Chapter 6: The Recording From the Hospital
Amara had always remembered the first three days after the accident as a collection of disconnected images.
A ceiling light.
The smell of antiseptic.
A nurse adjusting the blanket.
Her father's old watch resting on the bedside table.
She remembered waking up unable to move her legs and asking the same question over and over.
"Will I walk again?""
Nobody had given her a straight answer.
Now she was beginning to wonder whether the doctors had been hiding something much worse.
Olivia Bennett stood beside the locked office door.
"Amara, I need you to listen carefully.""
Amara looked at her.
"Why did Dr. Reed tell me not to trust you?""
"I don't know.""
"That isn't reassuring.""
Olivia returned to her chair.
"Your father asked me to protect the company, not to make you believe everything I say without question.""
"Then explain the ownership certificate.""
"I can.""
Olivia opened her briefcase and removed a second document.
"The company your father established was called Northstar Development Group. It was created separately from Williams International.""
Amara nodded.
She remembered the name.
Her father had mentioned Northstar when she was younger, but she had assumed it was one of his abandoned business ideas.
Olivia continued.
"It owns several commercial properties, including the land beneath the Meridian Tower, the Westbridge Plaza, and the Harbor Point development.""
Amara stared at her.
"Those properties are worth hundreds of millions.""
"Correct.""
"Then why would my father leave them to me?""
"Because he believed you would eventually take over the architectural division.""
Amara looked down at the papers.
"But this amendment names Christopher Carter.""
"Yes.""
"Was it legal?""
Olivia shook her head.
"Not without your consent.""
"Then it's fraudulent.""
"That is what I believe.""
Amara looked toward the window.
"Why would Dr. Reed witness it?""
"Perhaps he was involved. Perhaps someone used his credentials. We need the original recording before making assumptions.""
Amara picked up her phone.
"I want to speak to him.""
Olivia hesitated.
"That may not be wise.""
"He's already calling me.""
"Which is precisely why we should be careful.""
Amara's eyes hardened.
"I've spent three years being careful. It hasn't protected me.""
Olivia studied her.
Then she nodded.
"All right. But we record the conversation.""
Dr. Samuel Reed agreed to meet at a private medical office downtown.
He arrived twenty minutes late.
He looked older than Amara remembered, with deep lines around his eyes and a tired expression.
When he entered the consultation room, he stopped.
"Amara.""
She didn't smile.
"Doctor.""
He glanced at Olivia.
"I asked to speak with you alone.""
Olivia placed her briefcase on the table.
"Unfortunately, Ms. Williams has learned that private conversations can be dangerous.""
Dr. Reed sighed.
"I suppose that's fair.""
He sat down.
For a moment, he studied Amara.
Then he said something that made her hands go cold.
"Do you remember what happened when you arrived at the hospital?""
"I remember fragments.""
"Do you remember being conscious?""
"Not until the next morning.""
Dr. Reed nodded.
"That's what your family was told.""
Amara frowned.
"What does that mean?""
He looked down at his hands.
"You were conscious in the ambulance.""
She stared at him.
"That's impossible. I don't remember.""
"Trauma can affect memory. You were in considerable pain, and your blood pressure was unstable.""
"Why are you telling me this?""
Dr. Reed took a breath.
"Because you spoke to the paramedic.""
"What did I say?""
He looked at her.
"You said someone had tampered with your car.""
Amara froze.
"Who?""
"You didn't give a name.""
"Was it recorded?""
Dr. Reed nodded.
"Yes. The ambulance crew documented your statement.""
Olivia leaned forward.
"Why wasn't that included in the original investigation?""
Dr. Reed looked uncomfortable.
"Because the report was amended.""
"By whom?""
He didn't answer.
Amara felt anger rising.
"Doctor, you treated me for months. You watched me struggle through rehabilitation. You watched me learn how to transfer from my bed to this chair.""
"I know.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
His eyes filled.
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of whom?""
Dr. Reed looked toward the door.
"Vanessa.""
Olivia exchanged a glance with Amara.
Dr. Reed continued.
"She came to the hospital the night you were admitted. She told me that your family was already dealing with a difficult legal situation. She asked me to keep certain information out of the medical report.""
Amara stared at him.
"What information?""
"Your statement about the brakes.""
"Why?""
"She said you were confused. That you had been taking medication. She insisted that your statement would create unnecessary problems.""
Amara shook her head.
"I wasn't confused.""
"I know that now.""
"Why didn't you refuse?""
Dr. Reed lowered his eyes.
"Because she threatened my career.""
Olivia's voice sharpened.
"That's not a sufficient explanation.""
"I know.""
He reached into his jacket and removed a small USB drive.
"I kept a copy of the ambulance recording.""
Amara stared at it.
"Why?""
"Because I couldn't bring myself to destroy it.""
He placed it on the table.
"And because I knew one day someone would ask the right questions.""
Olivia picked it up.
"Does this contain the original audio?""
"Yes.""
Amara looked at him.
"Is there anything else?""
Dr. Reed hesitated.
Then he nodded.
"There's something you should know about your brother.""
Amara felt her chest tighten.
"Ethan?""
"Yes.""
"He came to the hospital before you woke up.""
Amara stared.
"Why?""
"He wanted to know whether you would remember anything about the accident.""
The room went silent.
Dr. Reed continued.
"He asked whether you had suffered memory loss. He specifically asked whether you had mentioned seeing another vehicle.""
Amara frowned.
"Another vehicle?""
"Yes.""
"Did I?""
Dr. Reed nodded slowly.
"You told the paramedic that a black SUV had been following you.""
Olivia leaned forward.
"Do you have the vehicle registration?""
"No. But the ambulance driver remembered the description.""
Amara looked down at the USB drive.
A black SUV.
Ethan.
Vanessa.
Christopher.
The pieces were beginning to connect.
But there was one detail she still couldn't understand.
"Doctor, why did you call me today?""
He looked at her.
"Because someone broke into my office last night.""
Amara went still.
"What?""
"They took several patient files. Mine was one of them.""
"Did you report it?""
"Yes.""
"Then why are you here?""
"Because before they left, they wrote something on my office wall.""
Dr. Reed reached into his jacket and removed a photograph.
He placed it in front of her.
The photograph showed a message written in black marker.
*SHE SHOULD HAVE DIED THE FIRST TIME.*
Amara's fingers trembled.
Olivia stood immediately.
"We're leaving.""
But Dr. Reed caught her attention.
"There's more.""
He looked directly at Amara.
"The person who broke into my office knew exactly where I kept the original recording.""
Amara swallowed.
"Who?""
"I recognized the shoes.""
Olivia frowned.
"What?""
"The person wore a pair of dark leather shoes with a silver buckle. I've seen them many times.""
Amara stared.
"Whose shoes?""
Dr. Reed took another breath.
"Your grandfather's.""
The ride back to Richard's estate was silent.
Amara sat in the rear of the security vehicle, holding the USB drive inside her handbag.
She didn't want to believe what Dr. Reed had said.
Richard had protected her when everyone else had abandoned her.
He had defended her in front of the entire ballroom.
He had given her control of Williams International.
He had spent three years helping her rebuild her career.
But the photograph from the hospital had planted a terrible question in her mind.
What if the man who seemed to be protecting her had known more than he admitted?
When the car reached the estate, Margaret was waiting at the entrance.
"Ms. Williams, your grandfather is in his study.""
"Is he alone?""
Margaret hesitated.
"Yes.""
Amara looked at her.
"Why did you hesitate?""
Margaret glanced toward the upstairs corridor.
"Because someone visited earlier.""
"Who?""
"Mr. Christopher Carter.""
Amara's stomach tightened.
"Christopher was here?""
"He asked to speak with your grandfather. They were together for almost an hour.""
"Where is he now?""
"He left.""
Amara looked toward the study.
"Did my grandfather seem upset?""
Margaret lowered her voice.
"He ordered security to delete the visitor's entry from the gate log.""
Amara went still.
"Why?""
"I don't know.""
Margaret looked frightened.
"There's something else. Your grandfather asked me to prepare his private travel documents.""
"Where is he going?""
"He didn't say.""
Amara slowly moved toward the study.
The door was slightly open.
Inside, Richard stood behind his desk, speaking on the telephone.
"No. She cannot know about the original agreement yet.""
Amara stopped.
Richard continued.
"Christopher has already made his move. If she discovers what happened before I can secure the shares, everything will collapse.""
Amara's heart began pounding.
She pushed the door open.
Richard turned.
"Amara?""
She looked directly at him.
"What original agreement?""
Richard slowly placed the phone down.
"Sweetheart, I can explain.""
"Then explain.""
He glanced toward the door.
"Not now.""
"Why did Christopher come here?""
Richard's expression hardened.
"That is a family matter.""
"Was Dr. Reed right about you?""
For the first time since the Christmas celebration, Richard looked genuinely shaken.
"What did he tell you?""
Amara took the USB drive from her handbag and placed it on the desk.
"He said someone wearing your shoes broke into his office.""
Richard stared at the drive.
Then he looked at her.
"Did he give you that?""
"Yes.""
Richard closed his eyes.
"Amara, you shouldn't have taken it.""
"Why?""
He remained silent.
"Grandpa, what's on this recording?""
Richard slowly walked around his desk.
"Something your father never wanted you to hear.""
Amara's voice trembled.
"Then why was it hidden?""
Richard looked toward the window.
Outside, a black SUV had just pulled into the driveway.
A man stepped out.
Christopher Carter.
Richard's face went pale.
"Because," he whispered, "the recording doesn't just implicate Ethan.""
Amara looked at the approaching vehicle.
"Who else does it implicate?""
Richard turned back toward her.
And then he said the words that shattered the last piece of certainty she had left.
"Your father knew the accident was coming.""
A knock sounded at the study door.
Margaret entered, her face drained of color.
"Mr. Williams, there's a problem.""
Richard turned sharply.
"What?""
Margaret swallowed.
"Mr. Carter isn't alone.""
Amara looked past her.
A second figure emerged from the black SUV.
A woman.
Vanessa.
But she wasn't carrying a handbag or wearing an expensive coat.
She was holding a small black briefcase.
Richard whispered a curse.
Then Margaret delivered the final blow.
"Sir, the police are here too. They've come with a warrant for your arrest.""
Amara stared at her grandfather.
Richard slowly raised both hands.
But before the officers entered, he leaned close to Amara and whispered:
"Whatever happens next, do not let them take your father's original recording. It contains the name of the person who ordered the accident.""
The study door burst open.
May you like
And the first officer pointed directly at Richard.
"Richard Williams, you're under arrest for conspiracy, fraud, and evidence tampering.""
