Chapter 10: The Call They Hid From Me
I spent the entire night staring at the hospital record.
Robert had been conscious when the ambulance arrived.
He had asked to speak to me.
And someone had made sure I never received the message.
At 7:15 the following morning, I called the hospital's medical records department.
A woman named Denise answered.
"I'm trying to obtain additional records relating to Robert Carter's admission four years ago.""
"Are you an immediate family member?""
"I'm his daughter-in-law and a named beneficiary of his estate.""
"Do you have the estate authorization?""
"Yes.""
She asked me to send the documents.
Twenty minutes later, she called back.
"Mrs. Carter, I found the record you're referring to.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"Can you tell me what happened?""
"According to the nursing notes, Mr. Carter repeatedly asked staff to contact a family member named Emily.""
"Did they?""
"There's a notation indicating that a call was placed to a number provided by the accompanying relative.""
I frowned.
"Which relative?""
"Mr. Nathan Carter.""
"Was the call successful?""
Denise paused.
"That's where things become unusual.""
I sat forward.
"What do you mean?""
"The number recorded in the system doesn't match your phone number.""
My stomach dropped.
"Can you tell me whose number it was?""
"It was registered to Margaret Adams.""
I closed my eyes.
My mother.
She had given the hospital her own number.
"Did she answer?""
"Yes. The record indicates she spoke with the nurse for approximately four minutes.""
"What did she say?""
Denise lowered her voice.
"The nurse documented that Mrs. Adams said she would contact you personally.""
I felt something cold move through my chest.
"Did she?""
There was silence.
Then Denise said, "I can't find any evidence of a second call.""
I thanked her and ended the conversation.
For four years, I had believed Robert had died peacefully without asking for anyone.
I remembered standing beside his coffin, crying because I hadn't visited him during his final days.
Nathan had told me Robert was too weak to receive visitors.
Patricia had said he wanted privacy.
My mother had hugged me and whispered that I shouldn't feel guilty.
They had all known.
They had all allowed me to grieve a lie.
At 9:00 a.m., Daniel and I arrived at First National Trust.
The estate representative, a gray-haired attorney named Helen Brooks, was waiting in a private room.
She placed three sealed items on the table.
"The safety deposit box was opened under supervision this morning," she explained.
"These are the items listed in the original inventory.""
I stared at the envelopes.
The first was addressed to me.
The second contained a property document.
The third was a small recording device.
My hands trembled as I opened the letter.
My dear Emily,
If you are reading this, then I suspect the people I trusted have failed you.
I swallowed.
I know Nathan has been making financial decisions without your knowledge. I know Patricia has been helping him. And I know Margaret has become involved.
My eyes burned.
I wanted to tell you everything, but I was afraid that doing so would destroy the family before I could protect the children.
I turned the page.
There is something about Nathan that I cannot explain in a letter. The money he took was not the first money that disappeared.
I looked at Daniel.
He nodded for me to continue.
Years ago, Nathan used my signature to secure a business loan. When I discovered it, he begged me not to report him. He said he had made a mistake and would repay every dollar.
I gave him another chance.
That was my mistake.
My hands tightened around the paper.
If Nathan tells you I died believing in him, remember that I spent my final months trying to protect you from him.
I stopped reading.
A tear fell onto the page.
Daniel quietly slid a tissue across the table.
I continued.
The recording contains a conversation that I believe you need to hear. Do not let Patricia convince you that this is a family misunderstanding.
You were the daughter I never had to ask twice to do the right thing.
Protect Noah and Lily.
Love, Robert.
I lowered the letter.
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Then Helen pushed the recording device toward me.
"Would you like us to play it?""
I nodded.
Daniel connected it to his laptop.
A familiar voice filled the room.
Robert.
Weak, but unmistakably clear.
"Margaret, I know what Nathan has done.""
My mother answered.
"Robert, please. He's your son.""
"He's stealing from his own children.""
"He made mistakes.""
"He forged my signature.""
A chair scraped.
Then Margaret spoke again.
"He's trying to fix things.""
Robert coughed.
"By using Emily's money?""
"She has plenty.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
Robert's voice became louder.
"That's not the point!""
There was a pause.
Then he said, "You told me you would protect her.""
Margaret began crying.
"I am protecting her.""
"No. You're protecting Nathan.""
The recording continued.
Robert asked about the missing money.
Margaret admitted she had helped Nathan move it through several accounts.
Then Robert said something that made Daniel stop typing.
"Does Emily know about the child?""
Silence.
My mother's voice became barely audible.
"No.""
"How long?""
"Almost a year.""
Robert sighed.
"Then she's the only person in this family who doesn't know the truth.""
I closed my eyes.
Brielle.
The affair had begun years earlier.
Long before the anniversary dinner.
Robert continued.
"Margaret, I need you to tell Emily.""
"I can't.""
"Then I will.""
"You can't. Nathan will lose everything.""
Robert's voice became cold.
"Perhaps he should.""
A loud noise followed.
Then Margaret said something I couldn't understand.
The recording ended.
Nobody moved.
I looked at Daniel.
"Can we prove this is authentic?""
"We can have it professionally examined.""
Helen nodded.
"The estate has preserved the original device and its chain of custody.""
I wiped my cheeks.
"There's one thing I don't understand.""
"What?"" Daniel asked.
"Why did Robert wait so long to expose Nathan?""
Helen answered.
"Because he was trying to complete the trust amendment and recover the missing funds before confronting him publicly.""
I looked down at the letter.
"And he never got the chance.""
Daniel closed the laptop.
"Emily, we now have enough evidence to request an expedited hearing.""
I nodded.
"Let's do it.""
Before we left, Helen handed me the second document.
It was an original financial statement from Robert's private account.
The final page showed a transfer of $240,000.
The recipient was a company called Northbridge Solutions.
I looked at the name.
"Who owns this company?""
Daniel searched the registration details.
His expression changed.
"Emily, you're not going to like this.""
"Who?""
He turned the screen toward me.
The registered owner was Thomas Vance.
Nathan's attorney.
The same man who had appeared at the children's school.
The same man who had prepared my forged guarantee.
And according to the transaction record, he had received the money four years earlier.
My phone began ringing.
Nathan.
I answered.
"Did you open the box?""
"Yes.""
His breathing became uneven.
"Then you heard it.""
"Yes.""
He was silent for a moment.
Then he said, "Emily, I can explain.""
"Your father knew.""
"Please.""
"Your mother knew.""
"Emily—"
"And you let me believe he died without wanting to see me.""
His voice broke.
"I was trying to protect everyone.""
I looked at the financial statement.
"From what, Nathan?""
He whispered:
"From the truth about what happened to your father-in-law.""
My heart stopped.
"What are you talking about?""
Before he could answer, the call disconnected.
A second later, Daniel's phone rang.
He listened for a few seconds.
Then his face went pale.
"Emily, the hospital has located an additional medical report.""
"What report?""
Daniel looked at me.
"The attending physician documented a medication discrepancy on the night Robert died.""
I gripped the table.
"Was it accidental?""
Daniel didn't answer.
May you like
Instead, he said:
"We need to find out who brought the medication into the hospital.""
