Chapter 11: The Old Hospital
I called the school.
No answer.
I called again.
This time a secretary picked up.
“Charlotte Elementary.””
“This is Evelyn Carter. My grandson Isaiah is a student there.””
“Yes, ma'am.””
“Is he still in school?””
There was a pause.
“He was picked up twenty minutes ago.””
My blood turned cold.
“By whom?””
“His stepmother.””
“Tasha?””
“Yes.””
I nearly dropped the phone.
“Did she show identification?””
“She was listed as an authorized pickup.””
“Who authorized that?””
“His father.””
“My son didn't.””
The secretary sounded confused.
“I'm sorry, ma'am. We have it in the system.””
I hung up.
Sean was already grabbing his keys.
“You're not going alone.””
“The message said—”
“I don't care.””
“Isaiah is with Tasha.””
“Then we go.””
I called Malcolm.
He answered immediately.
“Mom?””
“Isaiah was picked up.””
“What?””
“Tasha took him.””
“She can't.””
“She already did.””
He cursed under his breath.
“Where are you?””
“The old hospital.””
“I'm coming.””
“No.””
“Mom—”
“Bring the police.””
I ended the call.
Sean drove.
The old hospital had been closed for years.
Its windows were boarded.
We parked across the street.
I held the flash drive in my fist.
“Stay here,” Sean said.
“No.””
“If something happens—”
“Something already happened.””
We crossed the empty parking lot.
A black SUV waited beneath a broken light.
The driver's door opened.
Tasha stepped out.
Isaiah was in the back seat.
He saw me.
“Grandma!””
I moved forward.
Tasha held up one hand.
“Stop.””
Isaiah pressed against the window.
“Grandma, I want to go home.””
“You will.””
Tasha looked at the flash drive.
“Give it to me.””
“No.””
“You don't understand what you're holding.””
“I understand enough.””
She laughed bitterly.
“You watched one recording and decided you know everything.””
“I watched you forge my signature.””
“And?””
“And you stole forty-eight thousand dollars.””
“I didn't steal it.””
“Then where is it?””
“Gone.””
“Because of you.””
Her face hardened.
“Because Emily was going to destroy my children.””
I looked at Isaiah.
“What did he ever do to your children?””
“Nothing.””
“Then why punish him?””
“Because he was the reason everything changed.””
I stared at her.
“What does that mean?””
Tasha's eyes flicked toward Sean.
“You really brought him?””
“He knows the truth.””
“He knows one version.””
She reached into her coat.
Sean moved in front of me.
Tasha pulled out a folded document.
“Before you judge me, read this.””
She tossed it onto the pavement.
I picked it up.
It was a hospital record.
Emily's name.
Date of death.
4:18 p.m.
Below it was a handwritten note.
*Patient refused further treatment.*
I looked at Tasha.
“She refused treatment?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“She knew she was dying.””
“That doesn't explain the recording.””
Tasha's eyes filled with tears.
For the first time, she looked less like a villain and more like someone exhausted from carrying a secret.
“I didn't kill Emily.””
“Then what did you do?””
“I gave her what she asked for.””
“What?””
“Silence.””
My stomach tightened.
“What does that mean?””
Tasha looked at Isaiah.
“She begged me not to let Malcolm know.””
“Know what?””
“That Isaiah wasn't his biological son.””
I glanced at Sean.
He lowered his eyes.
Tasha continued.
“She said Malcolm would hate him.””
“That doesn't explain the money.””
“No.””
She wiped her cheek.
“The money was never about school.””
“What was it about?””
“Emily had another child.””
I froze.
“What?””
Tasha looked directly at me.
“Before Isaiah.””
My mind struggled to process the words.
“Another child?””
“She gave the baby up.””
“Why?””
“Because Sean wasn't ready to be a father.””
Sean stepped forward.
“Don't put that on me.””
Tasha snapped, “You abandoned her.””
“I was twenty-two.””
“And Emily never forgave you.””
Isaiah began crying in the SUV.
“Grandma…”
I turned toward him.
Tasha opened the back door.
“Take him.””
I pulled him into my arms.
He buried his face against my chest.
“She's lying,” he whispered.
I held him tightly.
Then I noticed something in Tasha's hand.
A second flash drive.
“You have another one.””
She looked at it.
“This contains Emily's final recording.””
My heart pounded.
“What does it say?””
Tasha's eyes met mine.
“She named Isaiah's real father.””
I looked at Sean.
Then Malcolm's name flashed across my phone.
He was calling.
I answered.
His first words were:
“Mom, don't trust Sean.””
I looked up.
May you like
Sean was gone.
And the hospital doors behind us were slowly swinging open.
