Chapter 4 - What Claire Put in the CabinetClaire was waiting outside Maya's room when I returned.
She saw Adrian behind me.
Her mouth fell open.
“You brought him here?”
“No.”
Adrian stopped several feet away.
“I'll stay out of it.”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“You already put yourself in it fifteen years ago.”
I looked at her.
“Don't.”
She turned to me.
“You believe him?”
“I believe documents.”
Her eyes filled.
“Marcus…”
“Dr. Bennett wants to see us.”
She looked frightened.
“What did he say?”
“That he found something in Maya's chart that doesn't fit.”
Claire's face changed.
She looked at the floor.
I noticed it.
That tiny movement.
The same one from our kitchen.
The one that had seemed meaningless before.
Now it looked like an admission.
Inside Maya's room, Dr. Bennett stood beside the monitor.
Nia was there too.
Maya was awake.
She looked exhausted.
But when she saw Adrian, she stared.
He didn't approach.
He only said, “Hi, Maya.”
She frowned.
“Do I know you?”
Adrian's eyes filled with tears.
“No.”
Claire stepped forward.
“Don't confuse her.”
Maya looked at her mother.
“Why does he know my name?”
Nobody answered.
Dr. Bennett interrupted.
“Let's keep everyone focused.”
He turned toward the computer.
“The imaging from tonight suggests obstruction. But when I compared it with the older scan, I found something unusual.”
He displayed both images side by side.
“These are not the same.”
I frowned.
“What changed?”
“The location of the obstruction.”
Claire whispered, “What does that mean?”
“It means I don't believe the original report was complete.”
He enlarged another section.
There was a small note in the corner.
Medication history incomplete.
Dr. Bennett looked at Claire.
“What medication has Maya been taking?”
Claire stiffened.
“Nothing significant.”
Nia spoke.
“We found this in her handbag.”
She placed a plastic prescription bottle on the counter.
I recognized it immediately.
It wasn't Maya's prescription.
I looked at Claire.
“What is that?”
She didn't answer.
Dr. Bennett picked it up.
“Who prescribed this?”
Claire swallowed.
“It belongs to me.”
“Then why is your daughter carrying it?”
“She took one by mistake.”
“How many?”
Claire looked away.
“I don't know.”
Maya whispered, “Three.”
I turned.
“Three?”
She nodded.
“Mom said it was okay.”
Claire's face crumpled.
“Maya, I was trying to help.”
Dr. Bennett examined the bottle.
“These tablets are not appropriate for a child with impaired kidney function.”
I felt the blood leave my face.
“You knew about her kidney problem.”
Claire started crying.
“I knew she had some kind of problem.”
“You gave her your medication?”
“I only gave her one.”
Maya shook her head.
“Three times.”
Claire turned sharply.
“Stop.”
Maya flinched.
I stepped between them.
“Don't talk to her like that.”
Dr. Bennett's voice cut through the room.
“Mr. Bennett, I need to be absolutely clear. We are not determining intent tonight. We are determining what happened to your daughter's body.”
That sentence stayed with me.
What happened to your daughter's body.
I looked at Claire.
“What exactly were you trying to fix?”
She covered her face.
“I wanted to stop the pain.”
“You could have taken her to a doctor.”
“They would've asked questions.”
“What questions?”
She didn't answer.
Dr. Bennett looked toward the door.
“I think we need social work involved.”
Claire lowered her hands.
“No.”
“Mrs. Bennett—”
“No.”
Her voice was suddenly fierce.
“You can't do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because this family is not what you think.”
I laughed bitterly.
“Believe me. I know.”
Claire looked at me.
“I did all of this because I knew what would happen.”
“What would happen?”
“You would find out.”
“I already did.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You found out a part.”
Maya stared at her mother.
Claire walked to the bedside.
“Maya…”
My daughter pulled the blanket up to her chin.
“Don't.”
Claire stopped.
“You said you'd tell him when you were older.”
Maya looked at me.
Her expression changed.
“You promised me.”
I turned toward Claire.
“What did you promise her?”
Claire's lips trembled.
Maya answered.
“That you'd tell Dad the truth.”
“What truth?”
Claire sat down.
“Marcus…”
“What truth?”
She looked at Maya.
Then at me.
“Maya isn't—”
She stopped.
A loud knock came from the hallway.
A hospital security officer stepped inside.
“Mr. Bennett?”
“Yes?”
“There are two detectives downstairs asking for you.”
I stared at him.
“Why?”
He checked his tablet.
“They said they're investigating a report involving your family.”
Claire stood so quickly her chair scraped the floor.
“What report?”
The officer looked toward her.
“A report of suspected medical neglect.”
Claire grabbed my arm.
“Marcus, you have to listen to me.”
I pulled away.
“You should have listened to Maya.”
One of the detectives appeared at the doorway.
He looked directly at Claire.
“Mrs. Bennett, we need to ask you about an appointment you canceled three weeks ago.”
Claire went white.
May you like
Then the detective said something that made me stop breathing.
“And we also need to ask why you picked up a prescription at a pharmacy under the name of another woman.”
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