Chapter 13: The Son Who Was in His Father's Room
"That's impossible!""
Daniel's voice echoed through the study.
He grabbed my phone.
"Detective, I was at the hospital that night, but I didn't hurt my father. I swear.""
Detective Carter remained calm.
"Mr. Bennett, nobody has accused you of murder. We're trying to establish what happened during your father's final hours.""
"Then show me the footage!""
"We intend to. But first, we need you to understand something. The hospital's archived visitor records indicate that you entered your father's room at 10:17 p.m. You left at 10:46 p.m.""
Daniel shook his head.
"I remember visiting him. I was there because he asked me to come.""
"Was anyone else present?""
Daniel looked at me.
"Richard.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What?""
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
"Mom, I didn't tell you because I was afraid you'd blame yourself.""
"Blame myself for what?""
He sat down.
"That night, Dad asked me to bring him a document from his office. He said it was inside the wooden box.""
I looked at the empty space on the desk where we had placed the box.
"What document?""
"The original trust agreement.""
Helen immediately looked up.
"Thomas asked you to bring the trust agreement to the hospital?""
Daniel nodded.
"He wanted me to sign something. He said it was important.""
I stared at him.
"Did you sign it?""
"No. When I arrived, Richard was already there. He told me Dad was confused and that I shouldn't upset him.""
Daniel's eyes filled.
"I argued with him. Dad became agitated, and the nurse asked us to leave.""
James leaned forward.
"What happened after that?""
Daniel looked at the floor.
"I left the room. But I didn't go home.""
"Where did you go?"" I asked.
"To the hallway.""
He took a shaky breath.
"I heard Richard arguing with Dad. Then I heard something fall. When I looked through the partly open door, Richard was standing beside the bed.""
I gripped the chair.
"What was he doing?""
Daniel swallowed.
"He was holding a syringe.""
Nobody spoke.
"He saw me," Daniel continued.
"He came into the hallway and told me that if I ever mentioned what I'd seen, he'd make sure you lost everything.""
I felt tears running down my face.
"Why didn't you tell the police?""
"Because Richard showed me a photograph of you leaving the house. He said he had people watching you.""
I closed my eyes.
My son had been terrified.
But his silence had allowed Richard to remain free for six years.
Helen took the phone.
"Detective Carter, we have information that may corroborate Daniel's account. Thomas left written instructions concerning his brother's involvement in his final hospitalization.""
The detective asked us to come to the station.
Before leaving, Daniel looked at me.
"Mom, do you believe me?""
I studied his face.
I remembered the wedding.
The champagne.
The slap.
His refusal to defend me.
I also remembered the frightened little boy who used to sleep beside me during thunderstorms after his father died.
"I believe you're telling me what you remember," I said.
"But the truth has to come out, Daniel. All of it.""
At the station, Detective Carter showed us a photograph taken from the hospital's archived security system.
It showed Daniel standing outside Thomas's room.
Behind him was Richard, carrying a black medical bag.
The detective enlarged the image.
"Mr. Bennett, do you recognize this bag?""
Daniel nodded.
"It's the one from the video.""
"Correct. Now look at the time.""
The photograph was timestamped 10:31 p.m.
The detective opened another image.
This one showed Richard leaving the room at 10:38 p.m.
But something else caught my attention.
A nurse was standing beside the doorway.
I pointed.
"Who is she?""
Detective Carter checked his notes.
"Her name is Patricia Collins. She was working the night shift.""
"Is she still alive?""
"Yes. We located her yesterday.""
He paused.
"She has agreed to speak with us.""
A door opened.
An elderly woman entered.
She wore a simple gray cardigan and carried a handbag.
Her eyes immediately settled on me.
"Mrs. Bennett?""
I stood.
"Yes.""
She approached slowly.
"I'm sorry about your husband.""
I nodded.
"Did you see what happened that night?""
Patricia looked at Detective Carter.
Then she took a deep breath.
"I saw Richard Bennett enter your husband's room with a medical bag. I questioned him because he wasn't listed as a physician or authorized medical professional.""
My heart pounded.
"What did he say?""
"He claimed he was a relative bringing medication approved by the family.""
"Did you let him administer anything?""
"No. I told him all medication had to be cleared by the attending physician.""
Daniel leaned forward.
"Then what happened?""
Patricia looked at him.
"You came into the hallway. You were arguing with him.""
Daniel nodded.
"I remember.""
Patricia continued.
"Richard left the room. But before he went, he placed something inside your father's bedside drawer.""
Detective Carter opened a notebook.
"What did he place there?""
"A small envelope.""
The room became silent.
I looked at Daniel.
"Did you ever see it?""
He shook his head.
Patricia lowered her voice.
"I found it after your husband passed away. I didn't know what it contained, so I gave it to the hospital administrator.""
Detective Carter stood.
"Where is it now?""
Patricia looked at him.
"That's the strange part.""
She opened her handbag and removed a small photograph.
It showed an envelope with Thomas's handwriting.
The words were clearly visible.
*FOR MARGARET. ONLY IF RICHARD RETURNS.*
I began crying.
"Why didn't anyone contact me?""
Patricia's face crumpled.
"Because the envelope disappeared from the hospital records the following morning.""
Detective Carter examined the photograph.
"Who had access to the records room?""
Patricia looked directly at him.
"Three people.""
She named the hospital administrator.
The night supervisor.
And one other person.
A woman whose name made my blood run cold.
*Tiffany Whitaker.*
Daniel stood so abruptly his chair fell backward.
"My wife?""
Patricia nodded.
"She was working as a volunteer coordinator at the hospital during that period.""
Daniel stared at her.
May you like
Then he whispered, "She knew my father before we met.""
And suddenly, the story of our family became something far darker than I had imagined.
