Chapter 6: The Hospital Room
We left the hotel through a private entrance.
Richard drove.
Emily sat beside him.
My mother sat in the back with me, silent for almost twenty minutes.
The Nashville skyline slipped past the windows in streaks of gold and white.
Nobody spoke.
Finally, I broke the silence.
“Who was in Dad's hospital room?””
Mom stared out the window.
“Claire, please.””
“No.””
Her shoulders stiffened.
“You said I would understand.””
“I said too much.””
“Then say the rest.””
Emily turned around.
“Mom, tell her.””
Mom looked at her daughter.
“You don't know what you're asking.””
Emily's voice was quiet.
“Neither did Claire when you sent security after her.””
Mom flinched.
Richard glanced at us in the rearview mirror.
“There's a hotel near the interstate. We can stop there.””
“No,” I said.
“I want the truth.””
Mom closed her eyes.
“Your father wasn't alone when he died.””
“I know.””
“No. You don't.””
She looked at me.
“I was there.””
“So was I.””
“You were in the hallway.””
I froze.
“What?””
Mom nodded.
“You weren't in the room.””
I remembered that night.
The fluorescent hospital lights.
The smell of disinfectant.
The vending machine humming in the corner.
Mom had told me Dad wanted privacy.
She had told me to wait outside.
I had sat there for nearly an hour.
Then a nurse came out.
She said my father was gone.
I had never questioned it.
Until now.
“Who was in the room?”” I asked.
Mom looked down at her hands.
“Your father.””
“Who else?””
She didn't answer.
“Mom.””
“Daniel.””
I stared at her.
“Daniel Mercer?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Your father called him.””
Richard suddenly spoke.
“Why would Daniel be there?””
Mom looked toward him.
“Because your father knew he was dying.””
Richard frowned.
“That still doesn't explain it.””
“He wanted Daniel to change the trust.””
My heart stopped.
“Change it how?””
Mom's voice trembled.
“He wanted to remove me.””
Silence filled the car.
Emily whispered, “From what?””
“Everything.””
Mom looked at me.
“Your father discovered I'd been taking money from one of his accounts.””
I felt cold.
“How much?””
“I paid it back.””
“How much?””
She looked away.
“Enough.””
Richard pulled the car into a parking lot.
He turned off the engine.
Nobody moved.
I stared at my mother.
“You stole from Dad.””
“I was desperate.””
“For what?””
She shook her head.
“Things you don't understand.””
“Try me.””
Her eyes hardened.
“You were never supposed to know.””
“That seems to be the family motto.””
Emily covered her mouth.
Mom continued.
“Your father wanted to expose me.””
“So you stopped him?””
Her head snapped up.
“No.””
“Then what happened?””
“He changed the trust.””
My hands tightened around the document.
“He made me the controlling beneficiary.””
“Yes.””
“And you hid it.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Mom stared at me.
“Because I believed you would destroy everything.””
I almost laughed.
“You mean I would have taken control.””
“You didn't understand business.””
“I understand it now.””
“No,” she whispered.
“You don't understand what your father found.””
Richard leaned forward.
“What did he find?””
Mom looked at him.
“Your company wasn't losing money.””
Richard frowned.
“What?””
“Not really.””
She reached into her purse.
Her fingers shook as she pulled out a small photograph.
She handed it to me.
It was old.
My father stood outside a warehouse beside three men.
One was Daniel.
One was a younger Richard.
And the third man—
I knew him.
I had seen him at the engagement party.
He had been standing beside Emily's fiancé all evening.
I looked at Richard.
“Who is that?””
Richard's face went pale.
He took the photograph.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then Emily leaned forward.
“Dad?””
Richard stared at the picture.
“That man is Marcus Hale.””
“Your brother?”” I asked.
Richard nodded.
“My younger brother.””
Mom whispered, “He was the one your father was investigating.””
I looked at the photograph again.
Marcus had his hand on my father's shoulder.
They looked like friends.
Not enemies.
Then my phone buzzed.
Another unknown number.
This time, there was a photograph attached.
It showed the same warehouse.
But the picture had been taken from inside.
My father was sitting at a desk.
Marcus stood behind him.
And in the corner of the frame was my mother.
The message underneath contained only six words:
*Your father didn't die naturally, Claire.*
I stopped breathing.
May you like
Then a second message appeared.
*Ask your mother why she was there.*
