Chapter 14 - The Night Natalie Died
Marcus remembered every minute of Natalie’s final night.
Or he thought he did.
She had been hospitalized after her condition deteriorated.
Marcus stayed beside her until almost midnight.
Natalie became exhausted.
She asked him to go home.
He refused.
She smiled and told him he looked terrible.
Eventually, a nurse convinced Marcus to shower and sleep for a few hours.
At 12:37 a.m., he left.
At 3:12 a.m., the hospital called.
Natalie had suffered respiratory failure.
By the time Marcus returned, she was unconscious.
She died later that morning.
Marcus had never questioned it.
Until now.
Detective Cole immediately contacted the hospital.
Records from three years earlier were retrieved.
Nothing initially appeared suspicious.
Then they checked visitor access logs.
At 1:06 a.m., a woman entered the oncology floor using a volunteer badge.
The badge belonged to someone named Emily Warren.
Emily Warren had not volunteered at the hospital in five years.
Security images were low quality.
But the woman’s height and build matched Victoria.
Marcus stared at the grainy photograph.
“She was there.”
Cole remained cautious.
“We don’t know what she did.”
“She entered Natalie’s floor.”
“Yes.”
“What time did she leave?”
“2:21.”
Natalie’s first medical crisis began at 2:34.
Marcus’s face went pale.
Cole immediately ordered the medical record reviewed by specialists.
They found no obvious evidence of poisoning.
No unexplained medication.
No clear sign of interference.
But one nurse’s statement from that night had been archived.
A patient reported seeing a woman leaving Natalie’s room.
The woman had been wearing a gray coat.
Victoria owned dozens of gray coats.
That proved nothing.
But Marcus remembered something else.
When he returned to the hospital, Natalie’s bedside photograph of him was missing.
The same detail she mentioned in her earlier letter.
Maybe the woman had entered before.
Maybe she entered again on the final night.
Elena watched Marcus struggle.
“You don’t know she caused Natalie’s death.”
He looked at her.
“No.”
“Then don’t let Victoria control that memory too.”
Marcus remained silent.
Elena continued.
“If you decide she murdered your wife before there’s evidence, you’ll spend the rest of your life living inside a question she created.”
Marcus looked down.
“You sound like Detective Cole.”
“No.”
Elena touched the bruise on her cheek.
“I sound like someone who knows what happens when people decide the truth before seeing evidence.”
Marcus flinched.
She had not said it cruelly.
But he deserved it.
Cole received another call.
Police had traced the anonymous email.
It came from Daniel Price.
Marcus frowned.
“Why would Daniel send us evidence against Victoria?”
Cole’s answer was simple.
“Because partnerships based on crime rarely stay loyal.”
Minutes later, Daniel called.
This time, he asked to speak directly with Marcus.
Marcus answered on speaker.
Daniel’s voice sounded strained.
“She lied to me.”
Marcus said nothing.
“She said nobody would get hurt.”
“You helped her enter my child’s hospital room.”
“I took a picture.”
“You helped her escape.”
Daniel breathed heavily.
“I want protection.”
Cole stepped closer.
“Where are you?”
Daniel ignored him.
He spoke to Marcus.
“Victoria is getting worse.”
“What does that mean?”
“She doesn’t want the money anymore.”
Marcus frowned.
“What money?”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“You really don’t know.”
“No.”
“She was going to make you pay ten million dollars to keep the recordings private.”
Marcus stared at Cole.
Blackmail.
Another layer.
Daniel continued.
“But that changed.”
“When?”
“After she read Natalie’s letter.”
Marcus’s pulse increased.
“What did the letter change?”
Daniel lowered his voice.
May you like
“She says Natalie is still winning.”
Then the line went dead.
