Chapter 3: The Doctor Who Attended His Own Crime
Margaret pushed me into a narrow bedroom and closed the door.
"Don't make a sound," she whispered.
I heard the apartment door open.
Dr. Hale's shoes clicked against the wooden floor.
"Margaret?""
No answer.
He sighed.
"Please don't make this difficult.""
I stood behind the bedroom door, gripping my phone so tightly that my fingers hurt.
Margaret finally spoke.
"What do you want, Victor?""
"To talk.""
"You have nothing to say to me.""
"I know you showed Emily the photograph.""
My stomach dropped.
He knew.
Of course he knew.
There was a pause.
Then Margaret said, "You should leave.""
Dr. Hale chuckled softly.
"You've always been stubborn. Even when Daniel was a child.""
"Don't speak about my son.""
"Your son is exactly why I'm here.""
I heard something being placed on the dining table.
"Daniel made some very poor decisions," Dr. Hale continued.
"I tried to help him. You know that.""
"By putting him in a coffin?""
Silence.
Then he answered in a voice so calm it frightened me.
"That wasn't supposed to happen.""
I pressed my hand against my mouth.
Margaret's voice trembled.
"You told me he was dead.""
"I told you what you needed to believe.""
"And now?""
"Now I need the USB drive.""
I looked down at the small device in my hand.
He was looking for it.
Margaret laughed once, without humor.
"You think I'd hand it over?""
"Margaret, please. Don't force me to involve the police.""
"You already involved them. You made sure the medical examiner signed the wrong report.""
Dr. Hale's voice hardened.
"Careful.""
A chair scraped across the floor.
Then he said something that made my skin crawl.
"You should be grateful. Daniel was supposed to die in the hospital. The burial was an unfortunate complication, not the original plan.""
I felt my knees weaken.
Margaret whispered, "You monster.""
"I am a physician. I followed instructions.""
"Whose instructions?""
A long silence followed.
Then Dr. Hale said, "You really don't know?""
I heard Margaret take a sharp breath.
"Richard?""
"No.""
Another pause.
"Emily.""
My heart stopped.
He said my name.
Dr. Hale continued.
"Your daughter-in-law has been involved from the beginning.""
I nearly dropped the USB.
It was impossible.
I had loved Daniel.
I had held his hand when he was sick.
I had slept beside him every night.
I had no reason to hurt him.
Then I remembered the medication.
Two weeks before Daniel collapsed, I had brought home a prescription from a pharmacy near our house.
Daniel had been complaining about chest pain.
He told me Dr. Hale had prescribed something to help him sleep.
I had placed the bottle on his bedside table.
I had even reminded him to take it.
My stomach twisted.
Had I helped them?
The bedroom door suddenly opened.
I stumbled backward.
Dr. Hale stood in the doorway.
His expression was almost sympathetic.
"Hello, Emily.""
I couldn't speak.
He looked at the USB drive in my hand.
"Give me that.""
"No.""
His expression changed.
"Emily, you don't understand what you're holding.""
"I heard you.""
"You heard a conversation without context.""
"I heard you admit that Daniel was supposed to die.""
Dr. Hale stepped inside.
"Your husband was a dangerous man. He was threatening people who could destroy your life.""
"Then why bury him alive?""
His jaw tightened.
For the first time, his professional mask slipped.
"Because someone panicked.""
"Who?""
He looked toward Margaret.
"Your mother-in-law has been lying to you.""
Margaret appeared behind him.
"Don't listen to him!""
Dr. Hale turned sharply.
"Enough, Margaret.""
She stepped forward.
"You promised me he would wake up.""
"I promised to do what I could.""
"You promised!""
He raised one hand.
"Daniel was supposed to remain unconscious until the transfer was complete. The funeral home was never supposed to receive him alive.""
I felt the room spinning.
"Transfer to where?""
Neither answered.
Then I noticed something.
Dr. Hale's left hand was trembling.
He was holding a small syringe.
I backed away.
"What's that?""
"Something to calm you down.""
"Get away from me!""
He moved toward me.
Margaret grabbed a heavy glass vase and struck his arm.
The syringe fell and shattered against the floor.
Dr. Hale shouted.
I ran.
I pushed past him, reached the front door, and stumbled into the hallway.
Margaret followed.
We rushed down the stairs, but before we reached the garage, a man stepped out from behind a concrete pillar.
Richard Lawson.
He wore the same charcoal suit from Daniel's funeral.
His tie was loosened.
His face was expressionless.
"Well," he said, looking at me.
"This has become inconvenient.""
Margaret stopped.
"Richard, move.""
He ignored her.
Instead, he looked directly at me.
"Emily, give me the drive.""
I held it behind my back.
"You're working with him?""
Richard smiled faintly.
"Victor is an employee. Nothing more.""
Dr. Hale appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Richard, we have a problem.""
Richard looked irritated.
"You were supposed to handle this quietly.""
"I tried.""
"You were supposed to make sure she never saw the photograph.""
Margaret stepped between us.
"Where is my son?""
Richard adjusted his cufflinks.
"That's a complicated question.""
"Where is Daniel?""
He sighed.
"Your son is alive. At least, he was when I last checked.""
I felt a wave of relief so powerful that I almost collapsed.
Then Richard continued.
"But he won't stay that way if you keep interfering.""
He took a step toward me.
"Emily, you have no idea what Daniel did. He stole money. He falsified records.
He destroyed lives. And then he tried to blame everyone else.""
"You're lying.""
Richard pulled a photograph from his jacket.
It showed Daniel sitting in a hospital bed.
His face was pale.
An oxygen tube ran beneath his nose.
But his eyes were open.
He was alive.
On the back of the photograph was a handwritten message.
If you want your husband back, come alone.
I looked at Richard.
"Where is he?""
Richard smiled.
"At the place where he was supposed to die.""
Then he leaned closer and whispered:
"Ask your mother-in-law what happened to Daniel's first wife.""
I turned toward Margaret.
Her face had lost all color.
"First wife?"" I whispered.
Margaret began crying.
And before she could answer, my phone rang.
The caller ID showed Daniel's name.
I answered immediately.
"Daniel?""
For three seconds, there was only breathing.
Then a weak voice whispered:
"Emily... don't let my mother tell you anything.""
I froze.
"Baby, where are you?""
His voice cracked.
"She's the reason I was buried alive.""
The call ended.
I slowly lowered the phone.
Margaret was staring at me.
May you like
Richard was smiling.
And Dr. Hale quietly locked the garage exit behind us.
