Chapter 10 - Thirty-Seven Names
The Northbridge discovery changed the investigation.
What had appeared to be one father diverting his daughter’s medicine now looked like part of a larger operation.
Thirty-seven empty medication containers had been stored in a locked basement room. Each carried a patient name, dosage record and hospital barcode.
Eleven names were connected to St. Catherine.
The others came from hospitals across three states.
Most of the medications were expensive treatments distributed through restricted programs. Once a hospital recorded them as administered, insurance companies or medical trusts released payment.
The physical doses could then be sold elsewhere.
Someone had been paid twice.
Once through the patient.
Once through the private buyer.
Detective Hale requested warrants for Daniel’s company accounts, Vanessa’s company and Meridian Patient Relief.
Daniel hired a criminal defense attorney before noon.
He also filed an emergency petition claiming Emily was mentally unfit to make decisions for Lily.
Emily learned about it when a court representative arrived at the ICU.
“The petition states that you mismanaged Lily’s medication and attempted to blame Mr. Carter after authorizing an improper transfer.”
Emily stared at the document.
“He stole the medication.”
“The court has not made a determination. There will be an emergency hearing tomorrow.”
“My daughter is still in the ICU.”
“You may appear remotely.”
Daniel had planned further ahead than she had imagined.
If the records made Emily appear responsible, he could use Lily’s crisis to remove her from medical decisions and take control of the trust.
Dr. Bennett read the petition.
“It includes confidential notes from Lily’s chart.”
“Daniel’s access was removed.”
“The notes were downloaded before the restriction.”
“By Daniel?”
“The access log says you downloaded them.”
Emily felt the same chill she had felt when she saw the forged signature.
Every action Daniel took wore her name.
Detective Hale entered carrying a sealed laptop.
“We found this in Daniel’s office.”
Emily recognized it.
“My old computer.”
“According to company inventory, it was assigned to you.”
“I stopped using it over a year ago.”
“Someone continued using your login.”
“Can you prove it was Daniel?”
“We’re working on it.”
Hale opened a photograph taken during the office search. It showed the laptop beside a biometric signature pad.
Another photograph showed stacks of blank hospital reimbursement forms.
A third showed copies of Elaine Carter’s foundation credentials.
Vanessa leaned closer.
“He kept everything.”
“He kept what he wanted police to find,” Emily said.
Hale nodded.
“That possibility concerns me too.”
“You think he expected the search?”
“His attorney contacted us ten minutes before the warrant was approved and offered voluntary access to the office.”
“So Daniel cleaned it.”
“Or arranged the evidence.”
Emily looked at the photograph of her old laptop.
“He’s building a case against me.”
“The computer contains messages appearing to show you ordering him to move medication through Meridian.”
“I never sent them.”
“We’ll examine the metadata.”
“Will that happen before the hearing?”
“No.”
Daniel did not need the evidence to survive careful examination.
He needed it to last twenty-four hours.
Long enough to gain control of Lily’s treatment.
Long enough to move the remaining estate assets.
Long enough to silence anyone who could prove the truth.
Vanessa’s phone vibrated.
She read the message and turned pale.
“What is it?” Emily asked.
“It’s from Daniel.”
“What does it say?”
Vanessa showed them.
You have until the custody hearing to correct your mistake. Tell them Emily created Meridian, or the police will receive the recording from Prague.
“What recording?” Hale asked.
Vanessa sat down slowly.
“Three years ago, I signed documents for Daniel while I was overseas.”
“What documents?”
“I didn’t read them.”
Emily closed her eyes.
“Vanessa.”
“He said they were property acquisitions.”
“Were said they were property acquisitions.”
“Were they?”
“I don’t know.”
Detective Hale held out his hand.
“Give me the phone.”
Vanessa did.
A second message arrived before he could lock it.
This one contained an audio file.
Vanessa whispered, “That’s the recording.”
Hale played it.
Her voice filled the room.
I know the patient accounts aren’t real. Just make sure Emily signs before anything moves.
Vanessa covered her mouth.
“I never said that about patients.”
The file continued.
Daniel’s voice answered.
Once Emily signs, every transfer becomes legal.
The recording ended.
Emily stared at Vanessa.
“Is it real?”
“Parts of it are. But those sentences came from different conversations.”
Hale checked the file information.
“It was created yesterday.”
“Then it’s edited,” Vanessa said.
“Maybe.”
Emily looked toward Lily.
Daniel had documents, recordings and digital records.
May you like
She had suspicion.
And tomorrow, he planned to stand before a judge and ask for her daughter.
