Chapter 10 - The Dead Man's Face
Then Detective Brooks turned the photograph over. Across the back, in a corner cut off by the photocopier, someone had written: FILE TEMPLATE - R. VALE, 2022.
They had reused an old identity file to create clinic records. Someone wanted my father's name in the system. Whether to hide a trail or frame him, we didn't yet know.
"He's been dead eight months," I told Brooks. "Why put his face on her intake?"
"Because a dead man can't defend himself. Neither can a woman they drugged."
Nora gave a full statement from the hospital, with an attorney present. She described how Aaron, a warehouse supervisor, noticed relief shipments returning unopened while the foundation paid for deliveries. Some equipment had counterfeit safety certificates. Aaron took the matter to Blake, not knowing Blake was behind the invoices.
Two days later, Aaron's truck was run off a highway. Police had called it an accident because the other vehicle vanished and the available footage had been corrupted.
"I tried emailing you," Nora said. "Then writing. Then I went to your office. Every time, Cole got there first."
"I should have noticed."
"You should have hired people who answered your mail," she replied, not unkindly. "But the people who hurt Aaron made those choices. Don't steal their blame."
Ellie entered the hospital room holding Mr. Blue by one ear. Nora sat up before the nurses could stop her.
"Mommy!"
The little girl climbed into her arms. Nora buried her face in Ellie's hair. Everybody in the room turned away, pretending not to cry.
"I did it," Ellie whispered. "I found Daniel. I told him."
"I know, baby. You were so brave."
"I was scared."
"Brave means scared and doing the right thing anyway."
I gave them privacy. In the hallway, Aunt Evelyn was waiting with a briefcase. Her face was gray.
"I reviewed the board records," she said. "Cole has scheduled an emergency vote for tomorrow morning. They're trying to remove you as trustee."
"On what grounds?"
May you like
She passed me a motion bearing my own digital signature. It alleged I had stolen charity money and intimidated a pregnant woman.
Underneath was a press release announcing my immediate resignation.
