Chapter 11: The Hospital Room
I stared at the photograph until the screen dimmed.
Brielle looked no older than seven.
Her small hand was wrapped around a stuffed rabbit.
Richard stood beside her, one hand resting on her shoulder.
Behind them was a hospital room.
The name on the door read:
*PATRICIA WILSON – ROOM 214.*
Daniel leaned closer.
“That's Brielle?””
I nodded.
“She must have been seven.””
“Why was Richard there?””
I enlarged the photograph.
There was something else.
A woman standing near the nurses' station.
Her face was partially visible.
But I recognized the hairstyle.
My mother.
I felt my chest tighten.
“Thomas, find out which hospital this was.””
He took the photograph and examined it.
“Looks like St. Vincent's in Savannah.””
I immediately called Evelyn.
She answered on the second ring.
“Mr. Carter?””
“I'm sending you a photograph. I need you to tell me what happened at St. Vincent's.””
There was silence.
Then I heard her inhale sharply.
“Where did you get that?””
“Someone sent it to me.””
“Marcus, you need to be careful.””
“Was Patricia admitted there before she died?””
“Yes.””
“Was Brielle with her?””
“Yes.””
“And Richard?””
Evelyn's voice dropped.
“He was there the night Patricia died.””
I looked toward Daniel.
“Tell me everything.””
Evelyn took a long breath.
“Patricia was admitted after a serious medical episode. The doctors believed she had been exposed to a substance that caused severe internal complications.””
I felt cold.
“Poison?””
“That's what Patricia believed.””
“Did the hospital investigate?””
“Not properly. Your father insisted it was a private medical matter.””
I clenched my jaw.
“Why?””
“Because Patricia had told him something before she became unconscious.””
“What?””
“She said Richard had been moving money from the company through a series of shell accounts. She had copies of the transactions.””
I looked at the photograph again.
“And then she died.””
“Yes.””
“Did anyone investigate Richard?””
“Your father tried. But the records disappeared.””
I lowered my voice.
“Evelyn, did my father believe Richard had killed Patricia?””
A long silence followed.
Then she answered.
“He believed Richard had something to do with her death.””
My stomach twisted.
“Why didn't he go to the police?””
“He was afraid. Richard had information about your father's private financial arrangements. He threatened to expose everything, including Brielle's parentage.””
I stared at the wall.
“So my father protected Richard?””
“No. He protected Brielle.””
I didn't understand.
Evelyn explained.
“Your father believed that if Patricia's death became a public investigation, Brielle would be caught in the middle of a terrible scandal. He wanted her to grow up without knowing that her mother might have been murdered.””
I looked at Daniel.
He was listening carefully.
“Did my father ever tell Brielle the truth?””
“No. He died before he could.””
I ended the call after arranging to meet Evelyn the following morning.
Thomas immediately began making preparations for the trip to Savannah.
But before we left, I wanted to speak to Diane.
She was sitting alone in the kitchen.
An untouched cup of coffee sat in front of her.
When I entered, she looked up.
“Marcus.””
I pulled out a chair.
“Tell me about Patricia.””
Her hands tightened around the cup.
“What about her?””
“Did you know she was my father's mistress?””
Diane looked down.
“I knew something.””
“How long?””
“Since before I married you.””
I stared at her.
“You knew?””
“Your mother told me.””
I leaned back.
“My mother knew?””
Diane nodded.
“She found letters. She knew about Brielle.””
I rubbed my forehead.
“Why didn't anyone tell me?””
“Your mother begged your father to keep it quiet. She didn't want the family destroyed.””
“And Patricia?””
Diane's eyes filled.
“She wanted your father to acknowledge Brielle.””
“Did he refuse?””
“No. He wanted to. But he was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“Your mother threatened to leave him.””
I stared at her.
“That doesn't explain why Brielle was raised as your niece.””
Diane began crying.
“Because your father asked me to help.””
I went still.
“What?””
“He came to me after Patricia died. He told me Brielle had no one. He asked me to take her into our family.””
I looked at my wife.
“You knew all along.””
“I knew she was his daughter.””
“And you never told me?””
“He made me promise.””
I stood.
“Why?””
Diane grabbed my hand.
“Because he said Andrew would use the information against her.””
I pulled away.
“Andrew knew?””
“Not at first.””
“Then how did he find out?””
Diane hesitated.
“Richard told him.””
I closed my eyes.
Everything led back to Richard.
Diane continued.
“Andrew started using Brielle's identity against her. He told her she was entitled to everything your father had hidden. He said you were keeping her inheritance from her.””
“And you believed him?””
“I wanted to protect her.””
“So you helped her steal my company?””
“I didn't know what else to do!””
I looked at her.
“You could have told me.””
She shook her head.
“You would have rejected her.””
I laughed quietly.
“Diane, I paid for her education. I gave her a job. I helped her when she had nowhere to go.””
“That's not the same as accepting her as your father's daughter.””
The words struck harder than she intended.
I looked at her for several seconds.
Then I asked, “Did you know about the money Andrew transferred to your account?””
She nodded.
“What was it for?””
Her lips trembled.
“Andrew said he needed help getting Brielle's inheritance released.””
“And you took the money?””
“I was going to return it.””
“When?””
She had no answer.
I turned toward the kitchen door.
“Marcus, please.””
I stopped.
“Do you still love me?”” she asked.
I looked back.
Once, that question would have destroyed me.
Now it simply made me tired.
“I don't know what I feel anymore.””
I left.
An hour later, Thomas received a call.
It was Detective Mitchell.
She had located the original garage records and obtained a warrant for Richard's office.
But there was a problem.
Richard had disappeared.
His house was empty.
His bank accounts had been drained.
And his private office had been cleared.
Before leaving, he had sent one email to the Carter family legal department.
It contained a single attachment.
A scanned photograph.
The same photograph of Patricia and Brielle at St. Vincent's.
But this time, the back was visible.
There was a handwritten message.
The wrong woman died.
I read it twice.
Then my phone rang.
It was Brielle.
I answered.
Her voice sounded frightened.
“Marcus?””
“What do you want?””
“Please. I need to talk to you.””
“About what?””
“About my mother.””
I looked at Daniel.
He moved closer.
Brielle began crying.
“I know what happened to her.””
My grip tightened.
“What happened?””
She whispered:
“Richard told me everything.””
May you like
Then she said something that made me reach for the nearest chair.
“My mother wasn't the person they intended to kill.””
