Chapter 6 - The Journey to Triage
That afternoon, Marissa drove Daniel to the hospital.
She told the staff he had become paranoid since discovering minor accounting problems. She claimed he believed his family was stealing from him and that strangers were following him.
Daniel remained calm.
He had hidden the old phone inside his coat and activated the recorder before leaving the house.
During the drive, Marissa warned him not to mention the charity accounts.
“You’re tired,” she said. “Once the doctors help you, everything will make sense again.”
“I have copies of the transfers.”
Marissa gripped the steering wheel.
“No, you don’t.”
“My father made copies.”
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she pulled into a quiet service road behind the hospital.
Elliot was waiting beside a black vehicle.
Daniel felt his pulse quicken.
“What is he doing here?”
“He wants to help.”
Elliot opened the passenger door and reached for Daniel’s coat.
Daniel pushed the door closed and locked it.
People were walking near the hospital loading entrance. Marissa could not create a public scene without attracting attention.
“Drive to the front,” Daniel ordered.
Marissa stared at him.
For the first time in their marriage, she seemed to realize that he was no longer afraid of losing her.
She drove toward the emergency entrance.
Daniel used the old phone to call his mother, but the call did not connect. He left it running in his pocket.
As they approached the doors, Marissa leaned close.
“You walk inside, tell them you’re confused, and let me handle the rest.”
“No.”
“You have no idea what Elliot will do if this collapses.”
“You mean what you will do.”
Marissa’s voice became cold.
“You were never supposed to discover what your father left behind.”
Daniel looked toward the hospital entrance.
He saw a security guard.
Then he opened the car door before Marissa had fully stopped.
He stepped onto the pavement, lost his balance, and collapsed near the entrance.
Hospital staff rushed toward him.
Marissa retrieved the old phone from where it had fallen beside the seat.
May you like
She thought she had stopped the recording.
She had not.
