Chapter 13: The Doctor Who Buried the Truth
“Margaret Collins is on that plane?””
Detective Harris repeated the passenger's name as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
The officer on the radio confirmed it.
“Yes, sir. She's traveling under her legal name. The aircraft departed twelve minutes ago.””
“Where is it headed?””
“We're checking the flight plan.””
My father gripped my hand.
“Margaret,” he whispered.
I turned toward him.
“Dad, what does she have to do with this?””
He looked exhausted.
“More than I ever wanted you to know.””
An officer brought him a chair.
He lowered himself into it, wincing as he moved his injured leg.
I knelt beside him.
“Tell me everything.””
He looked toward Richard, who was sitting handcuffed against the wall.
“Margaret was the person who arranged my treatment after the accident. She worked at Riverside Recovery Center. She was supposed to help me recover until I could safely return home.””
“Why would she betray you?””
“Because she wasn't helping me out of kindness.””
My father paused.
“She was working for Richard.””
I felt sick.
“But she showed us photographs of you. She sent the messages.””
“She was keeping me alive because Richard needed something from me.””
“What?””
“The location of the original trust authorization.””
I remembered the documents hidden beneath our family photograph.
“Dad, we found it.””
He shook his head.
“You found a copy.””
My stomach tightened.
“There's an original?””
“Yes. And it contains the signatures required to transfer the properties into the children's trust permanently.””
Richard suddenly laughed.
“Michael, you still don't understand. The trust doesn't matter anymore.””
My father looked at him.
“You've lost.””
Richard leaned forward.
“You think so? You have no idea what Margaret took.””
Harris approached him.
“What's on the plane, Mr. Hale?””
Richard smiled.
“Something that will make your investigation very difficult.””
Harris turned to the officers.
“Get airport security on the phone. Request immediate assistance from the appropriate authorities.””
Then he looked at my father.
“Mr. Parker, we need to know who signed your original death certificate.””
My father nodded.
“Dr. Stephen Caldwell.””
I recognized the name.
“Was he your doctor?””
“He was the physician on duty the night I arrived at the hospital.””
“Did he know you were alive?””
My father looked directly at me.
“He was the first person to know.””
I stared at him.
“Then why did he declare you dead?””
“Because Richard paid him.””
My father described the night of the accident.
Richard had followed him from the office.
Daniel had rammed his car near the bridge.
The impact sent my father's vehicle off the road.
He remembered waking briefly inside the ambulance.
Then nothing.
When he regained consciousness, he was in a hospital room.
A doctor stood beside his bed.
Dr. Caldwell.
Richard was there too.
“They told me I had been transferred under another name,” Dad explained.
“They said it was temporary, for my protection.””
“Why did you believe them?””
“I was confused. I had suffered a serious head injury. And Richard told me your mother and the children were in danger.””
I swallowed.
“So you stayed hidden?””
“Yes. I thought I could protect you by remaining out of sight until I had enough evidence.””
“But you knew we buried you.””
My father lowered his head.
“I found out later.””
His voice cracked.
“I heard Toby crying in a recording Margaret showed me. He was asking why Daddy hadn't come home.””
I started crying.
“Why didn't you escape?””
“I tried.””
He looked toward the floor.
“Richard controlled the medication. Margaret controlled the visits. They threatened to harm you if I contacted anyone.””
I remembered the photograph of the hospital bracelet.
The fake identity.
The messages.
Everything had been carefully arranged.
Then Detective Harris received a call.
He listened, nodded, and immediately turned toward us.
“We have an update.””
“What?””
“The plane has been ordered to return to the airport.””
My heart lifted.
“Did they catch Margaret?””
“Not yet. But we've identified the doctor traveling with her.””
He looked at his notes.
“Dr. Stephen Caldwell.””
My father went pale.
“Caldwell is on that plane?””
“Yes.””
Dad slowly stood.
“Then Margaret isn't running away.””
“What do you mean?””
He looked at Harris.
“She's taking him somewhere to destroy the original medical records.””
Harris immediately called airport security.
But before he could finish, my father grabbed his arm.
“There's something else. Caldwell has a second set of records.””
“Where?””
“Inside the hospital where he signed my death certificate.””
I frowned.
“Why would he keep them there?””
“Because he never expected anyone to investigate. The original death certificate was only part of the fraud.””
My father took a shaky breath.
“The real patient was David Mercer. He was brought into the emergency room alive. Caldwell switched our identities, transferred David's body under my name, and falsified my records.””
I stared at him.
“Was David killed?””
My father nodded slowly.
“He was already badly injured when he arrived. But he was alive.””
“Then who killed him?””
My father looked toward Richard.
Richard stopped smiling.
“Tell her,” Dad said.
Richard looked away.
Harris stepped closer.
“Mr. Hale?””
Richard clenched his jaw.
“Caldwell administered something that caused David's condition to deteriorate.””
My stomach turned.
“You killed an innocent man?””
Richard shrugged.
“David was a liability.””
I felt sick.
Harris immediately ordered Richard's statement to be documented.
Then my father whispered something.
“Emily, there's one more thing you need to know about David.””
“What?””
He looked at me with tears in his eyes.
“David wasn't a stranger.””
I stared.
“Who was he?””
My father swallowed.
“He was the biological father of your youngest brothers.””
I couldn't breathe.
“Liam and Leo?””
Dad nodded.
“Your mother had been seeing David before she became involved with Richard. She told me the twins were mine.””
I stepped backward.
The entire room seemed to tilt.
My father took my hand.
“I loved those boys from the moment they were born. Nothing changes that.””
I began crying.
“Does Toby know?””
“No. And he shouldn't have to carry this burden.””
Harris interrupted gently.
“Mr. Parker, we need to get you to the hospital. But first, we have to secure the evidence.””
A phone rang in the corridor.
An officer answered.
Then he rushed into the room.
“Detective! The airport has detained Caldwell.””
Harris exhaled.
“And Margaret?””
The officer hesitated.
“She's not on the plane.””
My father closed his eyes.
“Then she's already heading for the hospital.””
I looked up sharply.
“What hospital?””
He turned toward me.
“The one where David Mercer was originally admitted.””
May you like
Then he added:
“Because that's where the original recording is.””
