Chapter 12: My Mother's Last Words
Daniel sat with his hands clasped together.
For several seconds, he couldn't look at me.
Then he finally spoke.
"I went to the hospital because Margaret had asked me to come.""
I stared at him.
"Why didn't you tell us before?""
"Because I was afraid the truth would put you in danger.""
Officer Miller pulled his chair closer.
"Start from the moment you arrived.""
Daniel nodded.
"At around eleven that night, I entered through the side entrance. I had been told that Margaret was stable, but she wanted to speak with me privately.""
He looked at the floor.
"When I reached her room, she was awake.""
"What did she say?"" I asked.
"She asked me whether I had found the original account records.""
Daniel explained that he had spent several weeks tracking the money Curtis had moved from the inheritance.
He had discovered that the money wasn't simply missing.
It had been transferred into several accounts connected to a property company.
The company had one director.
Robert Hayes.
Officer Miller's jaw tightened.
"That explains the payments.""
Daniel nodded.
"Margaret knew Robert was involved. She wanted to expose him.""
"Then what happened?"" Ray asked.
Daniel closed his eyes.
"She told me that Curtis had visited earlier. They argued. She said he wanted her to sign a document transferring control of the inheritance.""
I looked at him.
"Did she sign?""
"No.""
"Did Curtis hurt her?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Not while I was there.""
"That's not what I asked.""
Daniel looked at me.
"I don't know what happened before I arrived.""
I turned away.
Daniel continued.
"Margaret gave me a small envelope. She told me to take it to Evelyn and make sure the children were protected.""
Evelyn nodded slowly.
"I never received that envelope.""
Daniel looked at her.
"Because someone took it from me before I could deliver it.""
Officer Miller leaned forward.
"Who?""
Daniel's eyes moved toward the hallway.
"Robert Hayes.""
The room went silent.
"He was waiting near the hospital entrance," Daniel continued.
"He took the envelope and told me that if I ever contacted Margaret again, he would make sure I went to prison.""
Officer Miller wrote everything down.
"What happened to Margaret?""
Daniel swallowed.
"I went back to her room.""
"And?""
"She was having trouble breathing.""
Lily started crying.
I wrapped my arm around her.
Daniel continued.
"I called for help. A nurse came in. Then another person arrived.""
"Who?""
"Dr. Foster.""
Evelyn looked confused.
"But Dr. Foster wasn't on duty that night.""
Daniel nodded.
"That's what he told Margaret.""
Officer Miller immediately wrote down the name.
Daniel rubbed his face.
"I remember Margaret reaching for my hand. She told me to take care of you both.""
My throat tightened.
"What were her last words?""
Daniel looked at me.
"She said, 'Don't let them make my children disappear.''"
I couldn't breathe.
He continued.
"Then she looked toward the door. Someone was standing there.""
"Who?""
Daniel shook his head.
"I didn't see his face.""
"Then how do you know it was someone?""
"Because Margaret's expression changed. She stopped talking. She looked terrified.""
Daniel paused.
"And then she whispered one name.""
Officer Miller leaned closer.
"What name?""
Daniel closed his eyes.
"Sarah.""
Sarah stood abruptly.
"No.""
Daniel looked at her.
"She said your name.""
Sarah shook her head.
"You're lying.""
"I heard it.""
"Why would she say my name?""
"I don't know.""
Sarah backed away from the table.
"I wasn't there when she died.""
Officer Miller raised his hand.
"Sarah, sit down.""
But she remained standing.
"I left the hospital before midnight!""
Daniel looked at her.
"Then why did I see you in the corridor?""
Sarah's face lost its color.
Ray stood.
"Sarah, what are you hiding?""
She looked at me.
Then she began crying.
"I didn't hurt her.""
Nobody spoke.
"I swear I didn't hurt Margaret.""
Officer Miller asked her to sit down again.
This time, she obeyed.
"I went to the hospital because Curtis told me Margaret had agreed to sign the documents. He said he needed me to witness the agreement.""
"Was that true?"" Officer Miller asked.
"No.""
"What happened?""
Sarah wiped her cheeks.
"When I entered the room, Margaret was arguing with Curtis. She told him she would rather lose everything than let him take the children's inheritance.""
I stared at her.
"Then what?""
"Curtis grabbed her wrist. I told him to stop. He turned toward me and said I had already chosen my side.""
Sarah began shaking.
"He told me if I wanted to protect myself, I needed to leave.""
"Did you?""
She nodded.
"I was afraid.""
I looked at her.
"And Mom?""
Sarah covered her face.
"I heard her calling my name as I walked out.""
The words cut through me.
"Why didn't you go back?""
Sarah started sobbing.
"Because Curtis told me he would destroy me.""
I looked away.
For two years, I had wondered why nobody had come to rescue us.
Now I knew.
Somebody had heard my mother asking for help.
And had walked away.
Officer Miller stood.
"Sarah, you need to understand that withholding information about a possible homicide is extremely serious.""
Sarah nodded.
"I know.""
He turned toward Daniel.
"Is there anything else?""
Daniel hesitated.
Then he reached into his pocket and removed a small memory card.
"I kept this.""
Officer Miller stared at it.
"What is that?""
"A recording from the hospital security system.""
"How did you get it?""
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
"I copied it before Curtis could destroy the original.""
Officer Miller took the card carefully.
"Why didn't you tell us earlier?""
"Because I didn't know whether it was safe.""
He connected the card to a secure laptop.
A folder appeared.
Inside was a single video file.
The timestamp read 11:41 p.m.
Officer Miller pressed play.
The footage showed a hospital corridor.
A nurse walked past.
A cleaner pushed a cart.
Then Curtis appeared.
He entered my mother's room carrying a small paper bag.
Five minutes later, he left.
But he wasn't alone.
A woman followed him.
Sarah.
I turned toward her.
"You said you left before midnight.""
Sarah's face crumpled.
"I came back.""
"Why?""
She shook her head.
"I forgot something.""
The video continued.
Curtis and Sarah stood near the elevator.
Curtis handed her a folded piece of paper.
She looked at it.
Then she placed it inside her handbag.
Officer Miller paused the footage.
"What was he giving you?""
Sarah looked at the screen.
"I don't know.""
"You're on camera taking it.""
"I never opened it.""
Ray leaned forward.
"Then why keep it?""
Sarah whispered, "Because Curtis told me it was the only thing that could keep me out of prison.""
Officer Miller resumed the video.
The elevator doors opened.
Curtis entered.
Sarah stayed behind.
She looked toward my mother's room.
Then she walked back.
She entered.
The footage continued for another three minutes.
When she emerged, she was carrying something.
A small white medical envelope.
Officer Miller paused the recording.
He looked at Sarah.
"What did you take from Margaret's room?""
Sarah was crying too hard to answer.
Then Lily spoke.
"That was Mommy's letter.""
Everyone turned toward her.
She was staring at the screen.
"What letter, sweetheart?"" I asked.
Lily pointed at the envelope.
"The white one. Mommy gave it to Aunt Sarah before she went to the hospital.""
Sarah looked at Lily in disbelief.
Lily continued.
"Mommy told me it had a picture of Daddy inside.""
I looked at Daniel.
He went completely still.
Officer Miller slowly turned toward Sarah.
"Where is that envelope now?""
Sarah stared at the floor.
"I gave it to Curtis.""
Ray stepped forward.
"Why?""
Sarah whispered, "Because he told me the picture would destroy Daniel.""
Daniel stood abruptly.
"What picture?""
Sarah looked at him.
Then she said the words that changed everything.
"It wasn't a picture of you, Daniel.""
She looked at me.
"It was a photograph of Noah's real father.""
I froze.
Daniel stared at her.
"That's impossible. I'm Noah's father.""
Sarah shook her head.
"No.""
She reached into her handbag and removed a folded photograph.
She placed it on the table.
A man stood beside my mother, holding a newborn baby.
I looked at his face.
I had never seen him before.
But Sarah recognized him immediately.
And so did Evelyn.
Evelyn whispered his name.
"Michael Carter.""
Officer Miller stared at the photograph.
Then he looked at Daniel.
Daniel slowly sat down.
My mother had hidden the identity of my biological father for eleven years.
And the man Curtis had been protecting all along wasn't Daniel.
It was someone connected to the entire inheritance.
Someone who had been standing in the background of our family photographs for years.
Sarah looked at me.
"Your mother didn't want Curtis to find out who your real father was.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Where is he?""
Sarah's voice broke.
"He's the man who owns the property company Curtis has been stealing from.""
Then Officer Miller's phone rang.
He listened for several seconds.
His expression changed completely.
When he ended the call, he looked at me.
"Michael Carter has just been found.""
I swallowed.
"Where?""
Officer Miller hesitated.
"At the truck stop.""
Ray immediately stood.
"Why would he go back there?""
Officer Miller looked toward the photograph.
"Because he wasn't there to find Curtis.""
May you like
He paused.
"He was there to find you.""
