Chapter 14: The Recording That Changed Everything
"Put my daughter down.""
My voice sounded stronger than I felt.
Edward stood halfway down the staircase, one hand resting on Lily's shoulder.
She was crying silently.
My mother sat on a chair near the wall, her wrists tied with a plastic restraint.
Daniel moved closer.
Edward immediately raised his voice.
"Don't move.""
Daniel stopped.
"She's a child.""
"And you're a man who should have learned when to stay away.""
I held up the memory card.
"You wanted this. Take it.""
Edward smiled.
"Not so quickly.""
My father stepped forward.
"You have no reason to involve Lily.""
Edward looked at him.
"Actually, Richard, she's the reason this entire situation exists.""
He descended another step.
"Your granddaughter inherited a fortune. Her mother was too poor to protect it. Her aunt was too greedy to wait for it.
Her grandmother was desperate to control it. And you...""
He pointed at my father.
"You couldn't accept that your family was falling apart.""
My father remained calm.
"You're the one who forged the documents.""
Edward laughed.
"I merely prepared what I was asked to prepare.""
"By whom?""
Edward looked toward my mother.
Patricia lowered her eyes.
I felt sick.
"Mom?""
She didn't look at me.
"Who asked him?""
Edward smiled.
"That's what I was hoping you'd ask.""
He turned toward the staircase.
"Your mother wasn't the mastermind, Claire. Neither was Vanessa. Neither was Robert Ellison.""
He paused.
"The person who arranged Rachel's death was someone who never appeared in any of the financial records.""
Graham entered through the front door.
He had followed us despite my father's instructions.
"Edward!""
Edward looked surprised.
"Mr. Ellison. I wondered when you'd arrive.""
Graham raised both hands.
"Let Lily go.""
"Give me the memory card.""
Graham looked at me.
I shook my head slightly.
Edward noticed.
"Don't worry. I've already seen the recording.""
He smiled.
"I know exactly what Rachel said.""
My father looked at him.
"Then you know the truth is coming out.""
Edward laughed.
"Do you really think anyone will believe a recording from a hospital room when the hospital records show Rachel was receiving medication that affected her judgment?""
Graham stepped forward.
"She was my sister.""
"Yes. And she was difficult.""
Graham's face hardened.
"She was a better person than any of us.""
For the first time, Edward seemed irritated.
"Your family was rotten long before I became involved.""
My mother suddenly spoke.
"Edward, stop.""
He turned.
"You've had enough opportunities, Patricia.""
"Claire doesn't know everything.""
I looked at her.
"What else is there?""
Patricia began crying.
"Edward didn't just alter the insurance policy. He arranged the hospital records. He paid the nurse who changed Rachel's medication.""
Graham froze.
"What nurse?""
Patricia looked toward him.
"Her name was Elaine Mercer.""
Edward's smile disappeared.
My father immediately recognized the name.
"Elaine?""
Patricia nodded.
"She was working the night Rachel died.""
Graham looked horrified.
"She told me Rachel had taken a sudden turn.""
Patricia closed her eyes.
"She was paid to say that.""
Edward moved toward my mother.
"Shut up.""
Patricia flinched.
I stepped forward.
"Why did you do it?""
My mother looked at me.
For the first time that night, I saw genuine shame in her eyes.
"Because I thought I could fix everything.""
"By helping someone kill Rachel?""
"I didn't know they would go that far!""
"Then what did you know?""
She began sobbing.
"Rachel found the original insurance documents. She discovered that Edward had forged your signature on Lily's policy. She threatened to tell Graham.""
Edward shook his head.
"Patricia, you're making a terrible mistake.""
But my mother continued.
"I told Edward to scare her. I wanted him to make her stop asking questions. I never asked him to kill her.""
Graham stepped forward.
"You knew someone had interfered with my sister's treatment?""
Patricia looked at him.
"Yes.""
He staggered backward.
"My God.""
I stared at my mother.
"You knew Rachel was in danger.""
She nodded.
"And you did nothing?""
"I was afraid.""
I felt tears running down my cheeks.
"You were afraid, so you let another family lose their daughter?""
My mother had no answer.
Edward suddenly pulled Lily closer.
"Enough.""
He looked at me.
"Give me the card.""
I slowly held it out.
He reached down.
And then Lily did something none of us expected.
She bit his hand.
Edward shouted.
His grip loosened.
Lily slipped away and ran down the staircase.
Daniel caught her.
"Got you!""
He pulled her behind him.
My father rushed toward Edward.
Graham grabbed his arm.
The memory card fell to the floor.
Edward lunged for it.
But the front door burst open.
Police officers flooded the room.
"POLICE! HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM!""
Edward froze.
One officer secured him.
Another rushed toward Lily.
Daniel held her tightly while a female officer checked her for injuries.
I ran to my daughter.
"Baby!""
She buried her face against my chest.
"I'm sorry, Mom.""
I kissed her hair.
"You have nothing to apologize for.""
Edward was handcuffed.
As officers searched his pockets, one of them found a small recording device.
Martin, who had arrived with the police, examined it.
"What's this?""
Edward said nothing.
Martin connected the device to a laptop.
A recorded conversation began playing.
Edward's voice.
And another voice.
A woman's voice.
I recognized it immediately.
Patricia.
But this recording was different.
It was dated two days before Rachel died.
My mother was speaking to Edward.
"Make sure Rachel never talks to Graham.""
Edward answered.
"What if she does?""
Patricia's reply was chilling.
"Then make sure she can't.""
I looked at my mother.
She began shaking her head.
"No. That's not what I meant.""
Edward suddenly laughed.
"Tell them the rest, Patricia.""
My mother stared at him.
He continued.
"Tell them who gave the final order.""
Patricia looked toward the floor.
I felt my heart pounding.
"Who?""
Edward smiled.
"Ask your father.""
I turned.
My father stood motionless.
"Richard?""
He looked at me.
Then he said something that made the entire room go silent.
"He's right.""
I stepped backward.
"What?""
My father closed his eyes.
"I knew Rachel was in danger.""
My stomach dropped.
"How?""
He looked at Graham.
"Because Rachel called me the night before she died.""
Graham stared.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
My father lowered his head.
"Because she asked me to keep something secret.""
"What?""
He looked directly at me.
"She told me she had discovered that the person who ordered the entire scheme wasn't Robert, Patricia, or Edward.""
He paused.
"It was someone who had been pretending to help us from the beginning.""
Then he reached into his pocket and removed a small photograph.
It showed Martin Cole.
Standing beside Rachel.
May you like
In the hospital.
On the night she died.
