Chapter 6 - Richard comes to the hospital
I told security not to let him onto the pediatric floor.
Then reversed it.
My first reflex was power.
My lawyer corrected me.
“Does the hospital have a reason to bar him?”
“He may have ordered someone to harm my son.”
“Have police said that?”
“No.”
“Then you can refuse to see him. You do not control the hospital.”
I hated Emily Park too.
Competence had become personally offensive.
Richard arrived in the public lobby with counsel.
He did not attempt to go upstairs.
Good.
He asked for five minutes.
I agreed in a conference room.
Two lawyers present.
No recording by us except counsel notes.
Richard sat.
Black suit.
Gold cufflinks.
Composed.
“Is Leo all right?”
“Doctors say yes.”
He closed his eyes.
Relief looked real.
Then:
“Victoria?”
“Do not ask me for information about your daughter through this conversation.”
He nodded.
I placed a printed transcript of the recording between us.
Not audio.
Words.
MAKE THE CHILD LOOK WEAK AND SICK.
ONCE ETHAN BELIEVES THE BABY WON’T SURVIVE, HE’LL SIGN ANYTHING.
Richard read.
No visible reaction for several seconds.
Then:
“That is not me.”
“Are you sure?”
He looked up.
“Yes.”
“Did you ever tell Victoria I would sign the continuity package if I thought Leo was dying?”
“No.”
“Something similar?”
His lawyer said:
“Richard.”
He raised one hand.
Then answered.
“I said you would rethink the structure if confronted with the fragility of a single-heir plan.”
I stared.
“That sentence makes you sound guilty even if you aren’t.”
He almost smiled.
Then stopped.
“I did not tell my daughter to make a child sick.”
“Did you tell her to make him look sick?”
“No.”
“Did you know she was switching bottles?”
“No.”
“Deleting footage?”
“No.”
“Holding steam over his face?”
His expression changed.
“What?”
First sign he may not have known details.
Or a good performance.
“Did you tell her to make him cry?”
“No.”
“Did you talk to her about his feeding?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“She said you were overprotective and Sarah was controlling access.”
“Answer.”
“She said Leo’s pediatric issues were being minimized by staff.”
“What issues?”
“Poor weight gain. Coughing. Reflux.”
All real facts.
Then:
“Did you advise her to document them?”
“Yes.”
“Did you advise her to exaggerate?”
“No.”
I leaned closer.
“Someone did.”
Richard looked at the transcript.
Then at me.
“Find him.”
Not:
I’ll find him.
Good.
For once a powerful man did not assume the investigation belonged to him.
May you like
Whether because innocent or frightened, I did not know.
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