Chapter 8: The Missing Record
Margaret stared at the door.
I whispered, “How did he find us?””
“I don't know.””
Nathan appeared outside the room.
He must have heard Evan.
“Rachel, open the door.””
I unlocked it.
Nathan entered immediately.
“Evan is downstairs.””
“I know.””
His face changed.
“You need to leave.””
Margaret shook her head.
“Not until Rachel hears everything.””
Nathan looked at her.
“You don't know what you're dealing with.””
Margaret gave a bitter laugh.
“I've known your family longer than Rachel has.””
A loud knock shook the door.
“Rachel!”” Evan shouted.
“Open the door.””
Nathan stepped toward it.
“Stay behind me.””
He opened the door halfway.
Evan stood in the hallway.
His tie was loose, his hair soaked from the rain.
“Where is Margaret?””
Nathan blocked the doorway.
“Why?””
“Because she stole property belonging to my client.””
Margaret stepped forward.
“The documents belong to Rachel.””
Evan smiled.
“You don't understand the law.””
“I understand fraud.””
His smile vanished.
I stepped between them.
“You said you found a hospital record.””
Evan looked at me.
“I did.””
“Where?””
“In the archives.””
“Then give it to me.””
He hesitated.
“Not here.””
Nathan's eyes narrowed.
“Why not?””
“Because someone has been tampering with records.””
Margaret went still.
“What records?””
“Your father's.””
I felt my stomach turn.
“What did you find?””
Evan reached into his coat.
He pulled out a sealed envelope.
“This was hidden behind a duplicate file.””
He handed it to me.
The envelope had my father's name.
I opened it.
Inside was a hospital admission record.
Date: the night my father died.
Time: *12:17 a.m.*
Diagnosis: *blunt-force trauma to the back of the head.*
I stared at the page.
“That isn't a heart attack.””
“No,” Evan said.
Nathan looked at him.
“Where did you get this?””
“St. Vincent's archive.””
“Then why wasn't it in the official file?””
“Because it was removed.””
Margaret whispered, “Who removed it?””
Evan looked at her.
“That is what I don't know.””
I flipped the page.
There was a second document.
A nurse's note.
*Patient repeatedly stated: “They are trying to take my daughter's inheritance.””*
My eyes filled with tears.
“My father knew.””
Nathan reached for the paper.
I pulled it away.
“Don't.””
He stopped.
“Rachel, I need to explain something.””
“You've had years.””
“I wasn't there when he was attacked.””
“Margaret says you were.””
“I arrived afterward.””
“Why?””
He looked at the floor.
“My mother called me.””
“Why?””
“She told me your father had threatened her.””
I stared at him.
“And you went there.””
“Yes.””
“What did you see?””
Nathan's face tightened.
“Your father was on the floor.””
My heart broke.
“What did you do?””
“I called an ambulance.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“My mother said you'd blame me.””
“You let me believe my father died naturally.””
“I was afraid.””
“Of Diane?””
He nodded.
Then Evan spoke.
“Nathan isn't the only one who was afraid.””
Everyone looked at him.
He pulled another document from his coat.
“This is a copy of the original police report.””
I took it.
The report contained one handwritten witness statement.
*I saw Diane Carter leave the property at 12:05 a.m.*
My hands went numb.
Margaret whispered:
“I knew it.””
I looked at Nathan.
“You said your mother wasn't there.””
“I thought she left before I arrived.””
“You thought?””
He looked devastated.
“I was sixteen years old when I first met your father. I didn't know what my mother was capable of.””
“You weren't sixteen when he died.””
“No.””
“You were twenty-nine.””
He lowered his head.
“I know.””
Silence filled the room.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
*You found the hospital record. Good. Now ask Nathan what happened to the nurse who wrote it.*
I showed him.
Nathan read it.
His face changed.
“What nurse?””
I asked.
He didn't answer.
“Nathan.””
“I don't know.””
Evan took a step closer.
“You do.””
Nathan looked at him.
Evan's voice dropped.
“Because I found her name too.””
He pulled out another page.
*Nurse: Clara Bennett.*
Nathan's face went completely white.
Margaret noticed.
“You know her.””
Nathan whispered:
“She was the last person who saw your father alive.””
I stared at him.
“Where is she now?””
Nathan looked toward the window.
“I don't know.””
His phone buzzed.
He checked the screen.
May you like
A message appeared from Diane.
*Stop looking for Clara. She's already dead.*
