Chapter 10 - The Doctor Who Signed the Death CertificateDr. Samuel Reeves had treated my family for fifteen years.

He had delivered Tyler.

He had treated Mom's blood pressure.

He had reviewed Dad's medical records.

And three years ago, he had signed Lily's death certificate.

I called his office.

The receptionist answered.

"Dr. Reeves is unavailable."

"Tell him Stephanie Hale is calling."

The woman's tone changed.

"I'll let him know."

"He knows."

I hung up.

Daniel checked the medical records.

Dr. Reeves had signed every revised document.

Every one.

"He's part of it," I said.

Victor shook his head.

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"We don't know his motive."

Daniel found another payment record.

A private transfer from Hawthorne Holdings to a medical consulting firm.

Owner:

Samuel Reeves.

Date:

Two days after Lily's death.

Amount:

$250,000.

I stared.

"He was paid."

Mom whispered,

"I knew."

I turned to her.

"You knew?"

"Your father confronted him."

"When?"

"Three days before he died."

"What happened?"

"Reeves told Richard that Lily's condition was complicated."

"That's all?"

"He threatened to expose me."

"For what?"

Mom looked at the floor.

"For the affair."

I couldn't speak.

Caleb stepped forward.

"That affair was irrelevant."

I looked at him.

"To you."

"To the evidence."

"What evidence?"

He nodded toward the recorder.

"Lily overheard Dr. Reeves talking to someone."

"About poisoning her?"

"No."

"Then what?"

He said,

"About poisoning Richard."

I stared.

"Richard was the target?"

Caleb nodded.

"Lily was collateral."

The world seemed suddenly much darker.

My father had not died naturally.

He had known someone wanted him dead.

He had tried to protect me.

And three years later, my daughter had unknowingly become part of the same war.

Daniel sat down.

"We need to reconstruct the timeline."

He opened his laptop.

"March 17. Lily sees Evelyn meeting Mercer."

"March 18," I said. "Someone begins investigating me."

"March 20. Richard records the encounter."

"March 21. Lily collapses."

"March 22. Hospital report is altered."

"March 24. Richard confronts Reeves."

Victor continued.

"April 2. Richard dies."

I stared.

"From what?"

Daniel looked at the original death certificate.

"Cardiac arrest."

"Was it natural?"

"No."

I stared at him.

"You've known?"

"I suspected."

"How?"

"The toxicology report was missing."

"Missing?"

"Removed from the file."

Mike suddenly called me.

I answered.

His voice was barely audible.

"Stephanie."

"What?"

"I need you to listen."

"Where are you?"

"At the old warehouse."

My stomach dropped.

"Why?"

"Because Tyler told me."

"Told you what?"

"He said Grandma sent him here once."

"When?"

"A month before Lily died."

I closed my eyes.

"Why?"

"He said there was a man here."

"Caleb?"

"No."

"Who?"

Mike inhaled sharply.

"The man who taught Tyler where to find you."

I felt cold.

"Mike, leave."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because someone locked the door."

The call disconnected.

We rushed to the warehouse.

The door was chained.

We broke it.

Inside, Mike was sitting on the floor.

Tyler was beside him.

Both were unharmed.

But there was blood on the wall.

Not theirs.

A trail led toward a rear office.

Daniel opened the door.

Inside was a desk.

A chair.

And a surveillance monitor.

The screen displayed live footage from my house.

A camera had been installed inside my kitchen.

I stared at myself on the screen.

I had no idea anyone had been watching.

Then another camera came online.

The Hawthorne House.

The nursery.

My old bedroom.

The office.

And finally, the dining room from my mother's birthday dinner.

We watched the footage.

Tyler appeared with the soda.

Mike encouraged him.

Mom was visible in the background.

And then something happened I had not seen that night.

Before Tyler approached me, Mom leaned toward him.

She whispered in his ear.

The audio was clear.

"Tell her she doesn't belong."

I turned toward Mom.

She was not in the warehouse.

But I knew.

Someone had edited the audio.

Or she had actually said it.

Then the screen changed.

A new message appeared.

COME TO THE CEMETERY. ALONE.

Underneath was a date.

Tomorrow.

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And one final sentence.

BRING RICHARD'S TRUST.