Chapter 3 - THE DEATH CERTIFICATE
Margaret’s death certificate existed.
That was the first impossible document.
Cause:
acute myocardial infarction.
Time of death:
6:42 p.m.
Attending physician:
Dr. Leonard Price.
But hospital records showed something else.
Margaret had never been admitted to a hospital.
The certificate came from a private concierge physician.
Dr. Price had known Adrian’s family for years.
He claimed Margaret collapsed at home.
He examined her.
No pulse.
No respiration.
He signed.
Except Margaret had a pulse.
Weak.
Slow.
Suppressed by medication.
The toxicology report identified a sedative capable of lowering respiratory rate significantly in an older adult.
Mara asked:
“Who had access to her medications?”
Evelyn answered:
“Adrian.”
That hurt to say.
He had taken over Margaret’s pill organizer three months earlier, saying Evelyn was too stressed.
At the time it felt caring.
Now every kindness had to be reexamined.
Dr. Price lawyered up.
He insisted he believed Margaret was dead.
Possible?
Barely.
Acceptable?
No.
The state medical board opened an investigation.
Then Mara found another problem.
The funeral authorization form contained Evelyn’s electronic signature.
Evelyn never signed it.
Neither did Margaret.
Adrian had arranged cremation authority using a forged family consent package.
Why rush cremation?
Because cremation destroys evidence.
May you like
Mara did not say that dramatically.
She did not need to.
