Chapter 16 - April Ninth
The hospital still had Dad’s records.
The blood sample itself was long gone, but the toxicology panel remained in the chart.
A medication level had been abnormally high.
Not lethal.
But high enough to cause sedation, confusion, low blood pressure, and memory problems.
His doctor had flagged it.
Mother told us Dad had accidentally doubled his dose.
Dad later denied it.
We believed Mother.
That realization sat in my chest like a stone.
Detective Brooks called the district attorney. What had begun as kidnapping and financial fraud widened into possible medical abuse and obstruction.
Still, there was not enough to say Mother had intended to kill Dad.
I was almost relieved.
Almost.
Cape Mercer police surrounded the cottage before dawn.
Mother wasn’t there.
The house looked recently used: coffee in the pot, one open suitcase, burner phone packaging in the trash.
On the dining table sat a legal pad.
My name appeared at the top.
Daniel is emotional.
Daniel will protect Amelia before the company.
Daniel will choose the boy.
Use that.
I read the lines twice.
Then a third time.
Brooks took the pad from me.
“This isn’t a confession.”
“I know.”
“It is useful.”
“I know.”
In the bedroom, officers found a laptop that had been wiped badly. Digital forensics recovered fragments of deleted email.
One subject line stood out.
FLOOR ACCESS / THURSDAY.
Another read:
IF SHE WON’T SIGN, MOVE HER BEFORE DANIEL RETURNS.
My stomach turned.
I had returned early from a business trip the day Mei found the cloth.
If my flight hadn’t changed, Amelia might have been moved again before I ever saw that crack.
Then one recovered email appeared to be newer than the others.
Sent after Mother disappeared.
To an unknown address.
May you like
Only seven words were readable.
He still doesn’t know about the will.
