Chapter 3 - The Perfect Husband’s Story
At the hospital, Daniel repeated his story so many times that it began to sound rehearsed.
He said Maya had seemed tired that morning. He said she had insisted she was fine. He said he had begged her to call the doctor, but she refused.
He said he loved her.
He said he had done everything possible.
The doctors worked for hours, but Maya’s condition had become too severe before help arrived. Her daughter was delivered during the emergency, but she did not survive.
Daniel cried when the doctor told them.
Celeste cried beside him.
Lena did not.
She watched.
When the hospital asked who should make decisions regarding Maya’s belongings, Daniel immediately produced a power-of-attorney form. The document gave him complete authority over her personal property, company shares, medical records, and financial accounts.
Maya’s signature appeared at the bottom.
Lena knew her sister’s handwriting.
The signature looked correct from a distance, but one letter leaned in the wrong direction.
“Where did you get this?” Lena asked.
“Maya signed it last month.”
“Why?”
“She was preparing for the birth.”
“Who witnessed it?”
“Our attorney.”
Maya’s actual attorney, Rose Caldwell, arrived thirty minutes later.
She had never seen the document.
Daniel claimed he had used another attorney.
When Lena asked for the attorney’s name, Daniel refused to answer.
“You’re treating me like a criminal,” he said.
“I’m asking basic questions.”
“My wife and daughter just died.”
“My sister and niece just died.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“You never trusted me.”
Lena met his stare.
“No. And now I know Maya didn’t trust you either.”
That evening, Lena requested permission to examine Maya’s phone. Because of her personal connection to the case, Captain Hayes assigned the formal investigation to another detective. Lena agreed without protest.
She did not need control of the case.
She only needed the truth to survive.
The first discovery came from the emergency records.
Maya had contacted Daniel nearly an hour before the ambulance was called. Daniel had not been at work, as he claimed. His phone location placed him inside a downtown hotel.
Celeste’s phone was in the same building.
The second discovery was worse.
At 2:14 p.m., Maya had sent Daniel a message.
Please call for help. Something is wrong.
Daniel read it at 2:15.
May you like
He called Celeste at 2:16.
He did not call emergency services until 2:53.
