Chapter 4: The Warning Elena Left Behind
For several seconds, I couldn't hear anything except the rain hitting the hotel window.
Daniel was still on the phone.
"Marcus? Are you there?""
I swallowed.
"Read the statement again.""
He hesitated.
"Elena wrote that Vanessa had been giving her medication without her consent. She said she was afraid Vanessa was trying to make her appear unstable.""
I gripped the edge of the desk.
"Why didn't you tell me any of this before?""
"Because I didn't know how bad it was. Elena called me late one night. She was crying. She said she had found something suspicious in her medical records.""
"What exactly?""
"She said one of her prescriptions had been changed. She didn't recognize the dosage, and the doctor told her it was a necessary adjustment. She wanted a second opinion.""
I looked at Maya.
She had fallen asleep on the bed, still holding her stuffed rabbit.
"Did she mention Vanessa?""
"Yes. She said Vanessa had been visiting the hospital without telling you.""
My blood ran cold.
"That can't be right. Vanessa told me she had only visited twice.""
"Marcus, Elena said she was there almost every day.""
I closed my eyes.
I remembered those days.
I remembered leaving the hospital to buy coffee, answering business calls in the parking garage, and trusting Vanessa when she said she would stay with Elena.
I had been grateful.
I had even thanked her.
"Is the statement signed?"" I asked.
"Yes. There's a date and a witness signature.""
"Who witnessed it?""
Daniel paused.
"Someone named Patricia Mills.""
I recognized the name.
Patricia had been Elena's private nurse during her final hospitalization.
"Where is she now?""
"I don't know. But there's a phone number attached to the statement.""
"Send it to me.""
Daniel sent a photograph of the document.
I enlarged it.
Elena's handwriting was unmistakable.
The final paragraph read:
If anything happens to me, I want Marcus to know that I never authorized Vanessa to manage my medication, my finances, or Maya's inheritance. I am afraid she has been manipulating the situation.
Beneath it was a handwritten note.
She keeps telling me that Marcus will never believe me.
I felt physically sick.
Vanessa hadn't simply hidden things from me.
She had apparently counted on my disbelief.
I called Daniel again.
"Take pictures of everything. Don't move the original documents. We're going to need a lawyer.""
"Already thinking about that.""
"And Daniel?""
"Yes?""
"Don't confront Vanessa.""
He sighed.
"I wasn't planning to.""
"Good. Because I think she knows we've found something.""
I looked at my phone.
The photograph she had sent me was still open.
A moment later, another message appeared.
*You should have left the past alone, Marcus.*
I didn't reply.
Instead, I took screenshots and sent everything to a secure email account.
Then I called a family attorney I had used during my business partnership dispute.
His name was Robert Hayes.
He answered despite the late hour.
"Marcus, what's going on?""
"I need emergency legal advice. My daughter may have been neglected, and I have evidence that my current wife might have concealed information surrounding my first wife's death.""
The silence on the other end lasted several seconds.
"Where is your daughter?""
"With me. She's safe.""
"Good. Don't return to the house. Don't confront your wife. Preserve every document and message.""
"I have a handwritten statement from my first wife.""
"Send me a copy. And Marcus, if there's any possibility of criminal conduct, contact the appropriate authorities. This needs more than a divorce attorney.""
I agreed.
Before hanging up, Robert added, "One more thing. Don't let anyone convince you to hand over original documents.""
I looked at the photograph again.
"I won't.""
At 7:30 the next morning, Daniel arrived at the hotel carrying a thick folder.
He looked exhausted.
He placed it on the table.
"I found everything.""
Inside were bank statements, insurance documents, medical correspondence, and several letters.
One document showed that Elena's life insurance beneficiary had been changed four months before her death.
Another showed that Vanessa had been listed as the person authorized to receive financial correspondence.
I stared at the paperwork.
"How did she get access to all this?""
Daniel pointed to a page.
"Elena signed a temporary authorization while she was hospitalized. She believed Vanessa was helping organize household affairs.""
I rubbed my forehead.
"Elena trusted her.""
"She trusted everyone, Marcus.""
I turned another page.
Then I found something that made my hands stop.
It was an email printed from Elena's old account.
The subject line read:
*Please stop contacting the hospital.*
The sender was Vanessa.
The recipient was Patricia Mills.
The message was short.
You have already done enough. If you continue discussing Elena's medication with Marcus, I will make sure your professional reputation is destroyed.
Daniel leaned over my shoulder.
"That looks like a threat.""
"It is.""
I photographed the page.
Then I noticed a handwritten address at the bottom of the folder.
Patricia's home address.
"Let's find her.""
Daniel nodded.
But before we could leave, my phone rang.
The caller ID displayed Maya's school.
I answered immediately.
"Hello?""
"Mr. Reed, this is Principal Harris. I'm sorry to bother you so early.""
"Is Maya okay?""
"She's fine. But someone came to the school asking to see her.""
My entire body stiffened.
"Who?""
"Your wife, Mrs. Reed.""
I stood.
"What did she want?""
"She said she was there to collect Maya's belongings and discuss transferring her to another school.""
I glanced at Daniel.
"Did you let her see Maya?""
"No. We followed the instructions you gave us yesterday. However, Mr. Reed, she presented a document claiming you had authorized her to make educational decisions.""
My stomach tightened.
"What document?""
"A notarized guardianship authorization.""
I stared at the phone.
I had never signed one.
Then Principal Harris said something that made my blood run cold.
"She also told us that you were experiencing a mental health crisis and that she was concerned you might be making irrational decisions.""
I looked at Daniel.
Vanessa wasn't simply trying to get Maya back.
May you like
She was building a story.
And she was already telling it to people who could influence what happened next.
