Chapter 12 - The Nurse Outside the House
Hannah did not go home.
Walter moved her and Ethan to a small apartment owned by one of Nicholas's legitimate companies. No staff. No sign on the door. Two guards downstairs.
"This feels illegal," Ethan said.
"It's temporary."
"That didn't answer me."
"Go do your math."
He grinned and obeyed.
Hannah spent the next twenty-four hours turning suspicion into evidence.
She sent the sealed tablets to an independent laboratory through Dr. Shah. She transferred copies of Rebecca's files to an attorney. She gave the threatening photo of Ethan to Detective Elena Ruiz, a major-crimes investigator who had quietly reopened questions around Rebecca's death after Walter contacted her.
Ruiz did not care about Nicholas's reputation.
"If he committed crimes, those are his problems," she said. "If someone is poisoning him, that's mine."
Hannah respected that.
The lab called late in the afternoon.
The tablets from Nicholas's prescription bottle did not match the labeled medication. They contained a sedating compound capable of worsening weakness, confusion, and blood pressure instability.
Not enough to explain his spinal injury.
Enough to keep recovery hidden and make him look incompetent.
"Can you put that in writing?" Hannah asked.
"Already doing it."
At the estate, Nicholas played the role Claire wanted.
He missed breakfast.
He allowed his speech to slow when she entered.
He pretended not to remember conversations.
Claire became kinder with every fake symptom.
That was how Nicholas knew the trap was working.
That evening she sat beside him and touched his cheek.
"I'm moving the wedding up," she said.
He let his eyes drift unfocused.
"Wedding?"
"Tomorrow. Just family. A civil ceremony."
"Why?"
"Because I love you."
Nicholas nearly laughed.
Instead he whispered, "Okay."
Claire kissed his forehead.
After she left, he opened his hand.
A tiny recorder rested in his palm.
He sent the audio to Hannah.
Her reply came seconds later.
DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING.
Nicholas typed back.
THAT WAS MY PLAN, NURSE.
Then another message appeared from an unknown number.
A photograph of Ethan's cardiology file.
Below it:
HE HAS SURGERY NEXT MONTH, DOESN'T HE?
Hannah's stomach dropped.
A second message followed.
LEAVE CHICAGO TONIGHT OR HE NEVER MAKES IT TO THE OPERATING ROOM.
Before she could call Ruiz, Nicholas sent one more message from inside the mansion.
Claire has my father's pen.
May you like
And beneath it:
She just brought me the papers.
