Chapter 7: The Doctor Who Signed a Dead Man's Name
Daniel couldn't stop staring at the photograph.
The edges were yellowed, and a small tear ran through the corner. Four people stood outside the Pine Ridge Motor Lodge.
Ray.
Thomas Mitchell.
Rebecca Parker.
And Dr. Samuel Reeves.
Daniel knew the doctor better than almost anyone.
Samuel had attended his wedding. He had held Ethan when the boy was born. He had once spent an entire night in the hospital with Daniel after a motorcycle accident.
And he had supposedly certified Daniel's death.
“That's impossible,” Daniel whispered.
Hank studied his face.
“You know him?””
Daniel nodded.
“Twenty years. He was my father's physician before he became the county medical examiner.””
Linda grabbed the photograph.
“Samuel Reeves?””
Daniel nodded again.
“Why would he be involved in this?””
Linda's fingers trembled.
“Because he was the one who told me Daniel had died.””
Daniel looked at her.
“What?””
Linda swallowed.
“Eleven months ago, Ray came home with a letter. He said Samuel had contacted him personally. He told me there had been an accident and that you were dead.””
Daniel stepped backward.
“I was working in Ohio that week.””
“I know.””
“I spoke to you on the phone three days before that.””
“I know, Daniel.””
“Then why did you believe him?””
Linda's eyes filled.
“Because Samuel called me. He told me he had seen your body.””
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“Did he give you a death certificate?””
Linda nodded.
“He sent a copy.””
Hank looked at the photograph again.
“So the doctor who certified Daniel's death was standing outside this motel with the man who wanted the insurance money.””
Marcus shook his head.
“That's not a coincidence.””
Officer Bennett took the photograph.
“I'm sending this to our investigators. Nobody touches anything else.””
Daniel looked toward the motel office.
“What about Rebecca?””
Linda wiped her cheeks.
“She was supposed to visit me last year. She never arrived. I called her hundreds of times.””
“Did she know about the insurance policy?””
“I don't know.””
Daniel studied the photograph.
“Maybe she discovered something.””
Harold, the motel manager, cleared his throat.
“There's another thing.””
Everyone turned.
He looked embarrassed.
“I didn't tell you everything about that night.””
Officer Bennett folded her arms.
“Go ahead.””
Harold rubbed his hands together.
“After Rebecca left, Ray came back. It was nearly midnight. He asked whether anyone had seen her.””
“And?””
“I told him no.””
“Did he believe you?””
Harold shook his head.
“He came into the office and demanded the security footage. When I refused, he threatened to have me fired.””
Hank frowned.
“Why would he care about footage if he believed he'd done nothing wrong?””
Harold reached into a drawer.
“Because I found this the next morning.””
He placed a small envelope on the desk.
It contained a motel room key.
Room 118.
And a folded piece of paper.
Officer Bennett opened it.
The handwriting was hurried.
If anything happens to me, find the original medical report. Samuel changed the date.
There was no signature.
Daniel stared at it.
“Who wrote this?””
Harold shook his head.
“I don't know. I found it underneath the office door.””
Linda whispered, “Rebecca.””
Daniel looked at the doctor in the photograph.
“Samuel changed the date of what?””
Nobody answered.
Then Officer Bennett's radio crackled.
A dispatcher was requesting confirmation of a vehicle registration.
She stepped away to respond.
When she returned, her expression had changed.
“Mr. Parker, I need to ask you something.””
Daniel nodded.
“Anything.””
“Where were you eleven months ago, on November fourteenth?””
“Columbus, Ohio. I was working at a construction site.””
“Can you prove that?””
“I have payroll records, hotel receipts, and coworkers who saw me.””
Officer Bennett nodded.
“Good. Because our records show that a death certificate was issued under your name on November fifteenth.””
Daniel looked at Linda.
“But I was alive.””
“I understand.””
She paused.
“There's another problem. The medical examiner listed the cause of death as injuries sustained in a highway collision.””
Daniel stared.
“I wasn't in an accident.””
Officer Bennett lowered her voice.
“Then we need to find out whose body was examined.””
Suddenly, the office phone rang.
Harold picked it up.
“Pine Ridge Motor Lodge.””
He listened.
His face drained of color.
“Who?””
He looked toward Daniel.
Then slowly handed the phone to him.
“It's for you.””
Daniel took the receiver.
“Hello?””
A familiar male voice answered.
“Daniel. It's Samuel.””
Daniel's blood ran cold.
“Where are you?””
“Listen to me carefully. You need to stop asking questions.””
Daniel tightened his grip on the phone.
“You signed my death certificate.””
Silence.
Then Samuel spoke.
“I can explain.””
“Explain why you told my wife I was dead?””
“Daniel, please. You don't understand what Ray has done.””
“Then tell me.””
Another silence.
Finally, Samuel whispered:
“Thomas Mitchell wasn't the only person who disappeared that night.””
Daniel's eyes widened.
“What are you talking about?””
“Rebecca is alive.””
Linda grabbed Daniel's arm.
“Where is my sister?””
Samuel's voice trembled.
“She was at the motel because she had proof. Proof that Ray and Thomas had been using stolen identities for years.””
Daniel looked at Hank.
“Where is she now?””
Samuel hesitated.
Then he said something that made Daniel's stomach turn.
“She's in the same place where they kept Thomas.””
The call ended.
Daniel stared at the receiver.
Hank slowly stood.
“Where is that place?””
Before Daniel could answer, a text message appeared on his phone.
Unknown number.
One photograph.
It showed a woman sitting inside a dark room.
Her hands were tied.
Her face was bruised.
Linda recognized her immediately.
“Rebecca!””
A second message appeared.
Bring the original insurance documents. Come alone. You have one hour.
Daniel looked at Hank.
Hank shook his head.
“You're not going alone.””
And for the first time that night, Daniel realized that finding his son had only been the beginning.
May you like
Someone still had a hostage.
And they knew exactly where he was.
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