Chapter 6: The Name He Couldn't Say
Mark moved toward the doorway.
"Stay behind me.""
I grabbed his sleeve.
"Don't go alone.""
Rachel pulled out her phone and called 911.
We heard another footstep.
Then Robert appeared at the top of the stairs.
He wasn't wearing his gray jacket anymore.
His white shirt was untucked, and his forehead glistened with sweat.
He looked directly at me.
"Claire, we need to talk.""
I stepped behind Mark.
"You need to leave.""
Robert raised both hands.
"I'm not here to hurt you.""
"You followed me from the hospital.""
"I came because your mother-in-law is worried.""
"Stop using Margaret as an excuse.""
Robert looked toward the laptop.
The video window was still open.
His expression changed.
"You found it.""
Mark tightened his grip on the lamp.
"Found what?""
Robert ignored him.
"Claire, give me the flash drive.""
I laughed in disbelief.
"Are you serious?""
"Please. You don't understand what you're holding.""
"Then explain it.""
Robert slowly descended the stairs.
"Your husband made a terrible mistake.""
"What mistake?""
"He trusted the wrong people.""
"Who?""
Robert stopped on the last step.
For a moment, he looked almost frightened.
Then he said, "Daniel Price.""
I shook my head.
"Daniel told me about the money. He showed me the hospital records.""
Robert laughed.
"Of course he did. He's very good at making himself look innocent.""
"Then why did Nathan warn me about him?""
Robert glanced toward the flash drive.
"Because Daniel wasn't working alone.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Who else?""
Robert looked directly at me.
"Margaret.""
I took a step forward.
"That's not news.""
"No. But there's something you don't know.""
He reached inside his shirt pocket.
Mark immediately raised the lamp.
"Don't.""
Robert slowly removed a folded piece of paper.
He placed it on the desk.
"Read that.""
I opened it.
It was a printed email.
The sender was listed as Daniel Price.
The recipient was Margaret Harper.
The subject line read:
*PROTOCOL COMPLETE. PATIENT WILL NOT RECOVER WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION.*
I read the message.
The initial treatment was successful. He remains unresponsive. We can maintain the condition for another forty-eight hours, but after that the risk increases significantly.
Please confirm whether the family wishes to proceed with the next stage.
The next stage.
My fingers began trembling.
"What does that mean?""
Robert looked at me.
"It means they intended to keep Nathan under until the company transfer was finalized.""
"Why?""
"Because if Nathan woke up, the transfer would be challenged.""
I stared at him.
"Who was supposed to inherit the company?""
"Margaret.""
"But Nathan moved his shares into a trust.""
Robert nodded.
"She found out.""
I felt sick.
"Then why didn't she stop the transfer?""
"Because she thought she could get the documents destroyed before anyone discovered them.""
I looked at the safe.
The letter.
The flash drive.
The photograph.
Nathan had hidden everything.
"Why are you telling me this now?""
Robert lowered his eyes.
"Because I was the one who drove him to Northbridge.""
Silence filled the room.
I felt my heart pounding.
"You helped them.""
Robert nodded.
"I didn't know what they were planning at first. Margaret told me Nathan had suffered a medical emergency and needed to be taken somewhere private.""
"And you believed her?""
"She showed me a medical authorization.""
"Then what?""
"At Northbridge, Dr. Price told me Nathan was unlikely to survive.""
I stared at him.
"But he was alive.""
Robert nodded.
"I realized something was wrong when Margaret asked me to collect the funeral paperwork.""
"Why didn't you call the police?""
His eyes filled with tears.
"Because my son works for Harper Financial.""
I froze.
"What?""
Robert looked down.
"His name is Ethan Hayes. He was the company's accountant.""
I remembered seeing a young man at Nathan's office Christmas party.
"Was Ethan involved?""
Robert shook his head quickly.
"No. He discovered the missing money. That's why Margaret fired him.""
I looked at the email again.
"Then why are you protecting her?""
"I'm not.""
Robert took a shaky breath.
"I'm trying to protect my son. Margaret threatened to accuse him of stealing the money if I spoke.""
I wanted to believe him.
But I couldn't afford another mistake.
"Where is Ethan now?""
"He's missing.""
Rachel gasped.
"Missing?""
Robert nodded.
"He disappeared yesterday morning.""
I looked at the date.
Yesterday morning.
The same day Nathan was supposed to have died.
Suddenly, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Hello?""
A young man's voice spoke quickly.
"Mrs. Harper?""
"Who is this?""
"My name is Ethan Hayes. My father told me you might have the evidence.""
Robert went pale.
"Ethan?""
The voice continued.
"Please listen. I don't have much time.""
I put the phone on speaker.
"Where are you?""
"I'm at a motel outside the city. I found the original financial records. The money wasn't transferred to Margaret's personal account.""
"Where did it go?""
"To a company registered overseas.""
"Whose company?""
Ethan hesitated.
Then he said a name.
"Claire, the company belongs to your husband.""
I stared at the phone.
"What?""
"Someone created a shell company using Nathan's identity. Money was transferred there for months.""
"But Nathan was investigating it.""
"Yes. And he found out who was really controlling it.""
"Who?""
Ethan's breathing became uneven.
"Your husband wasn't just trying to expose the person stealing the money. He was trying to stop the person who had been using his name.""
I looked at Robert.
He was staring at the floor.
"Ethan, who was it?""
The young man whispered:
"Someone inside your family.""
My blood ran cold.
"Who?""
Before he could answer, a loud crash sounded through the phone.
Ethan shouted.
Then came the sound of a door being forced open.
"NO! WAIT!""
The call disconnected.
I stared at the screen.
"Call him back!"" Robert shouted.
I tried.
Straight to voicemail.
Mark grabbed his phone.
"I'm sending the location to the police.""
Robert suddenly rushed toward the door.
"Where are you going?"" I shouted.
"I have to find my son!""
"Robert, wait!""
He turned.
For the first time, his face showed pure desperation.
"Claire, there's something else you need to know.""
"What?""
He looked toward the photograph of Ellie on Nathan's desk.
Then he whispered:
"Margaret didn't choose Nathan's funeral home by accident.""
I frowned.
"What do you mean?""
"She knew the coffin would be sealed before the service. She had arranged for the funeral director to receive a specific set of instructions.""
"What instructions?""
Robert swallowed.
"Your daughter was never supposed to get close enough to touch Nathan.""
I felt the room spin.
"Why?""
"Because Margaret knew Nathan might still respond to physical stimulation.""
I stared at him.
"She knew he was alive?""
Robert nodded slowly.
"She knew there was a chance.""
My voice cracked.
"Then why did she let us bury him?""
Robert looked at me with tears in his eyes.
"Because she was waiting for him to stop breathing.""
Rachel let out a horrified cry.
I backed away from him.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then my phone vibrated.
A new message had arrived.
It was from Margaret.
*I know Robert is with you. Send me the flash drive, and I'll tell you the truth about Nathan.*
Before I could respond, another message appeared.
*And Claire, there's something you need to know about Ellie.*
My fingers went numb.
The next message arrived.
*Nathan isn't her biological father.*
I read it once.
Then twice.
Rachel grabbed my arm.
"Claire?""
I couldn't speak.
The final message appeared.
*Ask Nathan what happened the night Ellie was born.*
I looked toward the hospital across town.
My husband had barely regained consciousness.
And now someone was telling me that the little girl who had saved his life might not be his daughter.
I picked up the photograph from the safe.
Nathan was smiling as he held baby Ellie in his arms.
On the back, beneath the date of her birth, he had written:
*My greatest reason to live.*
But there was something else.
A second line, written in much smaller letters.
I had never noticed it before.
She must never learn what we did.
My phone began ringing again.
This time, the caller ID displayed St. Mary's Medical Center.
I answered immediately.
"Hello?""
A nurse's trembling voice came through.
"Mrs. Harper, you need to come back right away.""
"What's happened?""
"Your husband is awake.""
I almost cried with relief.
"Can I speak to him?""
The nurse hesitated.
"That's the problem.""
"What problem?""
"He's asking for your daughter.""
I looked at Rachel.
Then the nurse whispered:
"Mrs. Harper, your husband says he remembers who tried to kill him. But he refuses to tell us anything until he sees Ellie.""
I grabbed my coat.
"Put him on the phone.""
There was a brief pause.
Then Nathan's weak voice came through.
"Claire?""
"I'm here, sweetheart.""
His breathing was uneven.
"Listen to me.""
"What is it?""
"Don't bring Ellie to the hospital.""
I stopped moving.
"Why?""
His voice broke.
"Because the person who did this...""
He struggled to breathe.
"...is the person who was supposed to be protecting her.""
The call ended.
And for the first time since Ellie had climbed into that coffin, I understood something terrifying.
May you like
Nathan hadn't been afraid of dying.
He had been afraid of what would happen to our daughter if he didn't survive.
