Chapter 5: The Man Who Was in My Daughter's Hospital Room
Marcus stared at the photograph.
Daniel Cross.
His business partner of eleven years.
The man who had stood beside him at his wedding.
The man who had helped him build Hale Cross Logistics from a small warehouse operation into a multimillion-dollar company.
The man who had called Marcus at the airport that same evening and told him everything at the office was under control.
And apparently, the man who had been standing beside Lily's hospital bed while she begged for her father.
"That's Daniel," Marcus whispered.
Emily leaned over his shoulder.
"Who is he?""
"My business partner.""
"Why would he be there?""
Marcus had no answer.
He enlarged the photograph.
Patricia was standing near the foot of the bed, holding a handbag.
Daniel stood beside the window with his hands in his pockets.
Lily's small face was visible above the hospital blanket.
Marcus recognized the stuffed rabbit beside her pillow.
He had bought it for her on her sixth birthday.
His fingers began to shake.
He immediately called Daniel.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
"Marcus," Daniel answered cheerfully.
"Everything okay?""
"Where were you on October fourteenth?""
A pause.
"At the office, I think. Why?""
"Don't lie to me.""
Daniel's voice changed.
"What's going on?""
"Were you at St. Mary's Hospital?""
Silence.
Marcus closed his eyes.
"Answer me.""
"I stopped by briefly.""
"Why?""
"Your mother asked me to.""
Marcus felt his stomach tighten.
"What did she want?""
"She said Emily was creating a difficult situation and that she needed someone to help sort things out.""
"Sort out what?""
"Marcus, this isn't the time.""
"Then when is?""
Daniel sighed.
"Look, I was only trying to help.""
"Did you speak to Lily?""
Another pause.
"Yes.""
"What did you tell her?""
"Nothing important.""
Marcus's voice became dangerously quiet.
"She was dying, Daniel.""
"I didn't know it was that serious.""
"Did you see her?""
"Yes.""
"Did she ask for me?""
Daniel didn't answer.
"Did she ask for me?""
"She did.""
Marcus gripped the edge of the consultation table.
"And what did you say?""
Daniel exhaled.
"I told her you were handling something important.""
Marcus looked at Emily.
She was crying silently.
"Why didn't you call me?""
"Because your mother said not to interfere.""
Marcus almost laughed.
"You're my business partner. Not my mother's.""
"I know.""
"Then why?""
Daniel's voice dropped.
"Because there were things happening at the company that you didn't know about.""
Marcus froze.
"What things?""
Daniel went silent.
"Daniel?""
"I think we should talk in person.""
"Now.""
"Marcus, listen—"
"NOW!""
Daniel agreed to meet him at the company headquarters.
Marcus ended the call.
Emily reached for his arm.
"You're not going alone.""
He looked at her.
"I don't know what's happening anymore.""
"Neither do I. But Lily was our daughter. Whatever happened, we deserve the truth.""
They left the hospital.
The drive to the office took twenty minutes.
Marcus barely noticed the traffic.
He kept thinking about the photograph.
His mother.
Daniel.
Lily.
Three people who had been in that hospital room while he was somewhere else, celebrating a business deal.
When they arrived, the building was almost empty.
The receptionist looked surprised.
"Mr. Hale? I thought you were traveling.""
"Where's Daniel?""
"His office.""
Marcus walked past her without waiting.
Daniel was standing behind his desk, removing documents from a filing cabinet.
He looked up.
"Marcus.""
Marcus threw the photograph onto the desk.
"Explain.""
Daniel looked at it.
His expression changed.
"Where did you get this?""
"That's your first question?""
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
"Your mother said this wouldn't become an issue.""
Marcus stepped closer.
"What did you do?""
"Nothing illegal.""
"That's not an answer.""
Daniel sat down.
"Your mother came to me because she was worried about your personal situation. She said Emily was using Lily to pressure you.""
Marcus stared at him.
"And you believed her?""
"At the time, yes.""
"Why were you at the hospital?""
Daniel looked toward the window.
"Patricia wanted me to witness a conversation.""
"What conversation?""
"She wanted Lily to understand that you weren't going to be available whenever Emily demanded it.""
Marcus felt sick.
"You went into my daughter's room to tell her I wasn't available?""
"She was asking for you constantly.""
"She was seven!""
Daniel slammed his palm against the desk.
"And I told her that!""
Marcus stopped.
Daniel looked shaken by his own outburst.
He lowered his voice.
"Look, I didn't know she was going to die. I thought she was being treated for a fever. Patricia told me everything was under control.""
Emily stepped forward.
"Then why did you stay?""
Daniel looked at her.
"Because Patricia asked me to.""
"Why?""
He hesitated.
Then Marcus noticed the open filing cabinet.
Several folders were stacked inside.
One was labeled PERSONAL ACCOUNTS.
Another was labeled FAMILY TRUST.
He pulled the second folder out.
"What is this?""
Daniel stood quickly.
"Don't touch that.""
Marcus opened it.
Inside were bank statements.
Transfer records.
Documents bearing his signature.
And a series of payments to an account he didn't recognize.
He flipped through the pages.
The transfers had started six months earlier.
Small amounts at first.
Then larger ones.
He looked at Daniel.
"What am I looking at?""
Daniel rubbed his face.
"Those are temporary transfers.""
"From my daughter's trust?""
Daniel didn't answer.
Marcus read the account name.
Hale Family Education Fund.
His stomach turned.
He had established the fund when Lily was born. It was supposed to pay for her education, medical needs, and future expenses.
He had deposited money into it every quarter.
He had always believed it was protected.
Now the statements showed that nearly half the balance had been transferred elsewhere.
Emily looked over his shoulder.
"Marcus...""
He turned another page.
The receiving account belonged to a company called Northbridge Consulting.
"Who owns this company?""
Daniel remained silent.
Marcus searched the folder.
A registration document was clipped to the back.
The listed director was Vanessa Cole.
Marcus felt his knees weaken.
"Vanessa?""
Daniel finally spoke.
"She was helping with financial administration.""
Marcus looked up.
"You gave my daughter's money to Vanessa?""
"It wasn't stolen.""
"Then where is it?""
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
"Some of it went toward operational expenses.""
"And the rest?""
Daniel didn't answer.
Emily picked up another page.
"There's a transfer dated October fifteenth.""
Marcus looked.
The amount was $85,000.
It had been moved the morning after Lily died.
He stared at the date.
"Who authorized this?""
Daniel looked at him.
"Your mother.""
Marcus shook his head.
"She doesn't have authority.""
"She had your account credentials.""
"How?""
Daniel hesitated.
Then he opened another drawer and removed a printed email.
"She had access through an authorization form signed last year.""
Marcus recognized the document.
He had signed it during a period when he was traveling constantly.
It allowed Patricia to handle certain administrative matters on his behalf.
He had trusted her completely.
Daniel placed the email on the desk.
"She asked me to move the remaining balance because she was worried Emily would try to claim it.""
Marcus stared.
"Claim money for Lily?""
"That's what she said.""
Emily looked furious.
"That money belonged to Lily.""
Daniel lowered his eyes.
"I know.""
Marcus's voice trembled.
"Did Vanessa know?""
Daniel nodded.
"She helped create the receiving account.""
"Did she know it was Lily's education fund?""
"Yes.""
Marcus turned away.
He felt as though the entire life he had built was collapsing around him.
His mother had hidden his daughter's illness.
His girlfriend had manipulated his daughter.
His business partner had helped move her money.
And all three had apparently believed he would never discover the truth.
Then Daniel said something that made everything worse.
"Marcus, there's another reason your mother wanted me at the hospital.""
Marcus turned.
"What?""
Daniel reached into the filing cabinet and removed a sealed envelope.
"She wanted me to make sure Lily's medical records didn't mention a particular conversation.""
"What conversation?""
Daniel handed him the envelope.
Inside was a copy of a hospital communication request.
It was dated October fourteenth.
The request asked the hospital to document that Marcus Hale had been contacted and had declined to participate in further decisions.
Marcus stared at the signature.
It looked like his.
But it wasn't.
He had never signed it.
"Who submitted this?""
Daniel swallowed.
"Your mother.""
Marcus looked up.
"And who witnessed it?""
Daniel didn't respond.
Marcus looked at the bottom of the document.
There were two names.
Patricia Hale.
Daniel Cross.
He slowly placed the paper on the desk.
"You're going to tell me everything.""
Daniel sat down.
For several seconds, he stared at his hands.
Then he said:
"Your mother wasn't trying to keep you away from Lily because of Emily.""
Marcus frowned.
"Then why?""
Daniel looked directly at him.
"Because Lily had discovered something about the money.""
Marcus froze.
"What could a seven-year-old possibly know about the money?""
Daniel opened another drawer.
He removed a small USB drive.
"She found a document in your home office. She didn't understand what it meant, but she recognized your name.""
Marcus stared at the drive.
"What document?""
Daniel took a breath.
"The one proving that your mother had been using your daughter's trust fund for years.""
Marcus felt the room spin.
Then his phone vibrated.
An incoming message appeared from Nurse Collins.
Mr. Hale, I just remembered something. Lily told me she had recorded a second message for you. She said it was about something she found in her grandmother's bag.
Marcus looked at Daniel.
May you like
Then at the USB drive.
He suddenly understood that the message wasn't the only thing someone had tried to erase.
