Chapter 12: The Nurse Who Remembered Everything
Attorney Carter read the incident statement twice.
Then he looked at Emily.
"Where did you get this?""
"Marcus kept it in a locked drawer at his office. I found it while looking for the prescription records.""
Daniel leaned closer.
"Is the nurse still alive?""
Attorney Carter examined the signature.
"Her name is Patricia Reynolds. She was working at the hospital at the time.""
I looked at the document.
"Can we find her?""
"Possibly," he replied.
"But we need to preserve this evidence and let investigators handle the next steps.""
Daniel stood.
"I'm calling the investigator.""
I looked at the clock.
It was nearly five in the morning.
I hadn't slept.
I hadn't eaten.
And somehow, I had just discovered that my husband might have been involved in my mother's death.
My phone vibrated.
A message from Marcus.
*Lauren, please answer. I know things look bad, but I can explain everything.*
Another message arrived.
*You need to understand that Emily is not innocent. She's using you to escape responsibility.*
I showed it to Emily.
She looked down.
"He's trying to turn us against each other.""
I put the phone away.
"He doesn't need to. You did that yourself.""
Emily nodded.
"I deserve that.""
I didn't answer.
At 6:30, Daniel received a call from the investigator.
He listened for almost a minute.
Then he looked at me.
"They found Patricia.""
"Where?""
"She retired five years ago. She lives outside Marietta.""
Attorney Carter nodded.
"We need to contact her.""
The investigator arranged a meeting later that morning.
At 10:15, we arrived at a small house surrounded by oak trees.
A woman in her late sixties opened the door.
Her gray hair was tied into a neat bun.
She looked at the three of us.
"Are you Lauren Mitchell?""
I nodded.
Her expression changed.
"I've wondered when someone would come.""
She invited us inside.
The living room smelled of coffee and lavender.
Patricia sat across from me.
"I remember your mother.""
I struggled to speak.
"What happened that night?""
She folded her hands.
"Your mother was admitted after collapsing at home. Initially, the doctors believed she had suffered a neurological event. But something about her medication bothered me.""
"Why?""
"Her symptoms didn't match the medication list. I checked the administration record and discovered that a drug had been added without proper authorization.""
My fingers tightened.
"Was it Dr. Collins?""
She nodded.
"He called the hospital several times that evening. He insisted the medication had been approved.""
Daniel took out the copied medical record.
"Did you write this?""
Patricia looked at the paper.
"Yes.""
"Why was it never included in the official report?""
Her face darkened.
"Because someone removed it.""
"Who?""
She looked toward me.
"Your husband.""
I felt my stomach turn.
Patricia continued.
"Marcus arrived shortly before midnight. He said he was your mother's son-in-law and had permission to discuss her treatment.""
"He wasn't married to me yet," I whispered.
"That's what I thought was strange. He kept referring to himself as family.""
She paused.
"Your mother was awake when he entered. She asked me not to leave.""
I leaned forward.
"What did she say?""
Patricia looked directly at me.
"She said, 'Please don't let him give me anything else.''"
My eyes filled.
"Then what happened?""
"Marcus told me he needed to speak to her privately. I refused at first. But he showed me a document that appeared to authorize him to discuss her treatment.""
"Was it real?""
"I later learned it wasn't.""
She took a breath.
"When I returned to the room, your mother was unconscious. Her condition deteriorated rapidly.""
Daniel asked:
"Did you see Marcus administer anything?""
Patricia hesitated.
"I saw him holding a small medication bottle. I couldn't identify it. He told me it was something the doctor had requested.""
I felt cold.
"Did you report it?""
"Immediately.""
"Then why wasn't he arrested?""
Patricia looked down.
"Because the hospital's administrator told me the matter had been reviewed. I was instructed to correct my statement.""
"Did you?""
"No.""
She stood and walked toward a cabinet.
From inside, she removed an old notebook.
"I kept a copy of my original notes.""
She placed it on the table.
I opened it.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
One entry had been underlined three times.
*Patient repeatedly stated that she did not consent to additional medication. Family member Marcus Mitchell insisted otherwise.*
I looked at Patricia.
"Why didn't you come forward?""
Her eyes filled.
"Because I was threatened.""
Daniel's expression hardened.
"By whom?""
She hesitated.
"Dr. Collins. He told me I would lose my nursing license if I continued accusing him without proof.""
I looked down at the notebook.
My mother had been trying to protect herself.
Nobody had listened.
And now I understood why Marcus had been so determined to make me appear mentally incompetent.
He was repeating the same strategy.
Patricia touched my hand.
"Your mother asked me to remember something.""
I looked up.
"What?""
"She said, 'If Lauren ever comes looking for me, tell her I knew who her real father was, and I never regretted choosing James to raise her.''"
I began crying.
Patricia squeezed my hand.
"She loved you very much.""
For the first time since discovering the truth, I felt something other than anger.
I felt my mother beside me.
Not as a victim.
As a woman who had fought until she couldn't fight anymore.
Then Daniel's phone rang.
He answered.
"Hello?""
His expression changed.
"What do you mean the records are missing?""
He listened.
"From which hospital?""
He ended the call.
I stood.
"What happened?""
"The investigator contacted the hospital archive.""
"And?""
"Someone accessed your mother's original medical file yesterday.""
"Who?""
Daniel looked at me.
"The access log identifies Dr. Richard Collins.""
Attorney Carter immediately stood.
"That's impossible. He's not authorized to access archived records.""
Daniel showed us another message.
A photograph of the archive room.
Several cabinets had been opened.
One drawer was completely empty.
Patricia stared at the photograph.
Then she whispered:
"He knows you've found me.""
My phone rang.
This time, it was a number I recognized.
The hospital.
I answered.
A man's voice spoke calmly.
"Mrs. Mitchell, this is Dr. Collins.""
I couldn't move.
He continued.
"I understand you've been asking questions about your mother's treatment.""
I swallowed.
"Yes.""
There was a brief silence.
Then he said:
"Your mother wasn't the only person who received that medication.""
I gripped the phone.
"What are you talking about?""
His voice dropped.
"Your biological father, Robert Hayes, died under very similar circumstances.""
Daniel stood abruptly.
I looked at him.
Dr. Collins continued.
"And if you want to know why, you should ask your sister what happened the week before his death.""
The call ended.
I slowly lowered my phone.
Emily had gone completely pale.
"Emily?""
She shook her head.
"Lauren, please.""
"What happened to our father?""
She began trembling.
Then she whispered:
"Marcus didn't just know about Robert's money. He knew Robert was going to meet you.""
I stared at her.
"And?""
Emily looked at Daniel.
"Marcus arranged the meeting that never happened.""
May you like
She swallowed.
"Because Robert died the night before he was supposed to tell you he was your father.""
