Chapter 5: The Secret Lily Was Afraid to Tell
Danielle snatched the paper from my hands.
She read it once.
Then again.
“What secret?”” she whispered.
Rachel sank into the kitchen chair.
“I don't know everything.””
Danielle slammed the paper onto the table.
“Don't you dare. You were standing beside my daughter's hospital bed. You knew something was wrong. Tell me what you know!””
Rachel covered her face.
“Mom told me Lily had been asking questions.””
“What questions?””
“About her medicine.””
I stared at her.
“What about it?””
Rachel looked at me.
“She said Grandma was giving her something that made her feel strange.””
Danielle went completely still.
“What?””
Rachel nodded.
“Lily told me she sometimes felt dizzy after Grandma visited.””
My chest tightened.
“Why didn't you tell us?””
“I thought she was confused. She was sick, Marcus. She had been taking medication. I thought it was a side effect.””
Danielle gripped the edge of the table.
“What medication?””
“I don't know.””
“You're her aunt! You should know!””
Rachel started crying.
“I know! I know!””
I pulled out my phone.
“Officer Brooks needs to hear this.””
Rachel grabbed my wrist.
“Wait.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
She swallowed.
“There's something else.””
Danielle's voice trembled.
“Rachel, if you know anything about Lily, you tell us right now.””
Rachel looked toward the apartment door as though she expected someone to walk through it.
Then she spoke.
“Mom told me not to let Danielle find out that she had been giving Lily something.””
I felt the room spin.
“Giving her what?””
“Something she called a calming supplement.””
Danielle shook her head.
“My daughter didn't take supplements.””
“Mom said the doctor approved it.””
“Which doctor?””
Rachel didn't answer.
I dialed Officer Brooks.
He answered immediately.
“Mr. Williams?””
“Detective, we need to talk. Rachel has information about Lily's medication.””
There was a brief silence.
“Don't let her leave. I'll send someone.””
Rachel started shaking.
“Marcus, please don't.””
I lowered my phone.
“Why?””
“Because Mom will know I told you.””
Danielle stepped toward her.
“Good. Let her know.””
Rachel began sobbing.
“I didn't think Lily would die!””
Those words silenced the room.
Danielle stared at her sister.
“What did you just say?””
Rachel's shoulders shook.
“I thought she was just getting sick. Mom told me the medicine was harmless. She said Lily needed help sleeping.””
I took a step closer.
“Did you see her give it to Lily?””
Rachel nodded.
“When?””
“Several times.””
Danielle covered her mouth.
“Where?””
“At your house.””
“When?””
Rachel looked down.
“Mostly when you were at work.””
Danielle staggered backward.
I caught her arm.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Danielle whispered, “My mother-in-law was giving my child something without my permission?””
Rachel nodded.
“And you knew?””
“I found out two weeks ago.””
Danielle slapped the table.
“Two weeks?””
“I was going to tell you!””
“When? After she died?””
Rachel burst into tears.
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I asked the only question that mattered.
“Did you know Lily was afraid of Grandma?””
Rachel nodded.
“She told me Grandma said Daddy didn't love her anymore.””
My throat tightened.
“And what did you say?””
“I told her that wasn't true.””
“Did you tell her I loved her?””
“Yes.””
“Did you tell her to call me?””
Rachel looked away.
“No.””
“Why?””
She wiped her cheeks.
“Because Mom said you were having an affair. She said if Lily kept calling you, you'd get angry and stop coming home altogether.””
I closed my eyes.
My mother had used my betrayal as a weapon against my own child.
She had taken something I had done wrong and turned it into a reason for an eight-year-old girl to feel unwanted.
The doorbell rang.
Officer Brooks entered with another officer.
“Rachel Williams?””
She nodded.
“We need you to come with us and provide a formal statement.””
Rachel stood slowly.
Before leaving, she turned toward Danielle.
“I'm sorry.””
Danielle's expression was empty.
“Don't apologize to me. You should have apologized to Lily.””
Rachel lowered her head.
The officers escorted her out.
I sat beside Danielle.
For a long time, she stared at the pink envelope.
Then she spoke.
“Do you know what Lily asked me on Saturday night?””
I shook my head.
“She asked whether dying meant she would get to see you again.””
My eyes filled.
“What did you tell her?””
“I told her she wasn't dying. I told her Daddy was coming.””
She began crying.
“I lied to her, Marcus. I told our little girl you were coming.””
I reached for her hand.
She pulled it away.
“Don't.””
“Danielle…”
“Do you know what I did after she fell asleep?””
I shook my head.
“I called you again. Fifty-one times. I left messages. I begged you to answer.””
Her voice cracked.
“And when you finally returned my call on Sunday morning, do you know what you said?””
I remembered nothing.
“I don't…”
“You said, 'Danielle, can this wait? I'm busy.''”
The words struck me harder than anything else that day.
“I didn't know.””
“You didn't want to know.””
She stood and walked toward the bedroom.
I remained at the kitchen table.
A few minutes later, my phone rang.
Officer Brooks.
“Mr. Williams, we've reviewed Rachel's preliminary statement.””
“What did she say?””
“She claims your mother had been administering something to Lily for several weeks. We're requesting the medical records and arranging toxicology testing.””
“Can you arrest her?””
“We need evidence establishing exactly what was administered and whether it contributed to Lily's death.””
I gripped the phone.
“Then find it.””
“We also recovered something from the hospital room.””
“What?””
“A medication container hidden inside your mother's handbag.””
My heart began pounding.
“What medication?””
Officer Brooks hesitated.
“It's not the medication listed in Lily's medical chart.””
I looked toward the bedroom.
“Was it prescribed to my mother?””
“No.””
“Then what was it?””
May you like
His next words made my hands go cold.
“The container had Lily's name written on it. But the substance inside was prescribed to someone else.””
