Chapter 11: The Evidence My Sister Had Hidden
The police separated Marcus and Emily.
Daniel and I were taken to a private interview room while Attorney Carter provided copies of the trust documents.
Emily refused to leave.
She sat across from me, her hands clasped tightly together.
For the first time in years, she looked like the little sister who used to hide behind me whenever our mother raised her voice.
But I couldn't bring myself to comfort her.
Not yet.
"Tell me everything," I said.
Emily nodded.
"After Mom died, Marcus told me the medication had been prescribed to control her blood pressure. He said the doctors had made a mistake.""
"And you believed him?""
"At first, yes.""
She reached into her folder.
"Then I found a receipt in his office. It was for a private prescription issued by Dr. Collins.""
She placed it on the table.
I recognized the doctor's signature.
"Why didn't you take this to the police?""
Emily lowered her eyes.
"Because Marcus had something on me.""
"What?""
She took a deep breath.
"Before Mom died, I transferred $42,000 from one of her accounts. Marcus told me it was money he was entitled to receive. I later discovered it was part of the trust.""
I stared at her.
"You stole from Mom?""
"I thought I was helping Marcus establish our business.""
"Your business?""
Emily nodded.
"He promised to marry me. He said we'd have a future together.""
I looked at the ceiling.
The betrayal seemed endless.
"And then he married me.""
Emily started crying.
"Yes.""
"Did you know he was planning to marry me when he proposed to you?""
She nodded.
I felt the room grow cold.
"How long?""
"He ended things with me six weeks before your engagement.""
I stared at her.
Six weeks.
I remembered that period.
Emily had been unusually quiet at our engagement party.
She'd hugged me and said she was happy for me.
She'd even helped choose my wedding dress.
All while knowing the man I was marrying had promised to marry her first.
"Did you ever love me enough to tell me?""
Emily covered her face.
"I was afraid.""
"Of Marcus?""
"Of losing everything.""
I leaned forward.
"You didn't just lose something, Emily. You helped him destroy our family.""
She nodded.
"I know.""
Daniel entered the room carrying two coffees.
He placed one beside me.
"There's something you both need to see.""
He opened his laptop.
A financial investigator had sent him a report.
The report showed that Marcus had established several accounts under different company names.
Some belonged to businesses that didn't exist.
Others were linked to medical suppliers.
One account had received payments from the insurance company handling my proposed policy.
"Why would the insurance company pay him?"" I asked.
Daniel pointed to a line item.
"Because he submitted an application for a policy on your life and included a medical risk assessment claiming you had a progressive neurological disorder.""
My stomach turned.
"But the policy wasn't approved.""
"Not yet. They were waiting for the procedure and updated medical documentation.""
Attorney Carter entered.
"Which means the timing of tomorrow's appointment was not accidental.""
I looked at him.
"What would have happened if I'd gone?""
He exchanged a glance with Daniel.
"We don't know the exact plan. But the documents indicate they wanted a medical report establishing that you were unable to make independent decisions.""
Daniel added:
"And once they had guardianship, Marcus could have attempted to control your assets.""
I thought about the pills.
The dizziness.
The fatigue.
The mornings when I'd struggled to remember where I'd placed my keys.
They hadn't been random.
Someone had been deliberately making me feel unwell.
I pressed my hands against my face.
"How much of my life was manufactured?""
Nobody answered.
Then Emily spoke.
"There's something else.""
I looked at her.
She removed a small recorder from her handbag.
"I recorded Marcus last week.""
Daniel leaned forward.
"Does he know?""
"No.""
She pressed play.
Marcus's voice filled the room.
"Once the guardianship is approved, Lauren won't be able to challenge anything.""
Emily's voice followed.
"And if she refuses the procedure?""
"She won't refuse. Collins has already documented her symptoms.""
"What about the insurance?""
"That's why we need the policy finalized.""
Then Marcus laughed.
"By the time anyone realizes what's happening, the trust will be under our control.""
Emily's recorded voice became quieter.
"And Lauren?""
Marcus answered without hesitation.
"Lauren will be taken care of.""
The recording ended.
I sat perfectly still.
He had said my name as if I were an inconvenient business expense.
Daniel looked at me.
"That's enough to support a serious investigation.""
But Emily shook her head.
"There's another recording.""
She pressed another button.
This time Marcus was speaking to someone else.
A woman's voice answered.
"Are you sure she won't recognize me?""
Marcus laughed.
"She trusts you more than anyone. That's why this will work.""
I felt my blood run cold.
I recognized the woman's voice.
It belonged to Vanessa.
Then Marcus said something that made Daniel stand abruptly.
"Once Lauren is declared incompetent, Vanessa gets the insurance money, Emily gets the house, and I get the trust.""
I turned toward my sister.
"You were supposed to get my house?""
Emily nodded.
"He promised me the property if I helped him.""
"After everything he did to Mom?""
She began crying.
"I know.""
Daniel stopped the recording.
He looked toward Attorney Carter.
"There's enough here to move forward.""
But Attorney Carter wasn't looking at the laptop.
He was staring at another document inside Emily's folder.
"Where did you get this?""
Emily looked confused.
"From Marcus's desk.""
He picked it up carefully.
It was an old medical report.
The patient's name was Evelyn Mitchell.
My mother.
The diagnosis section was blank.
But beneath it was a handwritten note.
*Patient was conscious and capable of making decisions at the time of admission.*
The report had been signed by a nurse.
And attached to it was a second page.
A hospital incident statement.
It described an unauthorized visitor entering my mother's room shortly before her condition worsened.
The visitor's name was clearly written.
*Marcus Mitchell.*
But the final line was even more disturbing.
May you like
The nurse had reported hearing Marcus say:
"She won't be a problem after tonight.""
