Chapter 7 - the dinner before William died
The medication was digitalis.
In controlled doses, it could treat certain heart conditions.
In larger doses, it could cause dangerous heart rhythm disturbances.
William Carter had died of cardiac arrest.
Emily did not accuse Barbara of murder.
Not yet.
But for the first time, the possibility existed.
Thomas slid another sheet across the table.
"A private investigator followed Barbara for William."
"Why?" Mark asked.
"William had become suspicious after he started getting sick."
"What symptoms?"
"Nausea. Weakness. Confusion. Irregular heartbeat."
Mark stared at the medical report.
"My father was seventy-two."
"Yes."
"He had heart disease."
"Yes."
"Those symptoms could be natural."
"They could."
Emily noticed Thomas's careful tone.
"But?"
"William's blood was never tested for digitalis toxicity."
"Was he prescribed digitalis?"
"No."
Silence.
Mark stood.
"No."
He walked toward the parking lot.
Emily followed.
"Mark."
"My mother did not kill my father."
"I didn't say she did."
"Everyone in there is thinking it."
"So are you."
He turned.
"I watched him die."
Emily stopped.
Mark's eyes filled.
"He collapsed after dinner. I was there."
"When?"
"Sunday."
"The night before he died?"
"The night he died."
Emily remembered.
She had been visiting her sister with Chloe.
Mark had called at 11:40 p.m.
William was in the hospital.
By the time Emily arrived the next morning, he was gone.
"Who cooked dinner?"
Mark looked toward the restaurant window.
"My mother."
Back inside, Daniel had opened another file from Thomas.
A transcript.
William had secretly recorded a conversation with Barbara eight days before his death.
Barbara said, "You have humiliated me for the last time."
William responded, "Then stop stealing."
"It's my family too."
"Not Chloe's money."
"You always loved that little girl more than your own son."
"Don't bring Mark into this."
"He already signed."
"No, Barbara. You forged him."
A long silence followed.
Then Barbara said, "You have no idea what I am willing to do to protect this family."
The recording ended.
Mark looked shattered.
Emily felt sympathy.
Then she remembered him sitting at the table while Chloe cried outside.
Love could coexist with anger.
So could betrayal.
They decided to go to the police.
Before they could leave, Emily's phone rang.
Barbara.
Emily answered on speaker.
"Where is Chloe?"
"Safe."
"Bring her home."
"No."
"Emily, you are making a terrible mistake."
"The mistake was letting you into my home."
Barbara's breathing remained controlled.
"You hit me."
"You locked my child outside."
"She stole from me."
"She is five."
"That card does not belong to you."
Emily looked at Thomas.
He nodded for her to continue.
"What are you afraid I'll see?"
"I'm afraid you'll misunderstand information that does not concern you."
"William's death concerns me."
Silence.
Not shock.
Silence.
Emily felt cold.
"I didn't mention the trust."
Barbara finally spoke.
"Be careful."
"Is that a threat?"
"It's advice."
"You know what I think? I think William knew what you were doing."
Barbara laughed softly.
"William knew many things."
"Did he know about digitalis?"
The line went dead.
Mark covered his face.
Daniel immediately saved the call recording.
"That reaction matters."
Thomas nodded.
"Not enough."
Emily's phone buzzed with another message from the unknown number.
Different from Barbara's.
LOOK AT THE VIDEO FROM 8:17 PM SUNDAY.
Emily showed Daniel.
"The security system?"
"Probably."
"But those files are missing."
Chloe looked up from her coloring book.
"No, they're not."
Everyone turned.
Emily crouched beside her.
"What do you mean?"
Chloe pointed at the memory card.
"Grandpa's videos."
Daniel frowned.
"We looked through them."
Chloe shook her head.
"The secret ones."
"How do you know?"
"Grandpa showed me the flower."
Daniel took the card.
"What flower?"
Chloe pointed to the folder list.
At the bottom was a tiny icon that looked like a daisy.
Daniel clicked it.
A password prompt appeared.
"Did Grandpa tell you the password?"
Chloe smiled.
"Rabbit."
Daniel typed RABBIT.
Incorrect.
Chloe giggled.
"No. My rabbit."
Emily looked at the stuffed toy tucked beneath Chloe's arm.
Its name was Clementine.
Daniel typed CLEMENTINE.
The folder opened.
Hundreds of deleted security files appeared.
He sorted by date.
Sunday.
8:17 p.m.
The video showed William at the dining table.
Barbara stood behind him with a wineglass.
She looked toward the doorway.
Then she removed something from her cardigan pocket.
A small bottle.
May you like
She poured several drops into William's drink.
Mark stopped breathing.
