Chapter 10: The Woman in the Hospital Photograph
For several seconds, nobody moved.
I stared at the photograph in Arthur's hands.
The woman lying in the hospital bed looked exactly like my sister.
Same dark hair. Same small scar above her left eyebrow. Same silver necklace our mother had given her when she graduated from college.
But the name printed beneath the photograph was Margaret Bennett.
I stepped closer.
"That's my sister.""
Thomas Bennett closed his briefcase.
"Yes. I know.""
Arthur looked between us.
"Thomas, explain yourself.""
My voice came out sharper than I intended.
"Why is Emily's photograph attached to your wife's medical records?""
Thomas glanced at Michael.
"Perhaps this conversation would be better held privately.""
Michael moved toward the door.
"Nobody is leaving with those documents.""
Thomas gave him an irritated look.
"Do you know who you're speaking to?""
"Someone who needs to keep his hands away from evidence.""
Arthur raised the photograph.
"Thomas, I buried my wife three years ago. Don't play games with me.""
Thomas exhaled.
"Margaret wasn't your wife when that photograph was taken.""
Arthur froze.
"What?""
"She was using another identity.""
I looked at the medical record.
The patient identification number was clearly visible.
"That's impossible. My sister was twenty-three years old at the time. She was living with our parents.""
Thomas shrugged.
"Ask her.""
I pulled out my phone.
I called Emily.
She answered immediately.
"Daniel? Is everything okay?""
"Emily, I need you to answer something honestly.""
"What happened?""
"Do you remember being hospitalized eleven years ago?""
There was silence.
Then she said, "Why are you asking?""
"Was it for a car accident?""
Another pause.
"Yes.""
I looked at the photograph.
"Do you remember a woman named Margaret Bennett?""
Emily's breathing changed.
"Where did you get that name?""
My stomach tightened.
"Emily, tell me.""
She spoke quietly.
"I was in the hospital for four days. There was an older woman in the room next to mine. She visited me once.""
"Did she tell you her name?""
"She said her name was Margaret.""
I looked at Arthur.
He was watching me.
"What did she talk to you about?""
Emily hesitated.
"She asked about Dad. She knew his company. She said he had helped her with something important.""
I closed my eyes.
"Did she give you anything?""
Emily didn't answer immediately.
Then she said, "A photograph.""
"What photograph?""
"Of you and me when we were children. She told me to keep it safe.""
I looked at Thomas.
He was watching my face.
"Emily, do you still have it?""
"Yes. It's in my jewelry box.""
"Don't touch anything else in that room. I'm coming home.""
I ended the call.
Arthur turned toward Thomas.
"What exactly are you suggesting?""
Thomas opened his briefcase again.
"Margaret discovered that Edward was using the foundation to move money. She needed someone outside the Bennett family to help her.""
"My father," I said.
Thomas nodded.
"Your father.""
"Why was my sister involved?""
"Because Margaret believed someone was watching your father. She wanted a separate point of contact.""
Arthur's face hardened.
"And you knew about this?""
"Not at first.""
Thomas looked at the photograph.
"By the time I found out, Margaret had already arranged a meeting with Emily.""
I felt anger rising.
"Then why did you keep quiet?""
"Because the situation was complicated.""
"That's a convenient word for threatening my family.""
Thomas ignored me.
Arthur stepped forward.
"Where is my wife's original identity record?""
Thomas hesitated.
"Destroyed.""
Michael immediately raised his phone.
"Who destroyed it?""
Thomas looked at him.
"That information is confidential.""
Michael shook his head.
"Not anymore.""
Arthur reached for the folder.
Thomas pulled it away.
"There's one more thing you should know, Father.""
He removed a second photograph.
This one showed Margaret standing outside a hospital entrance.
Beside her was a younger version of Arthur.
Arthur stared at it.
"I don't remember this.""
Thomas pointed toward the date.
"Three days before Margaret supposedly died.""
Arthur looked up.
"What are you saying?""
Thomas's expression became unreadable.
"That the woman you buried wasn't Margaret Bennett.""
Arthur's hand began to shake.
"That's a lie.""
"Then explain why the medical records identify the patient as someone else.""
Arthur staggered backward.
Michael caught his arm.
I looked at Thomas.
"Who did you bury?""
Thomas closed the folder.
"That's the question you should be asking.""
He walked toward the entrance.
Michael blocked him.
"You aren't going anywhere until we establish what happened here.""
Thomas looked at Arthur.
"Be careful, Father. If you keep digging, you may discover that Margaret didn't disappear to protect herself.""
He paused.
"She disappeared to protect you.""
Then he pushed past Michael and walked out.
Arthur remained standing in the warehouse.
He looked down at the photograph.
For the first time, the man who owned Bellmont Restaurant and the Bennett Hospitality Group looked like someone who had lost everything.
I checked my phone.
Emily had sent a photograph.
It showed the old picture Margaret had given her eleven years earlier.
On the back, written in blue ink, were seven words.
When the water stops, find the girl.
I read it twice.
Then I looked at the medical photograph again.
May you like
And I realized the girl might not have been Emily.
It might have been someone Margaret had been trying to hide.
