Chapter 14: The Truth Behind the Accident
Thomas placed the cassette recorder on the table.
Nobody spoke.
Even Deputy Collins seemed to understand that whatever was inside could change everything.
"Why didn't you give this to the police?"" Daniel asked.
Thomas looked down.
"Because I was afraid.""
"Afraid of Robert?""
"Robert, Marcus, and Vanessa. They had enough influence to make my life miserable. I received threats.
My office was broken into. Someone followed my granddaughter home from school.""
He paused.
"I thought disappearing was the only way to keep my family safe.""
I stared at the recorder.
"What does the recording contain?""
Thomas looked directly at me.
"Your mother called me from the road that night.""
My throat tightened.
"She was alive?""
"Yes.""
I grabbed the edge of the table.
Thomas continued.
"She told me she had discovered the brake problem. She was frightened because she believed someone had tampered with her car.""
"Did she say who?""
"She said Robert had arranged the repair, but she didn't know whether Marcus was involved.""
Deputy Collins leaned forward.
"Is the recording authentic?""
"Yes. I preserved the original cassette and made a digital copy. I can explain the chain of custody.""
Thomas inserted the cassette.
The machine clicked.
Static filled the room.
Then my mother's voice emerged.
"Thomas, it's me.""
I closed my eyes.
I hadn't expected to hear her voice again.
Not like this.
Not from a machine.
Thomas's recorded voice answered.
"Laura? What's wrong?""
"I'm driving. Something is wrong with the brakes.""
"Where are you?""
"Near the old highway. I think someone has been following me.""
A pause.
Then my mother whispered:
"I don't think Marcus knows how bad this is.""
Thomas's voice became urgent.
"Laura, call the police.""
"I tried. My phone keeps cutting out.""
"Get somewhere safe.""
"I can't stop the car.""
My entire body went cold.
There was a loud scraping sound.
My mother gasped.
Then another voice appeared in the background.
A man's voice.
"Laura!""
Thomas immediately paused the cassette.
"Do you recognize that voice?""
I looked at Daniel.
He was pale.
"Robert," he whispered.
Deputy Collins signaled for the recording to continue.
Thomas pressed play.
The man shouted again.
"Laura, pull over!""
My mother's voice trembled.
"Why are you following me?""
"Because you took something that doesn't belong to you!""
"I have the documents. I'm taking them to the police!""
There was a crash of static.
Then my mother screamed.
The recording ended.
I couldn't move.
My mother had been followed.
She had known something was wrong with her car.
And Robert had been there.
Deputy Collins immediately secured the cassette.
"Mr. Whitaker, we need your full statement.""
Thomas nodded.
"Of course.""
Daniel placed a hand on my shoulder.
I could barely breathe.
"Did she survive the crash?"" I asked.
Thomas looked at me sadly.
"I don't know. I was never told what happened after the call ended.""
"But the hospital report said she may have been alive.""
He nodded.
"That's why I kept looking for the original medical records.""
Deputy Collins made several calls.
Within an hour, she had contacted the hospital where my mother had been taken.
A retired records administrator agreed to provide archived documents under the appropriate legal process.
The first document was the original ambulance report.
My mother's pulse had been detected when emergency responders reached her vehicle.
She had been transported to the hospital alive.
I read the line twice.
"She was alive.""
Deputy Collins nodded slowly.
"According to this record, yes.""
The next document was a hospital admission report.
My mother had arrived at 9:17 p.m.
Her condition was critical.
She had suffered severe internal injuries.
But the report also showed that she had remained conscious briefly.
There was a section documenting her final statement.
I leaned closer.
The words were handwritten by a nurse.
Patient repeatedly asked whether her daughter had been found.
My eyes filled.
She had been thinking about me.
Even then.
The next line read:
Patient requested that staff contact Patricia Reed.
Patricia.
My aunt.
Deputy Collins examined the document.
"Was Patricia contacted?""
Thomas nodded.
"I believe so.""
I turned toward him.
"What happened?""
He looked uncomfortable.
"Patricia arrived at the hospital shortly before Laura died.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why didn't she tell me?""
Thomas didn't answer.
Deputy Collins continued reading.
Then she stopped.
"What is it?"" Daniel asked.
She pointed toward the final section.
The medical record showed that a man had entered my mother's room shortly before she died.
The visitor's name was not recorded.
Instead, someone had written:
*AUTHORIZED FAMILY MEMBER.*
A second note appeared beneath it.
Patient became distressed. Visitor requested that medical staff leave the room.
I stared at the page.
"Who was that?""
Thomas looked toward the window.
"I think you already know.""
My father.
He had told me my mother died instantly.
He had told me he never got the chance to say goodbye.
But the hospital record suggested he had visited her while she was still alive.
Deputy Collins made another call.
Then she turned toward us.
"There's a complication.""
"What?""
"The hospital's original visitor log is missing.""
Daniel frowned.
"Missing?""
"According to the archive, someone requested its removal three days after Laura's death.""
"Who?""
Deputy Collins looked at the paperwork.
The authorization carried a signature.
Marcus Carter.
I felt sick.
Thomas reached into his briefcase and removed another envelope.
"I kept one final document from Laura.""
He placed it in front of me.
"This was supposed to be delivered to you if the recording ever became necessary.""
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph of my mother in her hospital bed.
Her eyes were open.
Her lips were moving.
And beside her stood my father.
On the back, in my mother's handwriting, were five words:
Marcus knows I told them.
I looked up.
"Who did she tell?""
Thomas swallowed.
"That's the question I've been afraid to answer.""
Before he could continue, Deputy Collins received a call.
She listened.
Then she stood.
"Robert Hayes has been arrested.""
Daniel exhaled.
But the relief lasted only seconds.
Deputy Collins looked at me.
"Your father has just requested to speak with you.""
"Why?""
She hesitated.
"Because Robert has agreed to cooperate.""
My heart started pounding.
"What did he say?""
Deputy Collins lowered her voice.
"He claims your father was the person who ordered the brake tampering.""
I looked at the photograph.
May you like
For six years, I had waited for my father to protect me.
Now I was about to discover whether he had ever protected anyone but himself.
