Possible overdose.”
“Possible?”
“There was a note.”
Rachel waited.
Cole looked troubled.
“It says she made a mistake with Nathan’s medication and couldn’t live with what she had done.”
Rachel blinked.
“So she did it?”
“That would be the convenient conclusion.”
“You don’t believe it.”
“I don’t believe in convenient conclusions.”
A nurse hurried into the waiting room.
“Mrs. Carter?”
Rachel stood.
“Nathan is awake again.”
This time, they allowed Rachel inside.
Nathan looked nothing like the man she had kissed the previous morning.
His skin was pale.
Tubes ran from both arms.
Monitors surrounded him.
But his eyes were open.
Rachel covered her mouth.
“Nathan.”
His gaze slowly found her.
Tears filled his eyes.
“Rach.”
She rushed to his side.
“You’re here.”
His voice was weak.
“Ellie?”
“She’s safe.”
“Funeral.”
Rachel froze.
“You remember?”
His eyes filled with confusion.
“Dark.”
She touched his face.
“You were in a coffin.”
Nathan shut his eyes.
A tear slid toward his ear.
“I heard her.”
Rachel’s breath caught.
“Ellie?”
He nodded.
“I couldn’t move.”
Rachel began crying.
“I heard her crying.”
“Oh, Nathan.”
“I tried.”
His fingers twitched beneath hers.
“I tried so hard.”
Rachel leaned over and pressed her forehead to his.
“She saved you.”
He swallowed.
Then his eyes opened wider.
“Mom.”
Rachel pulled back.
“What about your mother?”
Nathan’s heart monitor accelerated.
“She knows.”
“Knows what?”
Nathan looked toward the door.
Fear entered his face.
“Lock it.”
Rachel stared.
“Nathan?”
“Lock the door.”
She did.
He tried to sit up.
Pain forced him back.
Rachel held his shoulders.
“Tell me what happened.”
“My mother wasn’t trying to kill me.”
Rachel blinked.
“Then who was?”
Nathan stared at her.
“I don’t know.”
“But you said she knows.”
“She knows why.”
“Why?”
Nathan closed his eyes.
“I found something.”
“What?”
“At the company.”
Rachel waited.
His voice dropped to a whisper.
“Money was missing.”
“How much?”
“Almost three million dollars.”
Rachel stepped back.
“Three million?”
Nathan nodded.
“I started checking accounts.”
“Lucas?”
“No.”
“Your mother?”
Nathan didn’t answer.
Rachel’s stomach twisted.
“Nathan.”
“Mom had access.”
Rachel felt sick.
“But she wasn’t the only one.”
“Who else?”
Nathan turned toward her.
“You.”
Rachel stared at him.
“What?”
“Your login.”
“No.”
“Rachel—”
“I have never accessed your company accounts.”
“I know.”
She froze.
Nathan squeezed her hand weakly.
“That’s why I changed my will.”
Rachel’s eyes filled.
“You thought someone was framing me?”
“I knew someone was.”
“Who?”
“I didn’t have proof.”
A knock sounded.
Rachel turned.
Detective Cole entered.
Nathan tensed.
“It’s okay,” Rachel said.
Cole approached the bed.
“Mr. Carter, I know you’re weak.”
Nathan stared at him.
“The nurse.”
Cole paused.
“What about her?”
“She gave me something.”
Rachel’s heart lurched.
“You remember?”
Nathan nodded.
“Mom was there.”
“What happened?”
“We argued. Mom left.”
“And then?”
“Amelia came in.”
“What did she give you?”
Nathan closed his eyes.
“Said it was for nausea.”
“Did she put it in your IV?”
“No.”
“Water?”
Nathan nodded.
Rachel and Cole exchanged a look.
Ellie had been right.
“Was your mother present when Amelia did that?”
Nathan shook his head.
“No.”
Rachel almost sagged with relief.
Then Nathan whispered, “But Amelia told me Mom sent her.”
The relief vanished.
Cole leaned closer.
“Exact words?”
Nathan struggled.
“Your mother said this will calm you down.”
Rachel swallowed.
“Then what?”
“I drank.”
His breathing became uneven.
“Minutes later, I couldn’t feel my hands.”
“Did you call for help?”
“I tried.”
“What do you remember after that?”
Nathan’s face tightened.
“Dr. Brent.”
Cole went still.
“What about him?”
“He came into the room.”
“Was Nurse Voss there?”
“Yes.”
“What did they say?”
Nathan’s eyes opened.
His voice was barely audible.
“Brent said, ‘It’s already done. Delete the eleven minutes.’”
Rachel’s blood ran cold.
Cole straightened.
“Are you certain?”
Nathan nodded.
“And then?”
Nathan began shaking.
Rachel squeezed his hand.
“You don’t have to—”
“I heard them.”
“Heard what?”
“Amelia asked if I would wake up.”
Cole leaned in.
“And Brent?”
Nathan looked directly at him.
“He said, ‘Not after the funeral home gets him.’”
Rachel stopped breathing.
The room seemed to shrink around them.
This had not been a dosing mistake.
Not a medical accident.
Someone had expected Nathan’s body to be destroyed before he could ever wake.
Cole’s phone vibrated.
He checked it.
His expression hardened.
“What is it?” Rachel asked.
He looked at Nathan.
“Dr. Brent’s car was found abandoned thirty minutes ago.”
“Where?”
“Near the river.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
Cole continued.
“And hospital security just sent us something else.”
He held out his phone.
A still image appeared.
It showed the hallway outside Nathan’s hospital room during the missing eleven minutes.
Dr. Brent stood near the door.
Nurse Voss stood beside him.
And between them was another person.
Rachel stared at the screen.
Her mouth went dry.
The image was grainy.
But she recognized the coat.
She recognized the handbag.
She recognized the woman turning toward the camera.
It wasn’t Margaret.
May you like
It was Rachel’s sister.
Jenna.
