Chapter 5: The Death Certificate
I read the message six times.
My wife was not dead.
It was impossible.
I had seen Sarah's body.
I had stood beside her hospital bed when the machines stopped.
I had watched doctors cover her face.
I had attended her funeral.
I had held Maya while she cried beside her mother's coffin.
But the message remained on my screen.
*YOUR WIFE IS NOT DEAD.*
Detective Harris noticed my expression.
"What happened?""
I showed him the phone.
He read the message, then looked at me.
"Who sent this?""
"I don't know.""
"Has anyone contacted you like this before?""
"No.""
He took out his own phone.
"Give me the number.""
I read it aloud.
He entered it, then frowned.
"That's strange.""
"What?""
"The number isn't showing a registered owner.""
"Can you trace it?""
"We'll try.""
I looked toward the ambulance crew.
Two paramedics were examining Leo.
One was checking his pulse while another carefully assessed the metal restraint around his ankle.
Maya sat beside him, holding his hand.
Noah watched from the doorway of his room.
I wanted to be beside all three children.
Instead, I stood in a cold corridor holding a photograph of my wife and wondering whether the last eleven months of my life had been built on a lie.
Harris approached.
"Daniel, I need to ask you something.""
"Ask.""
"Did you personally identify Sarah's body?""
I stared at him.
"Of course.""
"At the hospital?""
"Yes.""
"Did you see her face?""
I hesitated.
The memory came back in fragments.
White sheets.
Bright lights.
A nurse crying.
A doctor standing beside me.
Sarah's body covered almost completely by a hospital blanket.
I remembered asking to see her.
I remembered the doctor telling me it would be better to remember her as she was.
But had I actually seen her face?
I couldn't remember.
"She was covered," I said.
Harris's expression became serious.
"Who signed the death certificate?""
"Dr. Reeves.""
He nodded.
"And did you receive an independent medical report?""
"No.""
"Daniel, I'm going to ask you to stay calm.""
I laughed without humor.
"My son was chained beneath my sister's house. I discovered another son I never knew existed. Someone just told me my dead wife might be alive. How much calmer do you expect me to be?""
Harris didn't answer.
Instead, he opened his notebook.
"Dr. Reeves has been missing from work for six weeks.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
"His clinic was closed unexpectedly. His staff said he was taking personal leave. His house has been empty.""
I looked toward the photograph in my hand.
"What does that have to do with Sarah?""
Harris lowered his voice.
"Fourteen months ago, Reeves filed a supplemental report connected to Leo's disappearance.""
"What report?""
"A report claiming the remains of a child had been recovered near the highway.""
My chest tightened.
"Leo?""
"That's what the report stated.""
I shook my head.
"That's impossible. There were no remains.""
"According to the original police file, there weren't. The supplemental report was added later.""
"Who authorized it?""
Harris looked at me.
"Dr. Reeves.""
I felt sick.
"Why?""
"That's what we're trying to establish.""
An officer appeared at the top of the staircase.
"Detective, we've found something.""
Harris followed him.
I stayed beside the children until a paramedic approached.
"Mr. Carter?""
"Yes.""
"Your son is severely dehydrated and malnourished. He needs immediate hospital care. The ankle injury will also require evaluation.""
"Will he be okay?""
The paramedic paused.
"We're going to do everything we can.""
I kissed Leo's forehead.
"I'm coming with you.""
He gripped my hand.
"Don't let Grandma come.""
"She won't.""
"And don't let Aunt Elena.""
"I won't.""
He looked at me with frightened eyes.
"Daddy?""
"Yes, buddy?""
"Mommy said not to trust the doctors.""
I froze.
"What doctors?""
"The ones who took my picture.""
Before I could ask anything else, the paramedics lifted him onto the stretcher.
Maya climbed beside him.
I followed them upstairs.
Outside, police cars filled the driveway.
An ambulance stood with its rear doors open.
And across the street, a black SUV was parked beneath a large oak tree.
I recognized it immediately.
It belonged to Dr. Reeves.
"Detective!"" I shouted.
Harris turned.
I pointed toward the vehicle.
"That's the doctor!""
The detective looked toward the street.
The SUV's headlights switched on.
Its engine roared.
"Stop that vehicle!"" Harris yelled.
Two officers ran toward the road.
The SUV reversed violently, struck a parked car, then sped away.
Harris grabbed his radio.
"All units, black SUV heading east. Possible suspect vehicle. Do not lose it.""
I watched the vehicle disappear around the corner.
Then I noticed something on the passenger seat.
A small white envelope.
It had fallen through the open window when the SUV reversed.
I walked toward it.
"Daniel, stay back!"" Harris shouted.
But I had already picked it up.
My name was written on the front.
Inside was a photograph.
It showed Sarah standing outside a building.
She looked thinner than I remembered.
Her hair was shorter.
But she was unmistakably alive.
Behind her was a large sign.
*ST. AGNES PRIVATE REHABILITATION CENTER.*
On the back of the photograph was a handwritten message.
If you want to see your wife again, come alone.
Below it was an address.
I stared at the paper.
Harris took it from my hand.
"You're not going anywhere alone.""
"That's my wife.""
"We don't know that.""
"Look at the photograph!""
"I see it.""
"Then help me find her!""
Harris studied the image.
"St. Agnes closed three years ago.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
"The property was sold. The building is supposedly empty.""
I looked toward the ambulance.
Leo was watching me through the open doors.
"Daddy?""
I walked over.
"Yes, sweetheart?""
"Is Mommy coming?""
I swallowed.
"I don't know.""
He began crying.
"She promised.""
I touched his hair.
"What did she promise?""
Leo looked toward the street.
"She said she'd come back when the bad man stopped looking for us.""
I felt a chill.
"Which bad man?""
Leo's eyes moved toward the hospital paramedic.
Then he whispered:
"The doctor.""
I stepped back.
"Dr. Reeves?""
Leo nodded.
"He told Aunt Elena that Mommy was dead.""
I crouched beside the stretcher.
"Did you see him?""
"Yes.""
"When?""
"The night they took Noah.""
My heart pounded.
"What happened that night?""
Leo looked at Maya.
Then at me.
"Mommy came to get us. She opened the door, but the doctor was waiting.""
His voice trembled.
"He grabbed her.""
I felt my fists clench.
"Where did he take her?""
Leo began crying harder.
"I don't know. But before he left, he told Aunt Elena to make sure nobody ever found out about the other baby.""
The paramedics closed the ambulance doors.
I stood frozen.
Detective Harris approached.
"Daniel, I need you to come with us to the station.""
"I need to find my wife.""
"We need to establish whether that photograph is genuine.""
I looked at the address again.
Then I noticed a small detail in the corner of the photograph.
A reflection in the building's glass entrance.
A man standing behind Sarah.
The man wore a dark suit.
His face was partially visible.
I recognized him.
It was Dr. Reeves.
But that wasn't what frightened me.
Beside him stood another man.
A man I had known for twenty years.
My closest business partner.
My best friend.
The man who had helped me search for Leo.
*Jonathan Miller.*
I turned toward Detective Harris.
"Do you know Jonathan Miller?""
Harris nodded.
"Of course.""
"Then you need to tell me why he's standing beside the doctor who supposedly declared my wife dead.""
Harris took the photograph.
His jaw tightened.
Then he looked at me.
"Daniel, Jonathan Miller is the reason Dr. Reeves disappeared.""
"Why?""
May you like
The detective took a long breath.
"Because three days ago, Jonathan reported him murdered.""
