Chapter 9: The Woman Who Knew
Nia couldn't hear anything for several seconds.
Vanessa stood at the bottom of the stairs, crying silently.
“You?””
Vanessa nodded.
“I went inside the ambulance.””
“Why?””
“To say goodbye.””
Nia stared at her.
“Mom was alive.””
“Yes.””
“You knew.””
“Yes.””
“And you still didn't tell anyone what happened?””
“I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
Vanessa looked toward Arthur.
“Of him.””
Arthur shook his head.
“Vanessa…”
“You told me if I talked, Nia would be taken away.””
Nia turned toward her father.
“You said that?””
Arthur looked horrified.
“I was trying to keep Calvin from getting custody.””
“Calvin wasn't her father.””
“He had connections. Money. Lawyers.””
Vanessa wiped her eyes.
“You don't understand what was happening.””
Nia stepped toward her.
“Then make me understand.””
Vanessa took a trembling breath.
“Your mother knew the transfer documents were forged.””
“By Calvin?””
“Yes.””
“And you?””
“I signed one.””
“Why?””
“Because Calvin threatened me.””
“With what?””
“He had proof I'd been stealing.””
Nia looked at the notebook.
“How much?””
“Forty thousand dollars.””
Nia stared.
“From Mom?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Vanessa's voice broke.
“My daughter needed surgery.””
Silence.
Nia hadn't expected that.
Vanessa looked down.
“I was desperate. I thought I could replace it before your mother noticed.””
Arthur's expression softened for the first time.
“You should have told me.””
“I was ashamed.””
“So you signed the transfer.””
“Yes.””
“And Mom found out.””
“Yes.””
“What happened in the ambulance?””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“She grabbed my hand.””
Nia's throat tightened.
“What did she say?””
“She said, ‘Take care of my daughter.’”
Vanessa began sobbing.
“I told her I would.””
Nia stared at her.
“But you didn't.””
“I tried.””
“You threw me out.””
“I know.””
“You demanded two thousand dollars.””
“I know.””
“You tried to take my house.””
Vanessa nodded.
“I thought if I transferred the house, I could pay Calvin and make the danger disappear.””
Nia's voice became cold.
“You sacrificed me.””
Vanessa looked at her.
“I thought I was buying time.””
“For what?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“For the person who was really behind everything.””
Arthur's face changed.
Nia noticed.
“Who?””
Vanessa looked at him.
Arthur shook his head.
“Don't.””
Nia turned toward him.
“You know.””
He didn't respond.
“You know who wanted Mom dead.””
Arthur looked at the floor.
Vanessa whispered, “Your father knows.””
Nia's eyes filled.
“Dad.””
Arthur finally spoke.
“I thought Calvin was the one.””
“Wasn't he?””
“No.””
Calvin stepped forward.
“I told you I wasn't.””
Arthur looked at him.
“I didn't believe you.””
“You never wanted to.””
Nia stared at Calvin.
“Then who?””
Calvin's voice was quiet.
“Your mother found a second set of records.””
“What records?””
“Insurance.””
Arthur's face went rigid.
Nia looked at him.
“What insurance?””
“Life insurance,” Arthur said.
“Whose?””
“Your mother's.””
“How much?””
Arthur hesitated.
“Three million dollars.””
Nia's mouth went dry.
“Who was the beneficiary?””
Arthur didn't answer.
Vanessa whispered, “Arthur.””
Nia stared at her father.
“Who?””
Arthur's eyes closed.
“Me.””
Nia stepped backward.
“You were going to get three million dollars.””
“Yes.””
“And Mom knew.””
“Yes.””
“She thought you wanted her dead.””
“I didn't.””
“But you had a motive.””
“I loved her.””
Nia laughed through her tears.
“That doesn't answer the question.””
Arthur looked devastated.
“I never touched your mother.””
Calvin stepped forward.
“But someone did.””
Nia looked at him.
“Who?””
Calvin pulled a second photograph from his coat.
This one showed a hospital hallway.
A nurse stood outside a room.
A man in a dark business suit was entering.
The timestamp read *12:08 A.M.*
Nia stared at the figure.
Her father.
Arthur's face went white.
“I never went to the hospital.””
Nia looked at him.
“That's you.””
“No.””
“You're wearing the same suit.””
“I left the accident scene.””
“Where did you go?””
Arthur couldn't answer.
Nia stepped closer.
“Dad.””
He looked at her.
“I went home.””
“Why?””
“Because I couldn't think.””
Calvin shook his head.
“You didn't go home.””
Arthur stared at the photograph.
“I don't remember.””
Vanessa suddenly whispered, “I do.””
Everyone turned.
Vanessa looked terrified.
“You went to the hospital.””
Arthur shook his head.
“No.””
“You were there.””
“I wasn't.””
“I saw you.””
Arthur's breathing became heavy.
“Vanessa, stop.””
“You walked into the room.””
Nia's voice trembled.
“Mom's room?””
Vanessa nodded.
“What did he do?””
“I don't know.””
“You were there.””
“I was outside.””
“What did you see?””
Vanessa looked at Arthur.
“You leaned over her bed.””
Arthur's eyes filled with tears.
“I never touched her.””
“Then why did you go there?””
“I don't remember going.””
Calvin's voice cut through the room.
“Because somebody drugged him.””
Nia turned.
“What?””
Calvin looked at Arthur.
“The same person who drugged your mother.””
Arthur stared.
“What are you talking about?””
Calvin reached into his pocket and pulled out a small plastic evidence bag.
Inside was a hospital wristband.
Nia read the name.
*Nia Carter.*
Her heart stopped.
“That’s mine.””
Arthur stared at it.
“No…”
Calvin looked at Nia.
“Your mother wasn't the only one who received a hospital bracelet that night.””
Nia's face went cold.
“I wasn't at the hospital.””
“I know.””
“Then why is my name on that?””
Calvin's eyes shifted toward Vanessa.
“Because someone checked you in under a false identity.””
Nia looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa's lips trembled.
“I didn't.””
Arthur whispered, “Then who?””
A phone buzzed.
Everyone froze.
Nia slowly reached into her hoodie pocket.
It was her phone.
An unknown number.
One new message.
*You have the notebook. Good. Now check page 47.*
Nia opened the notebook.
Her hands shook as she flipped through the pages.
Page 47 was almost empty.
Except for one sentence.
Written in her mother's handwriting.
*The person who entered my hospital room was not Arthur.*
Nia's breath caught.
Below it was another line.
*It was someone I trusted more than anyone.*
Nia slowly looked up.
Vanessa was staring at her.
And for the first time, Nia realized Vanessa wasn't looking at the notebook.
She was looking at the bedroom doorway.
Someone was standing there.
May you like
A woman.
Holding Nia's missing envelope.
