Chapter 4: The Person I Trusted Most
The name on Detective Harris’s phone screen made the room feel like it had lost all oxygen.
I stared at the letters.
I read them once.
Then again.
My mind refused to accept what my eyes were seeing.
“Dr. Mason?”” Daniel whispered.
I looked at him.
Then at Detective Harris.
Then at the phone again.
My obstetrician’s name was glowing on the screen.
Dr. Mason.
The man who had held my hand during my first ultrasound.
The man who had told me, “Your baby girl is strong.””
The man who knew every detail about my pregnancy.
“No,” I said quietly.
Nobody answered.
“No. That’s impossible.””
Detective Harris placed the phone on the table.
“We verified the number. The message came from your father’s phone and was sent to Dr. Mason.””
My mother started crying.
“I didn’t know.””
I turned toward her.
“You knew enough to hide documents.””
She looked down.
“I was scared.””
“Scared of what?””
Her lips trembled.
But before she could answer, the door opened.
Dr. Mason walked in.
He smiled automatically.
“Emma, I heard there was some confusion—”
Then he stopped.
He saw the detectives.
He saw the phone.
His expression changed.
Not surprise.
Fear.
Detective Harris stood.
“Dr. Mason, we need you to answer a few questions.””
The doctor looked at me.
“Emma, I can explain.””
Those words hurt more than anything.
Because innocent people usually said, “What happened?””
They didn’t say, “I can explain.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“You had access to her medical records.””
Dr. Mason swallowed.
“I’m her doctor.””
“And you knew exactly what medications she was taking.””
“Yes.””
“And you knew her bloodwork.””
The doctor looked away.
A terrible silence filled the room.
I pressed a hand over my stomach.
“Did you give me something?””
His eyes snapped back to mine.
“No.””
But his voice was too fast.
Too desperate.
Detective Harris noticed too.
“Then why did your name appear in a message about a second dose?””
Dr. Mason didn’t answer.
The officer beside him moved closer.
“Doctor?””
Finally, he sighed.
“I never wanted this to happen.””
My heart sank.
“Never wanted what?””
He closed his eyes.
“I was told the medication would only create complications.””
I felt dizzy.
“Complications?””
He looked at me.
“I was told nobody would get hurt.””
Daniel’s face turned red.
“You poisoned a pregnant woman.””
“I didn’t know the full plan!””
“You still did it.””
Dr. Mason looked broken.
But I couldn’t feel sympathy.
Not yet.
Not after everything.
Detective Harris pulled out a chair.
“Start from the beginning.””
The doctor sat.
His hands shook.
“Your father contacted me six months ago.””
I froze.
“Six months?””
“Yes.””
That was when my pregnancy had been announced.
That was when everyone celebrated.
That was when my family started acting differently.
“What did he want?””
Dr. Mason stared at the floor.
“He asked if there were medications that could increase the risk of miscarriage without immediately showing obvious signs.””
Daniel stepped forward.
The detective raised a hand.
“Let him talk.””
The doctor continued.
“I refused at first.””
“Then why did you change your mind?””
His face twisted with shame.
“Debt.””
The word came out barely above a whisper.
“My clinic was failing. I had loans. Your father knew.””
I laughed once.
A broken sound.
“So he bought you.””
The doctor didn’t deny it.
“He threatened to expose my financial problems and destroy my career.””
“And you chose to help him.””
He looked at me.
“I thought I was helping them scare you.””
I stared.
“Scare me?””
“Yes.””
“By poisoning me?””
He looked away.
The silence answered.
Detective Harris stood.
“Dr. Mason, you are not leaving this hospital.””
The doctor nodded slowly.
Then something happened.
Something that changed the entire case.
The nurse suddenly rushed in.
“Detective, we found another sample.””
Everyone turned.
“What sample?”” Harris asked.
The nurse looked nervous.
“The medication container from the hospital pharmacy.””
My eyebrows pulled together.
“What does that mean?””
She looked at me.
“The medication found in your blood did not come from outside.””
Detective Harris frowned.
“Explain.””
The nurse swallowed.
“It came from a prescription order placed under your name.””
My stomach dropped.
“No.””
Daniel grabbed my hand.
“Who ordered it?””
The nurse looked at the paper.
Then at me.
“The request was approved by someone with your emergency medical authorization.””
I felt cold.
“I never gave anyone permission.””
The nurse slowly handed Detective Harris the document.
He read it.
His face changed.
“What?””
Daniel asked.
The detective looked up.
“Emma…”
My heart pounded.
“Who signed it?””
He turned the paper around.
The signature was clear.
The handwriting was familiar.
It belonged to the one person who had always told me:
May you like
“I’m doing this because I love you.””
My husband.
