Chapter 3: The Woman in the Hospital Photograph
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
Maya stood in the hallway holding her backpack.
Her cast was covered by the sleeve of her pink sweater.
She looked frightened.
But she was staring directly at Vanessa.
"What did you just say?"" I asked.
Maya swallowed.
"Vanessa came to see Mom at the hospital.""
Vanessa immediately shook her head.
"That's not true.""
Maya took a small step backward.
"Yes, it is.""
"Sweetheart," Vanessa said, forcing a smile, "you're confused.""
Maya shook her head harder.
"I remember.""
I crouched in front of my daughter.
"Tell me what you remember.""
Maya looked at me.
Then at Vanessa.
"Mom was in the hospital. I was supposed to stay with Aunt Claire, but Vanessa said she would take me.""
I glanced at my wife.
Her expression had become rigid.
Maya continued.
"She told me Mom was sleeping and that I shouldn't make noise.""
"Okay," I said gently.
"What happened?""
"I saw her in the hallway.""
"Who?""
"Vanessa.""
My wife interrupted.
"Marcus, this is enough.""
I raised one hand.
"Let her finish.""
Maya's eyes filled with tears.
"Vanessa went into Mom's room. She closed the door. When she came out, she was carrying a little white bag.""
My heartbeat accelerated.
"What kind of bag?""
"I don't know. Like the bags from the pharmacy.""
Vanessa laughed.
It sounded forced.
"She was carrying flowers, Maya. That's probably what you remember.""
"No.""
Maya's voice cracked.
"It wasn't flowers.""
Vanessa took a step toward her.
"Maya, stop making things up.""
I stood immediately.
"Don't.""
Vanessa threw her hands into the air.
"This is insane! You're allowing a nine-year-old to accuse me of something because she's upset about her mother.""
I turned toward Maya.
"Did you tell anyone about this before?""
She nodded.
"Mom.""
My throat tightened.
"What did she say?""
Maya wiped her nose with her sleeve.
"She told me not to be afraid. She said if I ever saw something strange, I should remember it and tell you.""
I looked at the notebook.
Then at the hospital wristband.
Emily had known something.
And she had tried to leave me a warning.
I picked up my phone.
"Daniel, I need you here.""
Vanessa's head snapped toward me.
"Why are you calling your brother?""
"Because Maya needs someone she trusts.""
"She trusts me!""
Maya immediately moved behind my legs.
The silence that followed was devastating.
Vanessa stared at her.
Then at me.
"You're choosing them over me?""
I looked at the woman I had married.
"No. I'm choosing my daughter.""
I took Maya downstairs.
Daniel arrived twenty minutes later.
He found me sitting at the dining table with Emily's notebook, the hospital wristband, and the photograph of Maya and Emily.
"What happened?""
I explained everything.
Daniel listened without interrupting.
When I mentioned the hospital, he leaned forward.
"Wait.""
He rubbed his chin.
"Didn't Claire say something about Emily's last hospital visit?""
I frowned.
"Claire?""
"Your sister-in-law. She called me after the funeral. She said Emily had been asking to speak with you privately.""
My chest tightened.
"Why didn't she tell me?""
"She said Vanessa told her you already knew.""
I stared at him.
"That's impossible.""
"That's what I thought.""
Daniel looked at Maya.
"Sweetheart, why don't you go watch television? Your dad and I need to make some calls.""
Maya hesitated.
"Are you going to make Vanessa leave?""
I looked at my daughter.
"Yes.""
She nodded and walked into the living room.
Daniel waited until she was gone.
"Marcus, you need to be careful. Don't accuse Vanessa of anything you can't prove.""
"I know.""
"And don't let her destroy those documents.""
I gathered everything and placed it inside a folder.
Then I called Claire.
She answered almost immediately.
"Marcus?""
"Claire, I need to ask you something about Emily's final hospital visit.""
There was a long silence.
Then she whispered:
"Did you find the notebook?""
My stomach dropped.
"How do you know about the notebook?""
Claire exhaled shakily.
"Because Emily told me she was leaving something for you.""
I gripped the phone.
"What was happening?""
"Marcus, I don't know how much Vanessa told you.""
"Not enough.""
Claire's voice trembled.
"Emily called me three days before she died. She said someone had been interfering with her medication.""
I closed my eyes.
"Who?""
"She didn't know for certain. But she suspected Vanessa.""
I looked toward the staircase.
"Why would Vanessa have access to Emily's medication?""
"Because she was helping around the house. Remember when you were working late and Emily was struggling with the treatments?""
I remembered.
Emily had been exhausted.
She had needed help organizing her prescriptions.
Vanessa had volunteered.
At the time, I'd been grateful.
Claire continued.
"Emily told me that the medication made her feel strange. She said she had noticed changes in the packaging and the dosage instructions.""
"Did she tell the doctors?""
"She tried.""
"Then why didn't anyone investigate?""
"Because Vanessa convinced the hospital staff that Emily was confused.""
My hand tightened around the phone.
"What?""
"She told them Emily had become paranoid. She said the illness was affecting her judgment.""
I stared at the wall.
Claire continued.
"Emily wanted to talk to you. But every time she called, Vanessa said you were in meetings.""
I felt something twist inside my chest.
"I would have come.""
"I know.""
"Why didn't Emily call my personal phone?""
"She did.""
I went completely still.
"What?""
"Marcus, she called you several times.""
I checked my phone.
I had changed numbers after Emily died.
But I remembered receiving calls from unknown numbers during that period.
Calls I had ignored because I was in meetings.
Calls Vanessa had later told me were probably hospital notifications.
I felt sick.
"Claire, do you have any proof?""
"I have something.""
"What?""
"Emily gave me an envelope. She told me to keep it until I was certain Vanessa couldn't get near Maya.""
I stood.
"Where is it?""
"At my house.""
"Can you bring it?""
"I'll come tonight.""
After ending the call, I turned toward Daniel.
He had heard enough to understand.
"We need a lawyer," he said.
"And a doctor.""
"And someone who can examine those records.""
I nodded.
Then I heard a crash upstairs.
We both looked toward the ceiling.
A drawer slammed.
Footsteps crossed the hallway.
Daniel moved toward the staircase.
"Stay here.""
But I was already climbing.
The blue room door stood open.
Vanessa was inside.
Emily's notebook lay on the floor.
The wooden box had been overturned.
Several papers were scattered across the carpet.
Vanessa held a small envelope in her hand.
I stopped at the doorway.
"Put it down.""
She spun around.
"You're invading my privacy!""
"That's Emily's envelope.""
"It's nothing.""
"Then give it to me.""
Vanessa backed away.
"Marcus, listen to me. You're letting Claire poison your mind.""
"Put the envelope down.""
She looked at me.
Then she did something I never expected.
She tore it in half.
I lunged forward.
But the pieces slipped from her fingers and scattered across the carpet.
"Are you out of your mind?"" I shouted.
Vanessa's face twisted.
"You don't understand what she did to me!""
I froze.
"What did Emily do to you?""
Vanessa looked toward the window.
For the first time, she seemed to forget I was standing there.
"She had everything," she whispered.
"What?""
"She had you. She had that child. She had the house. Everyone loved her.""
I stared at her.
"She was dying.""
Vanessa's eyes flashed.
"She still got everything.""
I couldn't speak.
She continued, her voice growing louder.
"And what did I get? I was the one helping her. I was the one cleaning up after her. I was the one listening to her complain about how miserable she was.""
"You volunteered to help.""
"Because you asked me to!""
"I never asked you to interfere with her treatment.""
Vanessa's mouth opened.
Then closed.
I stepped closer.
"What did you do, Vanessa?""
She shook her head.
"Nothing.""
"Then why are you destroying documents?""
"Because you won't listen!""
I reached for my phone.
Vanessa suddenly grabbed my wrist.
"Don't call anyone.""
I pulled away.
"Get your hands off me.""
Her voice dropped.
"Marcus, if you start investigating this, you'll lose everything.""
I stared at her.
"Everything?""
She nodded slowly.
"You think Emily was the only person who knew the truth?""
My heart pounded.
"What truth?""
Vanessa looked toward the hallway.
Then she whispered:
"Ask Claire why she was removed from the hospital the night Emily died.""
Before I could respond, the doorbell rang.
Daniel appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Marcus.""
He looked pale.
"Claire is here.""
I rushed downstairs.
Claire stood in the entryway holding a large brown envelope.
Her eyes moved from me to the staircase.
"Where is Vanessa?""
"Upstairs.""
Claire swallowed.
Then she handed me the envelope.
"Emily gave me this two days before she died.""
I opened it.
Inside were printed medical records, several photographs, and a handwritten letter.
The first photograph showed Emily lying in her hospital bed.
The second showed a woman standing beside her.
I recognized the woman immediately.
Vanessa.
But it wasn't the photograph that made my hands shake.
It was the date printed beneath it.
October 5.
The night Emily died.
And beside Vanessa, holding a small medical bag, stood someone else.
Someone I had trusted for nearly twenty years.
My family doctor.
Dr. Harris.
I looked up at Claire.
"What was he doing there?""
Claire's face crumpled.
"That's what Emily wanted you to find out.""
I unfolded the letter.
The first sentence was written in Emily's familiar handwriting.
Marcus, if you're reading this, I was right to be afraid.
I swallowed hard and continued.
There is something I never told you about the night I became sick. Vanessa wasn't the only person who had access to my medication.
I looked at the photograph again.
Then I read the final paragraph.
The man who helped her wasn't a stranger. He was the person who promised you he would save my life.
My fingers went numb.
May you like
Because beneath the letter, Emily had written one final name.
*DR. HARRIS — AND THE PERSON WHO PAID HIM.*
