Chapter 13: The Mother Who Held the Bottle
I stared at the photograph until the edges blurred.
My mother.
Eleanor Reed.
Standing beside Sarah's hospital bed, holding a small medicine bottle.
For two years, I'd believed my mother had spent Sarah's final days praying for her recovery. I'd remembered her bringing homemade soup to the hospital, holding my hand during difficult conversations, and promising that everything would eventually be okay.
Now I was looking at a photograph that made every one of those memories feel like a lie.
"Marcus?"" Emily whispered.
I couldn't answer.
Officer Collins approached and examined the photograph.
"Do you recognize this woman?""
"She's my mother.""
He looked at me carefully.
"Is she still alive?""
"Yes. She lives about twenty minutes from here.""
Emily stepped closer.
"Your father mentioned her in one of his letters.""
I turned toward her.
"What did he say?""
Emily hesitated.
"He said your mother knew about the research company. He also said she was the only person who could convince Sarah to trust Dr. Harrison.""
I felt sick.
"Why would she do that?""
"I don't know.""
My phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered immediately.
"Where are you?""
"At the police station.""
"Why did you send me that photograph?""
"Because I can't carry this anymore.""
"Tell me what happened.""
Daniel breathed heavily.
"Your mother came to the hospital that night. She said Sarah was becoming paranoid and needed help calming down.""
"Why was she holding the bottle?""
"She brought it.""
My grip tightened.
"Did she give Sarah the medicine?""
"I saw her pour it into a glass.""
"And you did nothing?""
Daniel's voice broke.
"I thought it was prescribed. She told me Harrison had approved it.""
"You watched her give my wife something, and you never questioned it?""
"I didn't know!""
"YOU DIDN'T KNOW?""
Officer Collins touched my shoulder.
I forced myself to lower my voice.
"Daniel, what happened afterward?""
"Sarah refused to drink it. She said the smell was wrong. Your mother became angry.""
I closed my eyes.
"What did she do?""
"She left the room. Vanessa came in afterward.""
I looked at Emily.
Daniel continued.
"Marcus, I swear I didn't know what was in that bottle. But I heard Vanessa tell your mother that Sarah had become a problem.""
My chest tightened.
"Where is Mom now?""
"At her house. Marcus, please don't go there alone.""
The call ended.
I looked at Officer Collins.
"I need to speak to my mother.""
"We'll accompany you.""
Emily grabbed my arm.
"Marcus, wait.""
"What?""
She opened the envelope she'd taken from the storage unit.
There was another photograph inside.
This one showed my mother outside a hospital pharmacy.
Beside her stood Vanessa.
But it wasn't the image that frightened me.
It was the date.
The photograph had been taken three days before Sarah's death.
On the back, my father had written:
*Eleanor knows what happened to the first patient.*
I looked at Emily.
"First patient?""
She nodded slowly.
"Sarah wasn't the first person connected to the research who died under suspicious circumstances.""
Before I could ask more, Officer Collins received a call.
He listened for several seconds.
Then his expression changed.
"Mr. Reed, your mother's house has just been searched by another police unit.""
"Why?""
"They found medical containers, forged authorization documents, and several photographs of Sarah.""
My stomach dropped.
"Is my mother there?""
"No.""
"Where is she?""
Collins looked at his phone.
"She left approximately forty minutes ago.""
My phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
*Marcus, I'm sorry. I should have told you years ago. Meet me at the church where you married Sarah. Come alone.*
It was my mother.
I showed Collins.
He immediately shook his head.
"You're not going anywhere alone.""
"I know.""
We drove to the church.
The building was almost empty. Rain tapped against the stained-glass windows.
My mother stood near the altar.
She wore the same pearl necklace she'd worn at my wedding.
When she saw me, she began crying.
"Marcus.""
I stopped several feet away.
"Did you give Sarah the medicine?""
She lowered her head.
"Yes.""
The word destroyed something inside me.
"Why?""
"Because Vanessa told me it would help her sleep.""
"You knew Sarah was afraid of Vanessa.""
"I thought she was confused.""
"You watched my wife die.""
My mother covered her mouth.
"I didn't know it would happen like that.""
I stared at her.
"Like what?""
She reached into her handbag and removed a small photograph.
It showed my father standing beside a young woman in a hospital corridor.
"Your father made a terrible mistake," she whispered.
"Years ago, he helped Harrison cover up the death of another patient. When Sarah discovered the truth, everything began falling apart.""
"That doesn't explain what you did.""
My mother looked up.
"Vanessa threatened to expose me. She had documents proving that I had helped your father hide the first patient's death.""
I stepped backward.
"So you helped her destroy Sarah?""
My mother began sobbing.
"No. I thought I was protecting you.""
I laughed bitterly.
"From what?""
She looked toward the church doors.
Then she whispered:
"Sarah wasn't supposed to die, Marcus. The medicine was supposed to make her appear unstable so we could have her committed and take control of the trust.""
My blood ran cold.
"Who changed the dose?""
My mother opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, a gunshot shattered the silence outside.
Officer Collins shouted, "EVERYONE DOWN!""
My mother collapsed beside the altar.
And as I rushed toward her, she grabbed my wrist.
May you like
"Marcus," she whispered, "Vanessa has the original hospital recording. She knows who actually killed Sarah.""
Then her eyes rolled backward.
