Chapter 3: The Secret in the Hospital Records
By sunrise, I had stopped believing in coincidences.
I called my private attorney, James Whitaker, and asked him to meet me at the house.
Then I called St. Mary's Hospital.
The hospital administrator refused to release the old records over the phone.
But when I mentioned Claire's name, the woman on the other end went silent.
“Mr. Moretti,” she finally said, “some of those records are archived under restricted access.””
“Who restricted them?””
“I can't discuss that.””
“I'm the patient's husband.””
“Your authorization was revoked three years ago.””
I stared at the phone.
“By whom?””
She disconnected.
James arrived at eight-thirty.
He was a careful man in his fifties who had handled my family's legal affairs for more than a decade.
I placed the medical authorization in front of him.
“Is this my signature?””
He examined it for several seconds.
“No.””
“Are you certain?””
“Daniel, I've watched you sign hundreds of documents. This is a poor imitation.””
“Richard witnessed it.””
James removed his glasses.
“That's a serious problem.””
I showed him the hospital records and the photograph of the girl.
He didn't speak for almost a minute.
Then he asked, “Have you contacted Richard?””
“No.””
“Good. Don't.””
Hannah stood near the window.
James looked at her.
“Who is she?””
“Someone Richard tried to erase.””
Hannah gave him a tired smile.
“That's one way to describe it.””
James turned back to me.
“If these documents are authentic, we need to establish who had access to Sophia's records and why her treatment was changed.””
“I want the truth about Claire.””
“Then we start with the hospital.””
I picked up my keys.
“Let's go.””
St. Mary's looked exactly as I remembered.
The same glass entrance. The same polished floors. The same reception desk where I had once begged a doctor to save my wife.
My stomach tightened as we walked inside.
A woman in a navy suit approached us.
“Mr. Moretti?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Dr. Evelyn Brooks. I'm the hospital's current medical director.””
She shook my hand, then looked at Hannah.
Her expression changed.
“Miss Reed.””
Hannah nodded.
“Dr. Brooks.””
“You shouldn't be here.””
James stepped forward.
“On what grounds?””
Dr. Brooks looked uncomfortable.
“Some of the records involved in this matter are subject to an internal investigation.””
“Then perhaps you should cooperate with our own investigation,” James replied.
The doctor exhaled.
“Come with me.””
She led us into a small conference room.
A few minutes later, she returned carrying a thick file.
“This is the original record,” she said.
I opened it.
The first pages contained Sophia's emergency admission details.
Broken ribs.
A fractured collarbone.
Minor head trauma.
But the neurological assessment showed something different from what I had been told.
*Patient responsive. Lower-limb movement present. Recovery prognosis favorable with appropriate rehabilitation.*
I read it twice.
Then I looked at Hannah.
“You were right.””
She didn't smile.
“I wish I hadn't been.””
I turned the page.
There was a note from the attending physician.
*Patient repeatedly reports seeing a second vehicle following the family car before collision. Requests to speak with father regarding incident.*
My chest tightened.
“Why wasn't I told this?””
Dr. Brooks looked uncomfortable.
“The note was removed from the active file.””
“By whom?””
She turned to the final page.
A handwritten instruction had been attached to the record.
*Transfer patient to restricted rehabilitation unit. Family communication to be coordinated through Mr. Richard Hale.*
My jaw tightened.
James photographed the document.
“Who authorized this?””
Dr. Brooks hesitated.
“Former hospital administrator. He retired last year.””
“Name?””
“Martin Caldwell.””
I knew that name.
Martin had been Richard's personal physician.
Before I could ask another question, Hannah pointed toward a small handwritten note at the bottom of the file.
“Look at the date.””
It was dated the night Claire died.
There was another entry.
*Mother requested private meeting with hospital security. Reported concern regarding infant's disappearance.*
I felt my knees weaken.
“Infant?””
Dr. Brooks nodded.
“Your wife delivered a baby girl at this hospital two months before the accident.””
I gripped the edge of the table.
“Where is she?””
The doctor lowered her eyes.
“We don't know.””
“Someone must know!””
Hannah stepped closer.
“Daniel, please.””
“No! My wife died, my daughter lost three years of her life, and now you're telling me there's another child somewhere?””
James placed a hand on my arm.
“Stay calm.””
I pulled away.
“Don't tell me to stay calm.””
Dr. Brooks opened a drawer and removed a sealed envelope.
“Your wife left this with the hospital's night supervisor.””
I stared at it.
“Why wasn't it given to me?””
“Because the supervisor was instructed to deliver it to you personally. He died before he could.””
The envelope had Claire's handwriting.
My name was written across the front.
I opened it carefully.
Inside was a single letter.
Daniel,
If you're reading this, then I failed to protect our girls.
I wanted to tell you everything. I wanted us to raise both daughters together. But Richard found out about the baby before I could explain.
He said he would destroy our family if I refused to cooperate.
I know what he is capable of now.
Please don't trust him.
And whatever happens, never let him take Sophia to the lake house.
I stopped reading.
My hands were shaking.
The lake house.
Richard owned a secluded property outside the city. He had invited Sophia there several times before the accident.
I had always refused because Claire disliked the place.
I turned the letter over.
There was one final sentence.
The person who knows where our other daughter is lives inside your house.
I looked up.
James was staring at the letter.
Hannah had gone completely still.
“What does that mean?”” I asked.
Before either could answer, my phone rang.
It was Mrs. Collins.
I answered immediately.
“What's wrong?””
Her voice trembled.
“Mr. Moretti, you need to come home.””
“What happened?””
“Miss Sophia is awake.””
“Is she hurt?””
“No, sir. But she's asking for Hannah.””
“Tell her we'll be back soon.””
Mrs. Collins hesitated.
Then she whispered:
“There's something else.””
“What?””
“Someone came into her bedroom while she was sleeping.””
My blood turned cold.
“Who?””
“I don't know. But they left something on her pillow.””
“What did they leave?””
“A photograph, sir.””
I heard her take a shaky breath.
“It's a picture of you and Mrs. Moretti.””
I closed my eyes.
“What's wrong with the picture?””
Mrs. Collins began crying.
“Your wife is standing beside a man who isn't you.””
May you like
Then she said the words that changed everything.
“Mr. Moretti... the man is Richard Hale.””
