Chapter 7: The Woman Who Left My Mother Dying
I stared at the photograph on my phone until the screen went dark.
My mother lay in a hospital bed, her face pale, her eyes closed. An oxygen tube rested beneath her nose. Her familiar silver hair was spread across the pillow.
Standing beside her was Patricia Carter.
My mother-in-law.
She was wearing the same pearl necklace she had worn to my wedding.
But it wasn't Patricia's presence that frightened me.
It was her expression.
She wasn't crying.
She wasn't holding my mother's hand.
She was leaning toward her, speaking into her ear.
And my mother looked terrified.
"Who sent this?"" Madeline whispered.
"I don't know.""
Mr. Bennett took the phone from my hand and enlarged the photograph.
"Look at the clock.""
I leaned closer.
The digital clock on the hospital wall displayed 9:47 p.m.
My mother had died at 10:26 p.m.
"That's thirty-nine minutes before she died," I whispered.
Mr. Bennett nodded.
"Where was this taken?""
"St. Mary's Hospital," I answered.
"The private medical wing.""
Madeline looked at me.
"Did Patricia visit your mother often?""
I shook my head.
"She barely knew her.""
"Then why was she there?""
I couldn't answer.
Mr. Bennett examined the photograph again.
"There's something strange about this.""
"What?""
"Look at Patricia's left hand.""
I zoomed in.
She was holding a small rectangular object.
A phone.
But beside it was something else.
A silver key.
I recognized it immediately.
It was the same type of key that had opened my mother's safety deposit box.
My stomach tightened.
"She had access to my mother's belongings.""
Mr. Bennett nodded.
"Which means she may have known about the hidden recording.""
My phone vibrated again.
Another message.
You have no idea what your mother begged Patricia to do.
I typed a response.
Who are you?
The message showed as delivered.
Then the sender replied.
Someone who was there that night.
I looked up.
"We need to find out who took this photograph.""
Mr. Bennett slipped my phone into his jacket pocket.
"Not here. Daniel may already know where you are.""
Madeline folded her arms.
"Then where do we go?""
I looked at her.
"To Patricia.""
At 2:15 p.m., we arrived at Patricia's house.
It was a large white colonial property in an affluent neighborhood, with perfectly trimmed hedges and a circular driveway.
I had visited dozens of times during my marriage.
I knew the sound of the front gate.
I knew the smell of the lavender candles she always burned.
I even knew which floorboard creaked outside the guest bedroom.
But that afternoon, the house looked unfamiliar.
I rang the bell.
A housekeeper opened the door.
"Mrs. Carter," she said, surprised.
"You weren't expected.""
"Is Patricia home?""
"Yes, but she's resting.""
"Tell her Nia is here.""
The housekeeper hesitated.
Then Patricia's voice came from inside.
"Let her come in.""
Patricia appeared at the top of the staircase wearing a pale pink silk robe.
Her hair was perfectly arranged.
She smiled when she saw me.
"Nia, darling. What a surprise.""
I didn't return the smile.
"We need to talk.""
Her eyes moved toward Madeline.
Then toward Mr. Bennett.
Her expression changed.
"What's he doing here?""
Mr. Bennett answered calmly.
"Good afternoon, Patricia.""
She descended the stairs.
"I don't remember inviting you.""
"You didn't.""
Patricia looked at me.
"Perhaps we should speak privately.""
"No.""
Her eyebrows lifted.
"No?""
"I don't want any more private conversations with people who have been lying to me.""
She stared at me for a moment.
Then she sighed.
"Daniel told me you were having some difficulties.""
I almost laughed.
"Did he also tell you that he forged my signature?""
Her face tightened.
"Be careful what you accuse people of.""
"Did you visit my mother the night she died?""
Patricia's fingers tightened around the railing.
"I visited Eleanor several times.""
"At 9:47 p.m.?""
She looked away.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"She was dying, Nia. I wanted to pay my respects.""
"That's interesting. Because she never mentioned you.""
Patricia's expression hardened.
"Your mother and I had a complicated relationship.""
"How complicated?""
She walked toward the living room.
"Sit down. I'll explain.""
Nobody moved.
Patricia turned.
"Must we do this standing in the hallway?""
I stepped forward.
"You can explain right here.""
She stared at me.
Then she spoke.
"Your mother wanted Daniel to leave you.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What?""
"She believed he was unsuitable for you. She thought he was interested in your family's money.""
I looked at Mr. Bennett.
He said nothing.
Patricia continued.
"Eleanor asked me to convince Daniel to end the marriage before she died.""
I shook my head.
"You're lying.""
"Am I?""
"Why would my mother ask you?""
"Because she knew I loved my son.""
I stepped closer.
"Did she give you something that night?""
Patricia's eyes flickered.
It was brief.
But enough.
I pulled out my phone and showed her the photograph.
Her face lost color.
"Where did you get that?""
"Someone sent it to me.""
She took a step backward.
"That photograph shouldn't exist.""
Mr. Bennett's voice became cold.
"Why not?""
Patricia looked at him.
Then at me.
"Because Eleanor specifically asked the nurse not to allow anyone to photograph her.""
"Then who took it?"" Madeline asked.
Patricia ignored her.
I held up the phone.
"What were you holding?""
"Nothing.""
"There's a key in your hand.""
She stared at the screen.
Then she did something I never expected.
She laughed.
A short, bitter laugh.
"Your mother was a very manipulative woman.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"Don't talk about her that way.""
"She made promises she couldn't keep.""
"What promises?""
Patricia looked at me.
"She promised Daniel that he would inherit the company if he stayed married to you.""
The room went silent.
Madeline stepped forward.
"That's impossible.""
Patricia turned toward her.
"And you are?""
"Madeline Whitmore.""
For the first time, Patricia looked genuinely frightened.
She stared at Madeline for several seconds.
Then she whispered:
"You're supposed to be dead.""
Madeline went completely still.
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"What did you just say?""
Patricia covered her mouth.
But the words had already escaped.
Mr. Bennett moved closer.
"Explain yourself.""
Patricia shook her head.
"I didn't mean—"
"Who told you Madeline was dead?"" I demanded.
She looked at me.
Then toward the staircase.
"I think you should leave.""
I didn't move.
"Patricia, what happened to my sister?""
She pressed her lips together.
Then she said something that made the entire room feel colder.
"Daniel told us she died as a baby.""
Madeline grabbed the back of a chair.
I looked at her.
She was trembling.
"My mother raised me," she whispered.
"I didn't die.""
Patricia looked away.
"I know that now.""
"How could you believe that?""
Patricia's voice broke.
"Because Daniel showed us a death certificate.""
Mr. Bennett immediately pulled out his phone.
"Do you still have it?""
Patricia shook her head.
"No.""
"Who issued it?""
"I don't remember.""
"Patricia!""
She flinched.
Then she looked directly at me.
"Your husband told us your mother had given birth to a child who died shortly after birth. He said Eleanor couldn't accept it, so she invented stories about another daughter.""
Madeline's eyes filled with tears.
"That's why you looked at me like that?""
Patricia didn't answer.
I felt anger rising through my chest.
"Did you help Daniel forge the documents?""
She shook her head.
"I didn't know about the forged documents.""
"But you knew he was trying to get the company.""
"I knew he wanted to protect his future.""
"By stealing from my mother?""
Patricia looked at me.
Then she whispered:
"Your mother didn't want Daniel to have the company.""
"Why?""
Patricia's eyes filled.
For a moment, she looked like a frightened old woman rather than the confident matriarch I had known for years.
"Because Eleanor discovered what Daniel had done to Thomas.""
My heart stopped.
"What did he do?""
Patricia looked toward the front door.
Then she spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.
"Your husband didn't just know your father was dying.""
She swallowed.
"He knew he was going to die.""
We left Patricia's house without another word.
Madeline cried in the passenger seat.
Mr. Bennett drove.
I sat in the back, staring out the window, replaying Patricia's confession.
Daniel had known about Thomas.
He had known about my mother's inheritance.
And now there was a suggestion that he had somehow been involved in my father's death.
I pulled out my phone.
The unknown number had sent another message.
Patricia has finally told you part of the truth.
I typed:
Who are you?
The reply came almost immediately.
Ask Daniel why he visited Thomas Whitmore's hospital room the night before he died.
I looked up.
Mr. Bennett had stopped at a red light.
"Something happened?"" he asked.
I showed him the message.
He read it.
Then he slowly lowered the phone.
"Nia," he said, "I need to tell you something about Thomas's final night.""
"What?""
May you like
He looked at me through the rearview mirror.
"Daniel wasn't supposed to be anywhere near that hospital.""
