Chapter 4: The Woman Who Entered My Daughter's Room
For several seconds, Marcus couldn't hear anything.
The phone was still pressed against his ear, but Officer Brooks's words seemed to come from somewhere far away.
Vanessa had entered Lily's hospital room.
Vanessa had signed Claire's name.
And according to the preliminary medical report, someone might have given his daughter medication that wasn't prescribed to her.
Marcus slowly lowered the phone.
Claire stood beside the broken cup, one hand covering her mouth.
“Tell me I heard that wrong,” she whispered.
Marcus couldn't answer.
He called Officer Brooks again.
“Why would Vanessa use Claire's name?””
“We're investigating that,” the officer replied.
“But I need you both to understand something. This is now a potential criminal investigation. Neither of you should contact Vanessa.””
“Where is she?””
“I can't disclose her current location.””
“She was at my house yesterday. She was standing ten feet away from me!””
“I understand, Mr. Hale. But don't confront her.””
Marcus slammed his free hand against the kitchen counter.
“My daughter is dead!””
“I know.””
“No, you don't know! She was seven years old!””
Officer Brooks remained silent.
Then he said, “I promise we're treating this seriously. I need you to bring us the original recording and Lily's handwritten note. Can you do that?””
“Yes.””
“Good. And Marcus?””
“What?””
“If Vanessa contacts you, don't respond. Call me immediately.””
The call ended.
Marcus looked at Claire.
She was crying again, but she wasn't making any sound.
He stepped toward her.
“Claire…”
She raised her hand.
“Don't.””
“I know you hate me.””
“I don't have the energy to hate you.””
“I'm sorry.””
She stared at the broken pieces of the cup.
“You know what Lily used to do when she was frightened?””
Marcus shook his head.
“She would hold my little finger. Not my whole hand. Just one finger. She said it made her feel like she was holding onto the strongest person in the world.””
Claire wiped her cheeks.
“On Monday, she kept asking me to hold her finger.””
Marcus looked down.
“She didn't want to be alone.””
He sat heavily in the chair.
“Was she scared?””
Claire closed her eyes.
“Yes.””
The answer destroyed him.
For a moment, he imagined his daughter lying in that hospital bed, searching the doorway for a father who never came.
He could almost hear her small voice.
Daddy?
Then Claire reached into her handbag.
“There is something else.””
She removed a folded hospital visitor slip.
“I found this in my coat pocket after the funeral. The hospital gave it to me by mistake.””
Marcus took it.
The paper listed the names of visitors who had entered Lily's room on Monday.
Claire Hale.
Nurse Rebecca Mills.
Dr. Aaron Patel.
And, near the bottom:
*CLAIRE HALE — 7:36 P.M.*
Marcus stared at the entry.
“That's Vanessa's handwriting?””
Claire nodded.
“I know my own handwriting. This isn't mine.””
“Why didn't you give this to the police?””
“I was going to. But I wanted to understand why she was there first.””
Marcus examined the paper.
At the bottom was a handwritten note.
Family member requested privacy.
He looked at Claire.
“What does that mean?””
“I don't know.””
The phone rang again.
This time, it was an unfamiliar number.
Marcus answered cautiously.
“Hello?””
A woman's voice spoke.
“Mr. Hale? This is Rebecca Mills. I'm one of the nurses who cared for Lily.””
Marcus immediately sat upright.
“Yes. Yes, of course.””
“I heard Officer Brooks is investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.””
“That's right.””
There was a pause.
“I've been debating whether to contact you.””
“Why?””
“Because there was something unusual about Monday evening.””
Marcus gripped the phone.
“What happened?””
“I wasn't assigned to Lily's room for most of the afternoon, but I came in around 7:30 to check her medication.””
“Okay.””
“There was a woman sitting beside her bed.””
“Vanessa?””
“I didn't know her name at the time. She introduced herself as a family friend.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“What was she doing?””
“Lily was holding a little pink phone. The woman kept asking her to put it away.””
“Why?””
“I don't know. I thought perhaps she wanted Lily to rest.””
Marcus looked at Claire.
“What happened next?””
Rebecca lowered her voice.
“The woman said something that made me uncomfortable.””
“What?””
“She told Lily that her father had asked her not to call anymore.””
Marcus felt his chest tighten.
“That's impossible.””
“I know. I heard the message Lily had received later. But I didn't know the context then.””
“Did Lily believe her?””
Rebecca hesitated.
“She started crying.””
Marcus pressed his fingers against his forehead.
“What else?””
“The woman took a small bottle out of her handbag.””
“What bottle?””
“I couldn't see the label clearly. She told Lily it was something to help her sleep.””
Marcus stood.
“Did you let her give it to my daughter?””
“No. I told her that only authorized medical staff could administer medication.””
“Did she give it anyway?””
“I don't know. I had to leave briefly because another patient needed assistance.””
Marcus's voice rose.
“You left my daughter alone with her?””
“Mr. Hale, I had another medical emergency. I returned within minutes.””
“What did you see?””
Rebecca took a breath.
“When I came back, the woman was gone. Lily was unusually drowsy.””
Marcus's hand began to shake.
“Did you report it?””
“I mentioned the visitor's behavior to the charge nurse. But at the time, I didn't know anything had been administered. I thought Lily's condition was changing naturally.””
“Did you see Vanessa again?””
“No.””
“Please, tell me you're certain.””
“I'm certain she left before I returned.””
Marcus ended the call only after promising Rebecca that the police would contact her.
He turned to Claire.
“We have to go to the station.””
She nodded.
But before either could move, Marcus's phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
Unknown number.
You should stop asking questions. Lily is gone. Nothing you do will bring her back.
Marcus stared at the screen.
A second message arrived.
If you keep digging, you'll lose everything.
Claire read it over his shoulder.
“Is that Vanessa?””
“I don't know.””
He took a screenshot and sent it to Officer Brooks.
Within seconds, the officer called.
“Where are you?””
“At home.””
“Stay there. We're sending someone.””
Marcus looked at the message again.
Then a third notification appeared.
This one contained a photograph.
It showed Lily's hospital room.
Her little bed.
Her yellow blanket.
And a woman standing beside the window.
The woman's face was partially turned toward the camera.
But Marcus recognized the cream blouse.
Vanessa.
The photograph had been taken on Monday evening.
On the back of the image, visible in the message preview, was a handwritten sentence.
She should have been left alone.
Marcus felt the blood drain from his face.
“Claire…”
She took the phone.
Her eyes widened.
Then she whispered something he would never forget.
“Marcus, look at the clock in the photograph.””
He zoomed in.
The hospital room clock read 7:41 p.m.
May you like
The message to Lily had been sent at 7:42.
And Vanessa was standing beside the bed.
