Chapter 7 - RACHEL’S SECRET
Finding Rachel took less than three hours.
Finding the courage to call her took longer.
Her number was listed under a physical therapy clinic in Pittsburgh.
When I introduced myself, silence filled the line.
Then Rachel whispered, “How did you get this number?”
“I found my old school records.”
Another silence.
“I saw your name.”
She hung up.
I called again.
No answer.
Then a text appeared.
DO NOT CONTACT ME FROM YOUR PHONE.
A second message followed with an address.
It was a public library forty minutes away.
Rachel was sitting near the back when I arrived.
She looked older than I remembered, but not because of age.
Because of fear.
She didn’t hug me.
She didn’t smile.
She simply said, “Did Nathan give you divorce papers today?”
My blood went cold.
“How did you know?”
“Because today was the date.”
“What date?”
“The date he told Victoria he’d be free.”
I sat across from her.
“Start at the beginning.”
Rachel looked toward the library entrance.
Then she spoke.
During second year, she had worked part-time in the financial aid office.
Nathan came to her asking about emergency tuition assistance.
Nothing unusual.
Then Victoria Harlan began appearing.
At first, Rachel assumed Victoria was simply evaluating scholarship candidates.
But Rachel eventually noticed that Nathan’s records kept changing.
Income adjusted.
Documents replaced.
Dates modified.
“And my signature?”
Rachel looked ashamed.
“I processed the form.”
“You forged it?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
“I don’t know. The document arrived through the foundation portal already signed.”
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“I tried.”
I stared at her.
“When?”
“The week after you withdrew.”
I remembered getting several unknown-number calls.
Nathan told me they were probably collection agencies.
I had changed my number soon afterward because he said telemarketers wouldn’t stop calling.
Rachel lowered her voice.
“Then Victoria came to see me.”
“What did she say?”
“That Nathan’s scholarship was part of a special donor arrangement and I needed to stop asking questions.”
“And you listened?”
“No.”
For the first time, Rachel looked angry.
“I filed a complaint.”
That complaint triggered the investigation Daniel told me about.
Then Rachel’s life began falling apart.
Her academic evaluation suddenly changed.
A clinical supervisor accused her of falsifying patient notes.
The allegation was later dismissed, but by then her residency prospects were damaged.
“I left before they could destroy everything.”
“You think Nathan did that?”
Rachel shook her head.
“Not Nathan.”
“Victoria?”
“No.”
Rachel reached into her bag.
She pulled out an old flash drive.
“Victoria had help.”
“From who?”
Rachel placed the drive in my hand.
“Her father.”
I stared at it.
“What’s on here?”
“Copies of documents I wasn’t supposed to keep.”
I closed my fingers around the drive.
Rachel’s eyes locked on mine.
“There’s one file you need to open first.”
“What file?”
May you like
She swallowed.
“The email where Nathan explains why he needed you to quit medical school.”
