Chapter 6: My Mother Knew Everything
I stared at the photograph until the screen blurred.
My mother.
Standing beside my husband.
At a medical clinic.
Using my identification.
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
Dr. Morgan gently took the phone from my hand.
"Nia?""
I swallowed.
"That's my mother.""
Rachel examined the photograph.
"Are you certain?""
"Yes.""
I recognized the beige coat. I had bought it for her birthday the previous year.
I recognized the gold bracelet on her wrist.
And I recognized the way she stood beside Daniel, smiling as if they were attending an ordinary appointment.
My mother had helped him impersonate me.
I wanted to believe there was another explanation.
But the photograph didn't leave much room for one.
Rachel returned my phone.
"Do you have somewhere safe to stay?""
I looked at the screen.
"My mother has a spare key to my house.""
"Does your husband?""
"Of course.""
Rachel's expression became serious.
"Then I don't recommend going home alone.""
I nodded.
She arranged for a hospital social worker to speak with me while I contacted the police.
An officer named Detective Laura Mitchell arrived forty minutes later.
She was in her early forties, with short brown hair and a calm voice.
She listened while I explained the insurance application, the forged signatures, and the photograph.
When I finished, she wrote something in her notebook.
"Has your husband ever threatened you?""
"Not directly.""
"Has he ever threatened to hurt you or the baby?""
"No.""
"Has he ever controlled your access to money or transportation?""
I hesitated.
"He recently moved most of our savings into an account I can't access.""
"Did he explain why?""
"He said it was for tax planning.""
"Did you authorize the transfer?""
"No.""
She made another note.
"Do you know whether your mother had any financial involvement with him?""
I shook my head.
"I don't know anything anymore.""
Detective Mitchell looked at me carefully.
"That's understandable. We're going to establish what happened before drawing conclusions.""
She asked me to preserve every message and document.
Then she requested the clinic's security footage through the appropriate channels.
Before leaving, she asked one final question.
"Mrs. Whitmore, do you want to contact your mother?""
I looked at the photograph again.
"Yes.""
"Would you prefer that we arrange a monitored conversation?""
I nodded.
"I want to hear her explain it.""
Detective Mitchell arranged the call.
My mother answered almost immediately.
"Nia, darling! I was just thinking about you.""
Her voice sounded so normal that I nearly cried.
"Mom, where are you?""
"At home. Why?""
"I saw a photograph from Westlake Medical Center.""
Silence.
Only a second.
But it was enough.
"What photograph?"" she asked.
"The one showing you standing beside Daniel.""
Another pause.
Then she sighed.
"Oh, sweetheart. Daniel told me you knew about the appointment.""
I closed my eyes.
"What appointment?""
"He said you needed help with some paperwork.""
"Did I give you permission to use my identification?""
"Don't raise your voice at me.""
I almost laughed.
"Mom, I'm asking a question.""
She lowered her voice.
"Daniel said it was important for the family.""
"What family?""
"Our family, Nia. Yours, Daniel's, and that baby you're carrying.""
I looked at Detective Mitchell.
She motioned for me to continue.
"Did you know he was taking out a two-million-dollar insurance policy on my life?""
My mother didn't answer.
"Mom?""
Finally, she spoke.
"Daniel explained everything.""
My chest tightened.
"What exactly did he explain?""
"He said the policy was a financial safeguard. He told me you were too anxious to understand the paperwork.""
"Did he tell you he had forged my signature?""
"He said you had agreed.""
"I didn't.""
My mother's voice became sharp.
"Well, perhaps you should have discussed these things with your husband instead of making accusations.""
I stared at the phone.
"Did you know he was having an affair with Vanessa?""
Another silence.
This one lasted longer.
Then my mother whispered, "Nia, please don't do this.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"You knew.""
"He told me he was unhappy.""
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"He told you he was unhappy, so you helped him take out insurance on me?""
"That's not fair.""
"What is fair, Mom?""
She began crying.
"Daniel promised he would take care of everything. He said he was going to leave you eventually, but he didn't want you to struggle financially.""
I gripped the hospital blanket.
"By making himself the beneficiary of my death?""
"Don't say it like that!""
"How else should I say it?""
My mother began speaking faster.
"He said the money would protect the baby. He said he would make sure your child had everything.""
I looked at Detective Mitchell.
She had stopped writing.
Her eyes were fixed on me.
"Mom, did you receive money from Daniel?""
My mother went silent.
I already knew the answer.
"How much?""
"Please.""
"How much did he pay you?""
She began sobbing.
"Fifty thousand dollars.""
I felt as though someone had struck me.
"Fifty thousand dollars?""
"He said it was a loan.""
"A loan for what?""
"Your brother's business.""
My younger brother, Ethan, had been trying to keep his restaurant open for almost a year.
I had helped him financially before.
But I hadn't known Daniel had paid my mother.
"Did Ethan know?""
"I don't know.""
"Did you tell him where the money came from?""
"No.""
I leaned back against the pillow.
My own mother had accepted fifty thousand dollars from the man who had forged my signature on a policy covering my life.
And she had helped him create the medical records.
"Mom," I whispered, "what did you do?""
She cried harder.
"I thought I was helping you.""
"No. You were helping him.""
Then her voice changed.
The crying stopped.
"Nia, listen to me carefully. You need to stop talking to the police.""
I froze.
"Why?""
"Because you don't understand what Daniel is involved in.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"What is he involved in?""
She hesitated.
Then she whispered, "He told me the insurance money wasn't the only reason he needed you out of the way.""
My heart began pounding.
"What does that mean?""
"I shouldn't have said anything.""
"Mom!""
But she had already ended the call.
Detective Mitchell immediately leaned forward.
"Did you hear that?""
I nodded.
"She said Daniel wanted me out of the way.""
The detective stood and spoke quietly to another officer.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from my mother appeared.
*Please forgive me. I was scared.*
Another message followed.
*Daniel knows you spoke to the police.*
Then a third.
*He is coming to the hospital.*
I stared at the screen.
Before I could respond, Detective Mitchell's phone rang.
She listened for several seconds.
Her expression hardened.
"What do you mean he's already there?""
She looked toward the hospital room door.
Then she turned to me.
"Nia, stay here. Do not leave this room.""
"What happened?""
She reached for her badge.
"Your husband has just checked in at the hospital reception.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why?""
Detective Mitchell looked directly at me.
"Because he says he has an emergency medical authorization signed by you.""
My blood turned cold.
"What authorization?""
She glanced at the paper in her hand.
Then she delivered the words that made me grab the edge of the bed.
May you like
"He's requesting permission to make medical decisions for you and your unborn child.""
And according to the document he brought with him, I had already given him that authority.
