Chapter 7 - THE DEATH THAT WASN'T AN ACCIDENT
My mother's medical records were reopened.
The original report said cardiac arrest.
But investigators found inconsistencies.
Her medication levels were wrong.
One prescription had been filled under a false name.
And the doctor who signed her death certificate had ties to Margaret.
My father couldn't stop shaking.
“She knew.”
I held his hand.
“She knew everything.”
Detective Collins found another connection.
The same doctor had signed the death certificates of two of Margaret's former husbands.
Both had suspicious medication levels.
The family secret was no longer a theory.
It was a pattern.
Meanwhile, Claire woke up.
She was weak but conscious.
When Detective Collins asked who attacked her, she whispered:
“Margaret.”
“Where is she?”
Claire looked at me.
“She went to your house.”
My blood froze.
“My house?”
“She wants the ledger.”
“What ledger?”
Claire closed her eyes.
“The one your mother hid.”
I remembered the old photograph.
The one my father kept.
My mother had always worn a gold necklace.
Inside the pendant was a tiny compartment.
I had inherited it.
I had never opened it.
Detective Collins stared at me.
“Do you have it?”
“Yes.”
My father looked at me.
“Your mother never let anyone touch that necklace.”
I pulled it from my bag.
The pendant opened.
Inside was a tiny folded piece of paper.
And a key.
The key had a number engraved on it.
318.
Detective Collins recognized it.
“Safety deposit box.”
“At which bank?”
My father looked at the engraving.
“First Federal.”
We went there under police protection.
The box contained one ledger.
Old.
Handwritten.
Names.
Payments.
Insurance policies.
Deaths.
And beside each woman's name was a single word.
CONTROLLED.
At the very bottom was Margaret's name.
But beside it was something different.
EXPOSED.
Then we found my mother's final note.
She had written:
Margaret believes she controls everyone.
She doesn't.
Someone has been controlling her.
My heart stopped.
“Who?”
Detective Collins read the next line.
The man behind this is not Andrew.
It's someone Margaret fears.
Someone who has been using our family for decades.
Then the ledger revealed a name.
Harold Vance.
I recognized it.
My mother's old employer.
A wealthy attorney.
He had represented Margaret's family for years.
He had also represented Andrew after my injury.
I stared at Detective Collins.
“He's Andrew's lawyer.”
“Yes.”
“And he has access to everything.”
“Yes.”
Suddenly Andrew stood.
“He's here.”
“What?”
“He's been following me.”
Detective Collins reached for her weapon.
Then the hospital doors opened.
Harold Vance walked in.
Calm.
Perfectly dressed.
Smiling.
He looked at me.
“You should have stayed out of family business.”
Detective Collins raised her weapon.
“Stop right there.”
Harold smiled.
“You still don't understand.”
He looked at Andrew.
“Tell her.”
Andrew shook his head.
Harold sighed.
“Your husband didn't choose Diana.”
He looked directly at me.
“Neither did Margaret.”
I felt cold.
“Then who did?”
May you like
Harold smiled.
“Your mother.”
