Chapter 7: My Wife's Voice on the Recording
"Sarah, tell me that's not you.""
My voice sounded unfamiliar, even to me.
Sarah stood beside the computer, staring at the frozen audio player. Her lips parted, but no words came out.
Emily looked between us.
"Mom?""
I took a step backward.
"How long have you been talking to Richard about my cancer?""
Sarah shook her head.
"Michael, please. You have to let me explain.""
"Then explain.""
She looked toward Frank, who had quietly returned to the doorway.
"Could we have a minute alone?""
Frank nodded and stepped outside.
Emily folded her arms.
"I'm staying.""
Sarah wiped her cheeks.
"All right.""
I pointed toward the computer.
"Start with that recording.""
Sarah pulled a chair toward herself and sat down.
"Richard contacted me last year. He told me he'd discovered something about your medical situation.""
"Last year? I wasn't diagnosed until December.""
"He knew you'd been having tests.""
I stared at her.
"How?""
She shook her head.
"He said someone at the hospital had mentioned your name. At first, I thought he was lying.""
"And you believed him enough to keep talking?""
Sarah lowered her head.
"He told me he could help.""
I laughed without humor.
"Help with what?""
"Your treatment. He said he knew a specialist who could get you an earlier appointment.""
Emily stepped forward.
"Mom, why would Richard have access to Michael's medical records?""
Sarah looked at her daughter.
"I don't know how he got them.""
"That's not an answer.""
Sarah closed her eyes.
"He sent me copies.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Copies of what?""
"Your test results. The preliminary scans. Even the doctor's notes.""
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Someone had accessed my private medical information.
Someone had been discussing my health behind my back.
And my wife had known.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I was scared.""
"Of what?""
Sarah's voice broke.
"Richard said he knew people who could help us financially. He said if we cooperated, he could make sure Emily's college expenses were covered.""
I looked at Emily.
She shook her head.
"I don't want his money.""
"I know that now," Sarah whispered.
I turned back to my wife.
"What did he ask you to do?""
Sarah reached into her purse and removed a folded document.
"He wanted me to convince you to change the insurance beneficiary.""
"To yourself?""
She nodded.
"He said it would make things easier if something happened to you.""
"And then?""
"He wanted me to transfer ownership of the policy to him.""
I stared at her.
"You knew about the forged request?""
"No. Michael, I swear. I never signed anything.""
"That's not what I asked.""
She began crying.
"I knew he wanted the policy. I didn't know he'd submitted those documents.""
Emily stepped away from her mother.
"So you helped him?""
Sarah covered her face.
"I thought I was protecting Michael.""
"By helping the man who abandoned me steal his insurance?""
"Emily, please.""
"No! You let me believe he was my father!""
Her voice echoed through the garage.
Sarah reached for her, but Emily pulled away.
I looked at the computer.
"There's more on that drive.""
I opened the next audio file.
This one was shorter.
Richard's voice came through clearly.
"Sarah, you need to understand something. If Michael dies without changing that policy, the money goes to Emily. That leaves us with nothing.""
Sarah's recorded voice answered.
"Then leave him alone.""
Richard laughed.
"You still don't understand. I'm not asking for permission.""
A pause followed.
Then Sarah spoke again.
"What if Michael finds out?""
Richard's answer was chilling.
"By then, he'll have bigger problems.""
The recording ended.
I looked at my wife.
"What did he mean?""
Sarah was shaking.
"I don't know.""
"You're telling me you don't know?""
"He threatened me, Michael.""
"What did he threaten?""
She hesitated.
Then she whispered, "He said he'd tell Emily that you had been hiding money from her. He said he'd make her believe you were planning to leave her with nothing.""
I stared at her.
"He already did that.""
Sarah nodded.
"I know.""
Emily sat down on an overturned bucket.
For the first time since we'd entered the garage, she looked completely exhausted.
"I don't know who to believe anymore.""
I walked over and crouched in front of her.
"You don't have to decide everything today.""
She looked at me.
"Are you going to leave Mom?""
I glanced at Sarah.
That was a question I hadn't prepared for.
"I don't know, sweetheart.""
Emily began crying again.
"I already lost one father. I don't want to lose another.""
I put my arms around her.
This time, she held on tightly.
Then Sarah's phone rang.
She looked at the screen and immediately went pale.
Richard.
She declined the call.
It rang again.
Then a message appeared.
*I know you found Daniel's box. Don't make me come looking for what's mine.*
Sarah showed me the screen.
I took a screenshot.
Then another message arrived.
*And Michael, you might want to ask your wife what happened the night Daniel died.*
I looked at Sarah.
She had stopped crying.
Her face was completely expressionless.
"What happened the night Daniel died?""
She slowly shook her head.
"Michael, there's something I never told you.""
My chest tightened.
"What?""
Sarah looked at Emily.
Then she whispered:
"Daniel called me two hours before the accident. He said he had discovered who had been accessing your medical records.""
I stared at her.
"Who?""
May you like
Sarah's eyes filled again.
"He said it was someone inside our family.""
