Chapter 12: What Happened on Arthur's Last Night
Mabel didn't sleep that night.
She sat in the living room with Arthur's photograph on her lap.
The house was quiet except for the ticking clock above the fireplace.
Dean had offered to stay.
Frank had arranged for two club members to keep watch outside.
Michael and Emily were sleeping in the guest room.
But Mabel couldn't close her eyes.
Every time she tried, she remembered Arthur's final days.
His thin hands.
His tired smile.
The smell of disinfectant in the hospital room.
And Laura standing beside his bed, telling Mabel to go home and get some rest.
"He's comfortable, Mom," Laura had said.
"I'll stay.""
"You need sleep. I'll take care of everything.""
Mabel had trusted her.
She had kissed Arthur's forehead and left.
It was the last time she saw him alive.
At six in the morning, Dean found her sitting in the same chair.
"Didn't sleep?""
Mabel shook her head.
"Dean, do you think Laura killed her father?""
Dean sat opposite her.
"I don't know.""
"Could she have given him something?""
"I don't know that either.""
Mabel looked down at Arthur's photograph.
"He was afraid of her.""
Dean didn't interrupt.
"He told me once that Laura had become a stranger. I thought he was upset because they argued about money.""
Mabel rubbed the edge of the photograph.
"He asked me not to let her make decisions for me.""
Dean leaned forward.
"Did he explain why?""
"No. He said he wanted to tell me something after he came home from the hospital.""
Her voice broke.
"But he never came home.""
Dean sat quietly beside her.
"Then we'll find out what happened.""
At nine, Martin arrived with a woman named Sarah Bennett.
She was a former hospital nurse who had worked the night shift when Arthur died.
Sarah was in her early fifties, with short brown hair and a nervous expression.
She held a folder against her chest.
Martin introduced them.
"Mrs. Whitmore, this is Sarah. She was one of the nurses on duty that night.""
Mabel stood.
"You remember my husband?""
Sarah nodded.
"Yes. I'm very sorry for your loss.""
Mabel looked at her.
"Do you remember what happened?""
Sarah hesitated.
"That's why I'm here.""
Everyone sat down.
Sarah opened the folder.
"I wasn't supposed to discuss patient information outside the hospital. But I kept copies of the incident report because I believed something unusual had happened.""
Martin leaned forward.
"What unusual thing?""
Sarah looked at Mabel.
"Your husband was stable when I began my shift.""
Mabel frowned.
"Stable?""
"His condition was serious, but he was awake and speaking. His medication schedule was documented. Nothing suggested he would suddenly deteriorate within minutes.""
Dean asked, "What happened?""
Sarah turned a page.
"Laura arrived around eight-thirty that evening.""
Mabel closed her eyes.
"She told me she was going to stay with him.""
Sarah nodded.
"She asked me to leave them alone. I explained that I needed to administer his scheduled medication. She said she would help.""
Martin's pen moved across his notebook.
"Did Laura administer medication?""
Sarah shook her head.
"Not according to hospital procedure. I administered the prescribed dose myself.""
"What happened afterward?""
"Laura asked me to leave a second medication vial on the bedside table.""
Sarah looked uncomfortable.
"I refused.""
Mabel gripped the armrest.
"Why?""
"Because the medication wasn't part of his scheduled treatment.""
Martin leaned forward.
"Did you document the request?""
"Yes.""
Sarah opened the folder.
She showed them a copy of a handwritten nursing note.
*Visitor requested additional sedative. Request declined. Visitor appeared upset.*
Mabel stared at the page.
"Laura wanted to give him more medicine?""
Sarah nodded.
"She said he was restless and needed to sleep.""
Dean's jaw tightened.
"Did she give him anything?""
Sarah took a breath.
"I don't know.""
Martin looked up.
"What do you mean?""
"I stepped out to retrieve supplies. When I returned, Laura was standing beside the bed.""
"And Arthur?""
"He was asleep.""
"Did you check him?""
"Yes. His breathing was normal.""
Sarah turned another page.
"About twenty minutes later, I heard the monitor alarm.""
Mabel's face went pale.
"What happened?""
Sarah's voice shook.
"Your husband had become unresponsive.""
Mabel pressed a hand against her mouth.
"Did you save him?""
"We tried. The doctors came immediately. But he never regained consciousness.""
The room fell silent.
Martin asked, "Was an investigation conducted?""
Sarah nodded.
"Initially. But Laura told the hospital that Arthur had received medication according to his wishes.""
"Did she provide documentation?""
"She produced a signed authorization.""
Martin sat forward.
"May I see it?""
Sarah handed him the paper.
Martin studied the signature.
His expression changed.
"That's not Arthur's signature.""
Mabel looked at him.
"Are you sure?""
Martin placed it beside the signature on the final will.
"The handwriting is different.""
Sarah nodded.
"I questioned it at the time. But my supervisor told me the family had provided the necessary paperwork.""
Dean looked at her.
"Why didn't you report it?""
Sarah lowered her eyes.
"I did. But the report was closed after the hospital reviewed the medical chart.""
Martin frowned.
"Who closed it?""
Sarah looked at the document.
"Dr. Richard Bell.""
Martin immediately wrote down the name.
"Was he Arthur's attending physician?""
"Yes.""
Mabel looked stunned.
"Richard Bell?""
Sarah nodded.
Mabel whispered, "Laura used to know him.""
Dean turned.
"How?""
Mabel looked at the photograph of Arthur.
"They went to college together. Laura introduced us to him years ago.""
Martin's expression hardened.
"That's important.""
Sarah removed another document from her folder.
"There's something else.""
She showed them a medication administration record.
Several entries had been altered after Arthur's death.
The original dosage had been crossed out.
A different amount had been written beside it.
Martin studied the page.
"Who made these changes?""
Sarah pointed to the initials.
"Dr. Bell.""
Dean stood.
"You're telling us the doctor changed the records after Arthur died?""
Sarah nodded.
"That's what the copies show.""
Martin closed the folder.
"We need to obtain the original medical records through the proper legal process.""
Mabel looked at Sarah.
"Did my husband suffer?""
Sarah's eyes filled.
"I don't know, Mrs. Whitmore. I wish I could give you a different answer.""
Mabel looked down.
Then she asked the question that had been haunting her since the previous night.
"Could Laura have caused his death?""
Sarah hesitated.
"I cannot make that determination. But the circumstances deserve a proper investigation.""
Martin nodded.
"Agreed.""
He stood and began collecting the documents.
"Sarah, I want you to provide a formal statement.""
She nodded.
"I will.""
Then she looked at Mabel.
"There's one more thing I should tell you.""
Mabel raised her eyes.
"Yes?""
Sarah opened a separate envelope.
Inside was a photocopy of a visitor log.
Laura's name appeared beside the time of her visit.
But beneath it was another name.
*Patricia Collins.*
Mabel frowned.
"Patricia was there that night, too?""
Sarah nodded.
"She arrived shortly before Laura.""
Martin examined the log.
"Did she enter Arthur's room?""
"Yes. For approximately twelve minutes.""
Dean looked at the clock.
"What time?""
Sarah pointed to the entry.
"Eight-twenty.""
Mabel whispered, "And Laura arrived ten minutes later.""
Sarah nodded.
"That's correct.""
Martin looked at the two entries.
"Did anyone else visit Arthur that evening?""
Sarah shook her head.
"Only those two.""
That afternoon, Martin submitted a formal request for the hospital's original records and notified the authorities about the suspicious medication entries.
He also arranged for a physician independent of Laura's influence to review Mabel's health records.
Before leaving, he gave Mabel a copy of the visitor log.
"Keep this somewhere safe.""
Mabel folded it carefully.
"Thank you.""
Martin paused at the door.
"Mrs. Whitmore, there's something I want you to understand. We have evidence of financial misconduct, suspected forgery, and possible interference with medical records. But we must let investigators determine what happened to Arthur.""
Mabel nodded.
"I understand.""
After Martin left, Michael took Emily into the backyard.
Dean stood beside Mabel near the kitchen window.
"How are you holding up?""
She watched Emily laughing as Michael pushed her gently on the old garden swing.
"I don't know.""
Dean nodded.
"That's fair.""
Mabel looked down at the visitor log.
"Patricia was there before Laura.""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
Dean didn't answer.
Mabel turned the paper over.
Something was written on the back in faint pencil.
She held it closer to the light.
It was a note from the nurse.
*Visitor requested that all family communications be directed through Laura.*
Beneath that, another sentence had been added.
*Patient repeatedly asked to speak with his wife before final medication.*
Mabel felt her knees weaken.
"Arthur wanted to speak to me?""
Dean took the paper.
He read it carefully.
Then he looked at Mabel.
"Apparently.""
She pressed her fingers against her lips.
"Why didn't anyone call me?""
Dean had no answer.
Mabel looked toward the photograph on the kitchen wall.
Her husband had been asking for her.
And she hadn't known.
Then her phone rang.
An unfamiliar number.
She answered.
"Hello?""
A woman's voice came through.
"Mrs. Whitmore? My name is Linda Foster. I was the hospital's night supervisor when your husband passed away.""
Mabel sat down.
"Yes?""
Linda spoke quickly.
"I heard that you're asking questions about Arthur's final night.""
"Yes.""
There was a pause.
Then Linda whispered:
"Please stop looking into this.""
Mabel gripped the phone.
"Why?""
"Because I know what happened.""
Dean moved closer.
Mabel's voice trembled.
"What happened to my husband?""
Linda took a shaky breath.
Then she said:
"Laura wasn't the last person to enter Arthur's room that night.""
Mabel froze.
"Who was?""
Linda lowered her voice.
"Dr. Bell.""
A pause.
"And before Arthur died, he gave him something that was never recorded in the medical chart.""
Dean's face tightened.
"What did he give him?"" he asked.
Linda answered:
"A document.""
Mabel stared at the phone.
"What document?""
Linda whispered:
"Your husband signed a statement accusing Laura of stealing from him. And he named the person who helped her.""
The call suddenly disconnected.
Dean immediately tried calling the number back.
It was no longer in service.
Mabel looked at him.
"Who did Arthur name?""
Dean stared at the dead phone.
Then he looked toward the front window.
A dark sedan had just stopped across the street.
Someone inside was watching the house.
May you like
And on the passenger seat was a hospital identification badge.
*DR. RICHARD BELL.*
