Chapter 7: The Doctor Who Knew Everything
I stared at the photograph in my hands.
Dr. Samuel Whitmore.
For eleven years, he had been our family physician. He had treated Emily during her pregnancy, delivered Maya, and later coordinated her cancer treatment.
He had stood beside me at Emily's funeral.
He had hugged Maya and told her that her mother was at peace.
And now I was looking at a photograph suggesting he had helped someone manipulate medical records.
“Dad?”” Maya whispered.
“Why is Dr. Whitmore in Mom's photograph?””
I couldn't answer immediately.
My mother came toward us, still visibly shaken.
“Marcus, what's happening?””
I turned the photograph over again.
Emily's handwriting was unmistakable.
The man who switched the samples.
I called Dr. Whitmore.
He answered after three rings.
“Marcus! What a surprise. Everything all right?””
I forced myself to sound normal.
“I need to ask you something about Emily.””
A pause.
“I'm sorry. Is something wrong with Maya?””
“No. I found an old photograph.””
“Of Emily?””
“Yes. You were in it.””
Another pause.
“What photograph?””
“One taken in her hospital room. A few days before she died.””
His voice became noticeably quieter.
“Marcus, it's been a long time. I'm not sure I remember every detail of that period.””
“I have a question about a DNA test.””
Silence.
Then he cleared his throat.
“Why are you asking about that?””
My blood ran cold.
I hadn't mentioned what the test supposedly involved.
“What test?””
He exhaled.
“Marcus, grief can make people revisit things they thought they'd put behind them. You should be careful about drawing conclusions from old documents.””
I looked at Daniel.
He was staring at the floor.
“Did you switch Emily's medical samples?””
The doctor didn't respond.
Then he said, “We should discuss this in person.””
“Why?””
“Because some things are complicated.””
“Were you involved in changing a DNA result?””
His voice hardened.
“I cannot discuss confidential patient information over the telephone.””
“I'm asking about my daughter.””
“Then make an appointment.””
He hung up.
I stared at the phone.
Maya was watching me.
“He knows something,” she said.
“Yes.””
“Can we make him tell us?””
I knelt beside her.
“We're going to find out what happened. But we're doing it properly.””
I called Officer Reynolds and explained the photograph, the handwritten note, and the doctor's reaction.
He told me not to confront Whitmore alone.
Then he made another suggestion.
“Mr. Hale, if these records were altered, there may be a legitimate medical or criminal investigation. Don't touch anything else. Preserve the originals.””
I agreed.
But before we could do anything more, my mother came rushing back from the hallway.
“Marcus, I found something.””
She was holding an old envelope.
“Where was it?””
“In the lining of Emily's photograph album. It must have been tucked inside years ago.””
I opened it.
There was a small flash drive and a handwritten note.
Marcus, if you have reached this point, you deserve the truth.
My fingers trembled.
I looked at the flash drive.
“What's on it?”” Maya asked.
“I don't know.””
My mother brought her laptop.
We inserted the drive.
A single video file appeared.
The date was six years earlier.
I clicked play.
Emily's face filled the screen.
She was sitting in a hospital bed, wearing a pale blue cardigan. Her hair was shorter than I remembered, and her cheeks were thinner.
But her eyes were bright.
She smiled.
“Hello, sweetheart.””
Maya immediately covered her mouth.
“Mom.””
Emily continued.
“If you're watching this, I hope you're older now. I hope you still laugh too loudly at silly movies. I hope you still steal the blankets when you sleep.””
Maya began crying.
I put an arm around her.
Emily looked down at something outside the camera frame.
Then her expression became serious.
“Marcus, I need you to listen carefully.””
I leaned toward the screen.
“I discovered that someone had been changing my medical records. At first, I thought it was a mistake. Then I found out that the same person had requested access to the original DNA samples taken when Maya was born.””
My heart pounded.
Emily took a breath.
“I don't know why. But I know Dr. Whitmore was involved.””
She paused.
“And there's something else.””
The video flickered.
Emily looked toward the hospital door.
“If you are watching this, please don't assume the person who helped me is the person who hurt me.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
Emily continued.
“I trusted Daniel. I trusted Rachel. And I trusted someone else who had access to the hospital records.””
She swallowed.
“Someone I never expected.””
The screen went black.
A second video file appeared.
But before I could open it, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A man's voice spoke urgently.
“Marcus, this is Dr. Whitmore.””
I stood.
“You hung up on me.””
“I need you to delete that video.””
My stomach tightened.
“How do you know about it?””
“Listen to me. You don't understand what Emily was trying to uncover.””
“Then explain.””
“I can't.””
“Why not?””
“Because the people involved are still alive.””
I glanced at Maya.
“Who?””
Whitmore lowered his voice.
“Richard Cole isn't the person you should be worried about.””
I closed my eyes.
“Then who?””
The doctor took a shaky breath.
“Your wife Vanessa.””
The call ended.
I slowly lowered my phone.
Across the kitchen, Daniel looked at me.
“What did he say?””
I stared at him.
“He says Vanessa was involved.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No.””
“Why are you so surprised?””
“Because Vanessa wasn't even at the hospital that night.””
I remembered what Vanessa had said.
She had claimed she knew what happened.
I looked at the second video file.
Then at Maya.
“There's something else Emily wanted us to see.””
I clicked play.
The screen went dark.
Then Emily's voice emerged.
“Marcus, if Vanessa is still in your life, you need to ask her one question.””
A pause.
“Why did she use her maiden name when she signed my hospital admission papers?””
I felt the blood drain from my face.
Because Vanessa had never told me she had been at the hospital.
And now Emily was telling me that she had signed documents there.
May you like
The video continued.
“There's a reason she wanted to become part of your family. And it has nothing to do with love.””
