My eyes burned with tears.
I kept them closed.
“The police have not confronted Daniel yet. We want him talking.”
My thumb moved once again.
Martin waited.
Then whispered, “There’s something else.”
My heart accelerated.
“The railing didn’t fail.”
Of course it didn’t.
“It was partially detached.”
I felt my breathing change.
Martin squeezed my wrist.
“Easy.”
He continued.
“Two bolts were removed completely. A third was loosened. Maintenance records show the railing was inspected last month.”
I wanted to ask whether there were fingerprints.
Whether there was video.
Whether anyone had seen Evelyn.
But I couldn’t speak without revealing I was awake.
Martin seemed to understand.
“We have more.”
Footsteps approached.
Martin straightened.
When Daniel entered, Martin was standing beside the window looking like an ordinary visitor.
My husband stopped.
“Who are you?”
Martin turned.
“Martin Reyes.”
Daniel’s expression changed.
Only slightly.
But I saw it through the narrow slit of my barely opened eyes.
Recognition.
Daniel had heard the name before.
Years earlier, Martin had led one of the largest financial fraud investigations in the state.
“You know my wife?”
“We worked together.”
Daniel looked toward me.
I shut my eyes fully.
“Claire hasn’t spoken to people from her old career in years.”
Martin smiled.
“Apparently she has.”
Silence.
Then Evelyn entered.
She recognized danger faster than her son.
“What exactly are you doing here, Mr. Reyes?”
“Visiting an old friend.”
“She’s unconscious.”
“I noticed.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“I think you should leave.”
Martin looked at him.
“I think you should probably call your attorney.”
That shattered the room.
Daniel’s face hardened.
“Excuse me?”
Martin glanced toward the door.
Two detectives entered.
Behind them came Margaret Sloan.
Seventy-four years old.
Five feet three inches tall.
Gray hair.
Dark blue coat.
And carrying the kind of leather briefcase that had ruined the sleep of powerful men for forty years.
Evelyn actually took a step backward.
Margaret smiled at her.
“Evelyn.”
They knew each other.
Of course they did.
People like them always did.
“Margaret,” Evelyn said.
For the first time in my life, I heard fear in my mother-in-law’s voice.
Margaret placed her briefcase on the table.
“I wish I could say it’s nice to see you.”
Daniel looked from one face to another.
“What is this?”
One of the detectives spoke.
“Mr. Mercer, we’d like to ask you a few questions about your wife’s fall.”
“I already explained everything.”
“Then this shouldn’t take long.”
Evelyn touched Daniel’s arm.
“Not without counsel.”
The detective nodded.
“That’s your right.”
Daniel’s eyes moved toward me again.
“Claire fell.”
Nobody answered.
“The railing broke.”
Martin looked almost amused.
“Did it?”
Daniel turned toward him.
“Yes.”
“Interesting.”
“What is?”
“The contractor who installed that railing used locking bolts requiring a specialized tool.”
Daniel said nothing.
Martin continued.
“One of those tools was found in the maintenance room.”
Evelyn spoke quickly.
“Dozens of employees have access to that room.”
“Absolutely.”
Martin nodded.
“Which is why I found it interesting that the electronic lock records show only one access during the previous forty-eight hours.”
Silence.
Daniel’s face emptied.
Margaret opened her briefcase.
Evelyn stared at it.
“What are you doing?”
“Protecting my client.”
“Your client?”
“Claire retained me twelve days ago.”
Daniel looked at my hospital bed.
His composure finally fractured.
“Twelve days?”
Margaret removed a folder.
“She was concerned about several matters.”
“What matters?”
“Fraud.”
Another folder.
“Forgery.”
Another.
“Misappropriation of corporate funds.”
Another.
“Unauthorized surveillance.”
Another.
“And coercive attempts to obtain control of Hale Biotech shares.”
Daniel’s face went pale.
Evelyn recovered faster.
“This is absurd.”
Margaret looked at her.
“I haven’t reached your part yet.”
That silenced her.
I would remember that sentence for the rest of my life.
The detective turned toward Daniel.
“Mr. Mercer, do you still want to answer questions without an attorney?”
Daniel didn’t respond.
He was staring at Margaret’s folders.
Trying to calculate what I knew.
Trying to determine how much evidence existed.
Trying to understand how his frightened, isolated wife had constructed something this large without him noticing.
Then he made the mistake people like Daniel always make when control disappears.
He became angry.
“This is her doing.”
Nobody spoke.
“Claire planned this.”
Margaret raised an eyebrow.
“Planned to be thrown down a staircase?”