Chapter 14: The Last Secret My Mother Kept
Nobody spoke.
Laura stood in the doorway as if she had just admitted to something unforgivable.
I looked at her.
"Say that again.""
She stepped inside.
"Margaret paid Dr. Harris.""
"You're lying.""
"I wish I were.""
Evelyn stood.
"Laura, be very careful. We have records showing payments from Bennett Strategic Holdings to Dr. Harris. We also have evidence that Margaret refused the medication.""
Laura nodded.
"Those payments came later. The first payment came from Margaret's private account.""
I shook my head.
"Why would my mother pay someone who was trying to hurt her?""
"She wasn't paying him to hurt her. She was paying him to cooperate with an investigation.""
Evelyn's expression changed.
"Explain.""
Laura sat down.
"Margaret discovered that someone was using her medical records to obtain unauthorized access to her properties. She suspected Dr. Harris because he had been signing documents he wasn't authorized to sign.""
"Then why didn't she report him?""
"Because she wanted to know who was directing him.""
I stared at the woman.
"You expect me to believe my mother was secretly investigating him while he was treating her?""
"He wasn't treating her at first. He was pretending to.""
Laura opened her handbag and removed a small notebook.
"Margaret paid him to provide copies of the records he was altering. She wanted evidence against Daniel.""
Evelyn took the notebook.
"Why wasn't this in the original file?""
"Because I removed it.""
Thomas stepped forward.
"You destroyed evidence?""
Laura flinched.
"I was afraid.""
"Of Daniel?""
"Yes. And of what would happen if the truth came out.""
I stood.
"What truth?""
Laura looked at me.
"Margaret knew Daniel was planning to have you declared medically incapable. She also knew he had discovered your adoption records. She believed he would use both secrets to take control of the estate.""
"Why didn't she warn me?""
"She tried. You were already being monitored. Daniel had access to your phone, your appointments, even your medication.""
I remembered the strange calls.
The unexplained dizziness.
The way Daniel had insisted on accompanying me to every appointment.
Laura continued.
"Margaret wanted to remove him from the estate before he could act. But she needed proof.""
Evelyn opened the notebook.
Inside were dates, payment amounts, and short handwritten notes.
One entry stood out.
May 14 — original hospital file transferred. Do not allow Daniel access.
My birthday.
The same date connected to my adoption.
"What's the original hospital file?"" I asked.
Laura looked at Thomas.
He lowered his eyes.
I turned toward him.
"Do you know?""
Thomas nodded.
"Margaret gave it to me.""
"Where is it?""
He hesitated.
"I thought it had been destroyed.""
"Where?""
He looked toward the window.
"At the old security office beneath the Mercer Building.""
Evelyn stood.
"That's been closed for years.""
"Not completely," Thomas replied.
"There's a storage room in the basement. Margaret used it for sensitive records.""
I grabbed my coat.
"Then we're going.""
Evelyn stopped me.
"Not without the police.""
Laura shook her head.
"There's no time. Daniel knows I came here.""
As if summoned by her words, my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
*You have one hour to return the original records. If you don't, the person you love most will pay.*
I looked at Thomas.
He read the message.
"Daniel.""
Then my phone rang.
It was Vanessa.
I answered.
"What's wrong?""
Her voice was trembling.
"Nia, someone is outside my room.""
I stood.
"Who?""
"I don't know. A man in a hospital uniform. He says he's here to transfer me.""
"Don't go with him.""
"I told him I wasn't leaving.""
I heard a struggle.
Then a crash.
"Vanessa?""
Her voice returned.
"Nia, listen to me. Daniel has someone inside the hospital.""
The call ended.
I grabbed my bag.
Thomas was already moving.
Evelyn called the hospital security desk while Marcus contacted the police.
We reached Vanessa's room in less than twenty minutes.
The bed was empty.
A nurse stood near the doorway, visibly shaken.
"Where is she?"" I demanded.
"She was taken downstairs.""
"By whom?""
"A transport attendant. He showed an authorization.""
"Who signed it?""
The nurse looked at the paper.
"Dr. Harris.""
Thomas swore under his breath.
We ran toward the elevators.
At the ground floor, we found the transport attendant pushing an empty wheelchair toward the service corridor.
Thomas grabbed his arm.
"Where's the patient?""
The man tried to pull away.
"Let go.""
Thomas held him against the wall.
"Where is she?""
The attendant pointed toward the loading bay.
We ran outside.
A white medical transport van was pulling away.
I shouted Vanessa's name.
The van accelerated.
Thomas sprinted toward the road, but it disappeared around the corner.
I stood frozen.
Then Marcus called.
"I've got the vehicle.""
"How?""
"The hospital cameras caught the plate. Police are tracking it.""
I looked at the empty driveway.
"She was just here.""
Thomas put a hand on my shoulder.
"We'll find her.""
My phone rang again.
This time, Daniel.
I answered.
"Where is Vanessa?""
He laughed softly.
"Hello, Nia.""
"Where is she?""
"Safe. For now.""
"If you hurt her—"
"You still don't understand. Vanessa is the only person who can confirm certain parts of your mother's story.""
"She already testified.""
"Not about everything.""
I clenched my phone.
"What do you want?""
"The original hospital file. Bring it to Mercer Building.""
"You're not getting anything.""
"Then Vanessa disappears.""
The call ended.
Evelyn looked at me.
"He's trying to force us to retrieve the records.""
"Then we'll retrieve them.""
Thomas shook his head.
"He's expecting us.""
"Good.""
I looked at him.
"Then we won't give him what he's expecting.""
We drove to the Mercer Building with two police officers following at a distance.
The building was dark.
Its old brick façade looked almost black beneath the rain.
Thomas unlocked a side entrance with a key he had kept for years.
Inside, the air smelled of dust and damp paper.
We descended into the basement.
A narrow hallway led to a steel door.
Thomas entered a code.
The lock clicked.
Inside was a small office with filing cabinets and a desk.
He moved directly to the last cabinet.
"Margaret kept everything here.""
He opened the bottom drawer.
Empty.
I stared at it.
"Where are the records?""
Thomas searched the other drawers.
Nothing.
Then Evelyn noticed a small envelope taped beneath the desk.
She pulled it free.
My name was written on the front.
Inside was a key and a note.
If the original file is missing, look where Robert kept the things he never wanted to lose.
I frowned.
"Where would that be?""
Thomas stared at the note.
Then he looked toward me.
"Your father's study.""
I remembered the house on Willow Creek.
The old desk.
The hidden compartment.
But Daniel owned the property now.
And he knew we were coming.
A loud metallic crash echoed from the hallway.
Thomas turned.
The steel door slammed shut.
The lights went out.
Someone had locked us inside.
Then a voice came through the darkness.
"Looking for something?""
Daniel.
A moment later, the emergency lights flickered on.
He stood behind the glass partition, holding Vanessa's phone.
Beside him was Dr. Harris.
May you like
And in Daniel's other hand was a small black pistol.
"Now," he said, "we can finally finish this conversation.""
