Chapter 9: The Friend Who Knew Too Much
I couldn’t speak.
Detective Miller waited.
He didn’t rush me.
Maybe he had learned that people needed time when their entire reality changed.
Or maybe he had seen this before.
People discovering that the person they trusted was never who they thought.
I pointed at the photo.
“That’s Jasmine.””
The detective wrote something down.
“Your friend?””
I nodded slowly.
“My best friend.””
The words felt strange.
Past tense.
My best friend.
Detective Miller leaned forward.
“Mrs. Walker, when was the last time you spoke with Jasmine?””
I tried to remember.
Before surgery.
She had come to my house.
She brought food.
She hugged me.
She cried when she saw how exhausted I was.
“You’re saving his life,” she told me.
I remembered smiling.
“He’s my husband.””
She squeezed my hand.
“I don’t know anyone who loves like you do.””
The memory made my chest hurt.
Because now I wondered.
Was she admiring me?
Or was she studying me?
“She visited me before surgery.””
“Did she have access to your medical information?””
I frowned.
“No.””
The detective raised an eyebrow.
“Are you sure?””
I thought about it.
Then I remembered.
Jasmine had helped me organize paperwork.
She had sat with me during appointments.
She knew my schedule.
She knew everything.
Almost everything.
“What aren’t you telling me?”” Detective Miller asked.
I looked at him.
“I don’t know.””
He slid another paper across the table.
A phone record.
“One week before your surgery, Jasmine contacted the hospital administration office.””
I stared.
“Why?””
“That’s what we’re trying to find out.””
I looked at the record.
My hands felt numb.
“She wouldn’t do this.””
Detective Miller didn’t argue.
He simply said:
“People usually don’t.””
I looked up.
“What?””
“Most betrayals are committed by people who once loved someone.””
The sentence stayed with me.
Because that was the worst part.
Everyone involved had once claimed to love me.
The detective continued.
“We need to ask you something.””
“What?””
“Did Jasmine ever express concern about your marriage?””
I almost laughed.
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Before the surgery.””
“What did she say?””
I closed my eyes.
I could hear her voice.
“Keisha, are you sure you’re not sacrificing too much?””
At the time, I thought she was worried about my health.
Now…
I wasn’t sure.
“She asked if I was certain.””
“About donating?””
“Yes.””
“Anything else?””
I hesitated.
Then I remembered.
“She asked what would happen if Terrence didn’t stay.””
Detective Miller became very still.
“What did you say?””
I whispered:
“I told her Terrence wasn’t that kind of person.””
The detective wrote something down.
Then he looked at me.
“Mrs. Walker, I need you to prepare yourself.””
“For what?””
“We found evidence that someone accessed your medical records before the surgery.””
“I know.””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“You know someone accessed them.””
He opened another folder.
“We found out what they were looking for.””
I stared.
“What?””
He placed a document in front of me.
A search request.
My personal medical information.
My donor evaluation.
My health history.
And one specific item highlighted.
My fertility records.
I looked up.
“Why would someone want that?””
The detective’s expression was serious.
“We don’t know yet.””
My stomach twisted.
“What does my fertility have to do with anything?””
He didn’t answer.
That was when I knew.
It was worse than I thought.
My phone buzzed.
A message.
From Jasmine.
I froze.
Everyone in the room noticed.
Detective Miller nodded.
“Read it.””
My fingers trembled as I opened it.
The message was short.
*Keisha, please don’t believe everything they tell you. I can explain. Meet me alone before Terrence’s family destroys you.*
I stared.
The detective looked at me.
“What are you going to do?””
I looked at the message.
At the name.
At the person I had trusted for years.
Then I remembered something.
Jasmine always knew when I was vulnerable.
She knew when I was scared.
She knew when I needed someone.
And maybe that was exactly why she was dangerous.
I looked at Detective Miller.
“I’ll meet her.””
He frowned.
“Alone?””
I nodded.
“Because I need to hear why.””
The detective studied me.
“Mrs. Walker, be careful.””
I turned my wheelchair toward the door.
“I’ve spent my whole marriage believing I knew who was standing beside me.””
I looked down at Jasmine’s message.
“I think it’s time I find out who was standing behind me.””
Two hours later, I entered the quiet hospital garden.
Jasmine was waiting.
She looked exhausted.
Like she hadn’t slept.
The moment she saw me, tears filled her eyes.
“Keisha.””
I stopped several feet away.
“Why?””
Her face collapsed.
“I never wanted you to get hurt.””
I stared.
“Then why did you help destroy my life?””
She looked down.
And then she said something that made my blood turn cold.
“Because I was trying to stop you from giving Terrence your kidney.””
I froze.
“What?””
Jasmine stepped closer.
“There’s something you don’t know about Terrence.””
I waited.
Her voice shook.
“He wasn’t sick the way he told you.””
My heart stopped.
“What are you saying?””
Jasmine looked at me.
“The transplant wasn’t supposed to save his life.””
May you like
She whispered:
“It was supposed to save him from what he did.””