Chương 5
Richard saw a faint chalky swirl in the water.
Then Claire returned.
Daniel put the cap on.
When Emily began slipping sideways on the sofa, Richard moved closer.
When Daniel reached for the bottle, Richard kicked it.
That was all.
No brilliant diagnosis.
No heroism.
A boot.
Good timing.
And the terrible possibility that he had misunderstood everything until the phone message appeared.
At ten that evening, Beth returned to the hospital.
She brought Emily’s phone.
Daniel had surrendered it only because it belonged to Emily and police had photographed the relevant messages with her consent.
Beth placed it on the bedside table.
“We found out what B2 is.”
Emily stared at her.
“The garage.”
“Partly. It’s the lodge’s lowest service level. Laundry, engineering, storage, loading access, and a private vehicle bay.”
Emily’s throat tightened.
“His rental was down there?”
“Not when we checked.”
“He moved it.”
“Maybe.”
“Where is he?”
“At the lodge.”
“You let him go?”
Beth pulled the chair closer.
“We did not have enough to arrest him tonight.”
Emily’s face went hot.
“He drugged me.”
“That may be exactly what happened.”
“May?”
“Yes.”
“I’m in a hospital.”
“And I’m building a case that can survive more than one angry evening.”
Emily turned away.
For several seconds, neither woman spoke.
Then Beth said, “The keycard matters.”
Emily looked back.
“Why?”
“Guests aren’t issued access to B2.”
“So he stole it.”
“We don’t know.”
“You say that a lot.”
“I do.”
Beth did not sound offended.
“The lodge is checking access records and staff logs. The card appears to have been issued yesterday afternoon as a temporary vendor credential.”
“To Daniel?”
“No.”
“To whom?”
“A medical transportation service.”
Emily went still.
Beth watched her.
“Does that mean anything to you?”
“No.”
“Your husband says he arranged private transportation because he was concerned you might need to leave the lodge discreetly.”
Emily laughed.
The monitor beside her sped up.
“He arranged it before I got there.”
“That’s what we’re trying to establish.”
“Which service?”
“Northline Medical Transport.”
“I’ve never heard of them.”
“They’re a legitimate company.”
“What were they supposed to do?”
Beth’s mouth tightened.
“According to the preliminary information we received, they were told they might be transporting an adult woman experiencing a severe psychiatric episode.”
Emily stopped breathing for a moment.
“No.”
“They say no transport occurred.”
“No.”
“Emily.”
“No. I don’t have psychiatric episodes.”
Beth waited.
“I had panic attacks after my dad died. Three, maybe four. I saw a therapist. I took medication for six months. That is not—”
“I didn’t say it was.”
“He was going to tell them I was crazy.”
“We don’t know exactly what he intended.”
Emily pushed the blanket away.
“I know.”
She swung her legs toward the floor.
Beth stood.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“You’re admitted.”
“I’m not staying here while he gets to sit at the lodge and make phone calls.”
“You’re not medically cleared.”
“I don’t care.”
“Then care about the fact that leaving now gives him exactly the story he’s already telling.”
Emily froze.
Beth regretted the sentence as soon as she said it.
Too tactical.
Too close to manipulation.
But Emily sat back down.
“What story?”
Beth hesitated.
“Your husband told us you have been unstable since your father died. He says you became paranoid about company finances. He says Lauren exploited that because she is angry about losing her job.”
Emily stared at her.
“He’s fast.”
“Yes.”
“He always is.”
Beth handed her a folded tissue from the box without comment.
Emily did not take it.
“What does Lauren say?”
“That the financial issue is real.”
“Did she show you?”
“She gave us some documents. Financial crimes are not my area, and this county isn’t going to solve a corporate fraud case overnight.”
Emily rubbed her forehead.
“He’ll call the board.”
“He may already have.”
Emily reached for her phone.
Twenty-seven missed calls.
Her brother, Andrew.
Three directors.
The company’s outside counsel.
Her executive assistant.
Two numbers she did not recognize.
And one voicemail from Daniel left before Beth told him to stop contacting her directly.
Emily stared at the notification.
Beth said, “You don’t have to listen.”
“I do.”
She pressed play.
Daniel’s voice filled the small hospital room.
“Em, please don’t let strangers turn this into something it isn’t. You were exhausted. You took something. I was trying to get you somewhere safe. Lauren is using you because she wants revenge. Call Andrew. He’s worried. Everybody is worried. I love you. Please stop making this worse.”
The message ended.
Emily played it again.
Beth watched her face.
“What?”
Emily held up one finger.
She played it a third time.
Then looked at Beth.
“He didn’t ask if I was okay.”
Beth said nothing.
“He knew I was taken to the hospital. He knew I was unconscious. And he never asked if I was okay.”
The next morning, Andrew Mercer arrived from Denver in loafers inappropriate for mountain snow and a cashmere coat he had apparently considered protection against weather.
He hugged Emily too hard.
Then he stepped back.
“What the hell happened?”
Emily looked past him.
“You came alone?”
“Of course.”
“No Daniel?”
Andrew’s expression tightened.
“He called me.”
“I know.”
“Emily, he sounds terrified.”
She laughed.
Andrew frowned.
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
“I talked to the sheriff.”
“Good.”
“They haven’t arrested him.”
“No.”
“Doesn’t that matter?”
Emily stared at her brother.
Andrew was thirty-five, three years older than she was, though for most of childhood he had behaved as if the difference were closer to twenty. When their mother died young, Andrew became the child who followed rules and Emily became the child who tested whether rules had weaknesses.
Their father rewarded both behaviors selectively.
Andrew received responsibility.
Emily received forgiveness.
Neither understood until adulthood that both were forms of control.
“Sit down,” Emily said.
Andrew remained standing.
“Lauren is here?”
“Yes.”
“That woman has spent months threatening the company.”
“She sent one email.”
May you like
“She contacted outside counsel.”
“After Daniel fired her.”
