Chapter 11: The Man Who Faked His Own Death
My father was transported to a secure hospital under federal protection.
Emily and I followed in another vehicle.
Special Agent Morgan sat across from us.
She had listened to the cassette twice.
When she finished, she placed it inside an evidence bag.
"Your grandmother's recording is significant," she said.
"Can it put Eleanor in prison?""
"It can establish motive and connect her to a conspiracy. But we need corroboration.""
I looked at Emily.
"What about her?""
Emily stared through the window.
"I can identify the doctors who treated me. I can also identify the man who moved me between facilities.""
Morgan turned toward her.
"Do you know his name?""
Emily hesitated.
"Dr. Richard Hale.""
I leaned forward.
"But he's dead.""
Emily shook her head.
"No. He was alive when I escaped.""
"How do you know?""
"Because I saw him two days ago.""
Morgan's expression sharpened.
"Where?""
Emily reached into her handbag and removed a small photograph.
It showed a man wearing a baseball cap, standing outside a grocery store.
Even with the cap, I recognized him.
Richard Hale.
"Where was this taken?"" Morgan asked.
"Outside a pharmacy near the hospital. He followed me for three blocks.""
"Why didn't you report it?""
Emily gave a bitter laugh.
"To whom? The people who had spent eleven years telling everyone I was dead?""
Morgan nodded slowly.
"Fair enough.""
We arrived at the hospital.
My father had been moved into a private room.
A doctor met us outside.
"His condition is stable for now," she said.
"But the medication in his system has caused serious complications. We need to monitor his liver and heart.""
I looked through the glass.
My father was lying motionless.
An oxygen tube ran beneath his nose.
Emily pressed her palm against the window.
"He's going to be okay," she whispered.
I put an arm around her.
For the first time, I felt like I had found my sister.
Not a photograph.
Not a name on a document.
A real person.
Someone who had spent eleven years hiding from a woman who claimed to be protecting her.
Then Morgan's phone rang.
She answered.
"Agent Morgan.""
Her expression changed.
"When?""
She listened.
"Are you certain?""
Another pause.
"Understood.""
She ended the call.
"What happened?"" I asked.
"Dr. Hale has been located.""
"Alive?""
She nodded.
"He's at a private medical office on the other side of town.""
Emily stood.
"I'll identify him.""
Morgan shook her head.
"Not until we secure the location.""
But Emily was already moving.
"That man injected my father. He signed the papers that made me disappear. I want to look him in the eye.""
Morgan studied her.
Then she nodded.
"We'll do this properly.""
An hour later, we entered the medical office with three federal agents.
The waiting room was empty.
A receptionist sat behind the desk.
"Can I help you?""
Morgan displayed her badge.
"We're looking for Richard Hale.""
The receptionist became nervous.
"He's not here.""
Morgan placed a photograph on the counter.
"Then who is this?""
The receptionist stared at it.
Her lips trembled.
"He said he was going away.""
"Where?""
"I don't know.""
Emily stepped forward.
"Is he in the building?""
The receptionist looked at her.
Then she pointed toward the rear corridor.
"Room six.""
We moved quickly.
The door was unlocked.
Inside, a man stood beside a desk, packing documents into a black bag.
Dr. Hale.
He turned.
For one second, nobody moved.
Then he ran.
An agent tackled him before he reached the door.
Hale struggled.
"Get off me!""
Morgan approached.
"Richard Hale, you're under arrest.""
He looked at Emily.
His expression collapsed.
"Emily?""
She stepped closer.
"You remember me?""
He swallowed.
"Of course.""
"Do you remember what you did to my father?""
"I was following instructions.""
"Do you remember the hospital room where you told me my brother was dead?""
Hale lowered his eyes.
"I didn't know you were still alive.""
Emily slapped him.
Hard.
"Eleven years.""
The agents pulled her away.
Hale began crying.
"I can explain.""
Morgan looked at him.
"Then start with your death certificate.""
Hale went silent.
I stared at him.
"You faked your death?""
He looked toward the floor.
"Your mother arranged it.""
"Why?""
"Because I wanted to leave.""
"Leave after helping her poison my father?""
He shook his head.
"I didn't poison James.""
I held up the medical report.
"Your signature is on the prescription.""
"That isn't my signature.""
Morgan stepped closer.
"Then whose is it?""
Hale looked at me.
"Your mother's.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"She forged your signature?""
"She has access to my old electronic credentials. She used them to issue prescriptions after I disappeared.""
Morgan took out a notebook.
"Who else has access?""
Hale hesitated.
Then he whispered:
"Vanessa Reed.""
I stared at him.
"No.""
"She handled the medical paperwork. She had access to the pharmacy accounts.""
"Why would she poison my father?""
Hale looked at Emily.
"Because she was ordered to.""
Emily shook her head.
"Vanessa helped us.""
"She helped you escape. That doesn't mean she stopped working for Eleanor.""
I remembered the gunshot.
Vanessa falling in the parking lot.
Her words about the blue box.
The recording she had given me.
Could she have been playing both sides?
Morgan escorted Hale toward the exit.
Before he left, he turned to me.
"Marcus, there's something you should know.""
"What?""
"Your mother didn't order me to kill James.""
I frowned.
"Then who?""
Hale looked directly at me.
"She ordered me to kill the child.""
I went cold.
"Which child?""
He swallowed.
"Emily.""
My sister stepped backward.
Hale continued.
"But someone changed the medication before I could administer it.""
"Who?""
He looked at me.
"Your father.""
I stared at him.
"My father?""
Hale nodded.
"James discovered the plan. He switched the medication and arranged Emily's escape.""
Morgan intervened.
"That's enough. Save the rest for questioning.""
As the agents led him away, my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
*Vanessa is awake.*
I immediately called the hospital.
A nurse answered.
"Can I speak to Vanessa Reed?""
There was a pause.
Then the nurse said:
"She's no longer in her room.""
"What do you mean?""
"She was transferred approximately twenty minutes ago.""
"To where?""
Another pause.
"According to the discharge documents, her family collected her.""
I gripped the phone.
"Who signed them?""
The nurse checked.
May you like
Then she answered.
"Eleanor Carter.""
