Chapter 13: The Secret Behind My Husband’s Last Hour
“Mom, I swear I didn't know Vanessa was there.””
Daniel's voice cracked as he stared at the hospital visitor log.
I wanted to believe him immediately. He was my only child, the little boy whose scraped knees I had kissed and whose school lunches I had packed before dawn. But after everything that had happened, I had learned that love could not replace evidence.
“I believe you remember leaving at 9:20,” I said carefully.
“We need to find out what happened afterward.””
Helen Brooks nodded.
“That is the responsible approach. The visitor log establishes who entered the hospital, not what they did.””
Edward Price gathered the papers.
“We'll request the original records, including the medication administration chart, visitor entries, and any documentation of changes made after Mr. Hayes died. If the evidence suggests misconduct, the appropriate authorities can investigate.””
Daniel stood and walked to the window.
“Vanessa was twenty-three when Dad died. She told me she'd never met him.””
I looked at him.
“When did she first tell you that?””
“Before we got engaged. I showed her a photograph of Dad, and she said she wished she'd known him.””
He covered his face.
“She lied about that, too.””
I remembered Vanessa standing beside Robert's grave on our wedding day, placing flowers on the headstone and pretending to mourn a man she claimed never to have met.
Had she been acting then, too?
Edward interrupted my thoughts.
“Mr. Hayes, we need to establish why your wife visited your father and whether she knew Michael at that time.””
Daniel turned.
“I'll ask her.””
“Not alone,” Edward advised.
“Given the suspected fraud and the possibility of further evidence being destroyed, any contact should be carefully considered. Let investigators handle questions about potential criminal conduct.””
Daniel nodded reluctantly.
But as we left the office, he made a decision that would change everything.
He called the hospital and arranged to visit Vanessa.
I went with him.
She was sitting upright in her hospital bed when we entered. Her face brightened when she saw Daniel, but the expression faded when she noticed me.
“Daniel,” she said softly.
“Thank God you're here.””
He remained near the door.
“Why did you visit my father eleven years ago?””
Vanessa went completely still.
I watched her fingers tighten around the blanket.
“What are you talking about?””
He placed a copy of the visitor log on the bedside table.
“Your name is here. You entered the hospital at 9:47 p.m. Dad died nineteen minutes later.””
Vanessa looked at the paper.
Then she looked at me.
“I can explain.””
“Then explain,” Daniel said.
She swallowed.
“I was young. Michael asked me to deliver something.””
“What?””
“Documents.””
“What documents?””
“I don't remember.””
Daniel gave a bitter laugh.
“You remember everything when it helps you. You remember how I proposed, what I said at our wedding, and exactly how much money my mother has. But you don't remember why you visited my dying father?””
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“Please don't shout. I'm still being monitored.””
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Did you know my father before you met me?””
She hesitated.
“Yes.””
The single word seemed to drain the strength from him.
“How?””
“Through Michael.””
“What did you want from Dad?””
“Nothing.””
“Then why were you there?””
Vanessa looked toward the door, as though searching for a way out.
Finally, she whispered, “Michael said your father had something that belonged to his family.””
I stepped forward.
“What belonged to his family?””
“A business agreement. Money. I don't know all the details.””
“Did Robert give you anything?””
She shook her head.
“He refused.””
The room fell silent.
Daniel stared at her.
“What happened after he refused?””
Vanessa pressed her lips together.
“Michael was angry. He said your father was ruining everything.””
“Did Michael touch Dad's medication?””
“I never saw him do that!””
Her answer came too quickly.
I watched her carefully.
“Did you?””
Vanessa's face crumpled.
“No! I swear I didn't hurt him.””
I wanted to believe that she had not harmed my husband. But her presence at the hospital, her connection to Michael, and the documents she'd helped forge made it impossible to accept her word without verification.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Why did you lie to me about knowing my father?””
“Because I knew you'd never forgive me if you found out.””
“Found out what?””
She began crying.
“I was involved in something with Michael. Before you and I got together.””
Daniel's face hardened.
“What kind of involvement?””
Vanessa turned away.
“I can't talk about this anymore.””
He stared at her for a long moment.
Then he walked toward the door.
“Daniel, wait!””
He stopped but didn't turn.
“I loved you,” she pleaded.
“Whatever happened back then, I didn't know how far Michael would go.””
Daniel's shoulders stiffened.
“You staged an assault against my mother. You helped forge her signature. You used my name to obtain a loan. And now you're telling me you were involved with Michael before we ever met.””
“I made mistakes!””
“You made choices.””
He left the room.
I followed him into the corridor.
He stopped beside a window overlooking the hospital parking lot, breathing hard.
“Mom, what if she was involved in Dad's death?””
“We don't know that.””
“What if Michael has been planning this for eleven years?””
“We don't know that either.””
He turned toward me, tears running down his cheeks.
“How can I ever trust anyone again?””
I took his hand.
“Trust doesn't mean believing everything someone tells you. It means watching whether their actions match their words.””
He nodded slowly.
Then his phone rang.
It was Edward.
“Daniel, the hospital has located an archived document connected to your father's estate. There's something you need to see.””
“What is it?””
“A letter written by Robert shortly before his death. It was never delivered to your mother.””
Daniel looked at me.
“Where is it?””
“In the hospital's archived patient belongings file. The original has been secured.””
Edward paused.
“And there's a note attached to it.””
“What note?””
His voice lowered.
“It states that the letter was collected by a visitor on the night your father died.””
I felt my blood turn cold.
“Who collected it?””
Edward hesitated.
May you like
Then he answered.
“According to the record, it was signed out by Michael Grant.””
