Chapter 4 - THE PERFECT DEFENSE
Richard’s toxicology report made Vanessa look innocent.
Every substance in his blood matched a prescription.
No illegal sedatives.
No mysterious poison.
Nothing.
Emma stood beside his hospital bed.
“You said they were drugging you.”
“They are.”
“With prescribed medication.”
“They changed the doses.”
“Can you prove that?”
Richard looked away.
Emma hated asking him like a hostile witness.
But Vanessa had built a wall of reasonable explanations.
Dr. Daniel Mercer arrived at 9:10 p.m.
He had treated Richard for eleven years.
Emma confronted him immediately.
“Did you prescribe injections?”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
“Post-concussion agitation and severe insomnia.”
“Did Vanessa request them?”
“She asked what options existed. I made the medical decision.”
“Could the drugs cause confusion?”
“Yes.”
“Memory loss?”
“Temporary memory impairment is possible.”
Emma stared.
“Then how do we know whether Dad consented?”
Mercer sighed.
“Emma, your father was becoming dangerous.”
Richard sat up.
“That’s a lie.”
Mercer looked genuinely uncomfortable.
“You struck a nurse.”
“I pushed her hand away.”
“You attempted to drive while medically restricted.”
“I wanted my car keys.”
“You accused Vanessa of stealing documents that were later found in your own desk.”
Richard went silent.
Emma looked at him.
“Dad?”
“I don’t remember that.”
Mercer nodded sadly.
“That is the problem.”
Emma showed him Tyler’s photograph.
Richard driving a black SUV.
“Do you recognize this?”
Richard stared at it.
“No.”
“The SUV looks like the one that hit you.”
Mercer frowned.
Richard’s face tightened.
“That isn’t possible.”
Emma examined the photograph.
A timestamp showed it was taken six days before the crash.
Richard wore the same white shirt he had worn to a board meeting that day.
“Where were you?”
“At work.”
“Did you drive an SUV?”
“No.”
The hospital door opened.
Vanessa entered with an attorney.
Emma laughed.
“Of course.”
Vanessa ignored the insult.
“This is Claire Benton. She represents me.”
Claire handed Emma a folder.
“What’s this?”
“A copy of the petition Mrs. Hale filed this afternoon.”
Emma opened it.
Temporary guardianship.
Vanessa was asking the court for legal control over Richard’s medical and financial decisions.
Emma looked at her.
“You planned this.”
“I prepared for it.”
“You’re stealing his life.”
“I’m preventing him from destroying it.”
Emma stepped closer.
Vanessa did not retreat.
“You want me to be stupid, Emma. I’m not.”
Emma said nothing.
Vanessa continued.
“If I wanted Richard’s money, I would keep him happy, let him sign a new will, and wait. Public guardianship proceedings create scrutiny. They create hearings. Doctors testify. Bank accounts get examined.”
Emma hated the logic.
“So why do it?”
“Because your father is sick.”
Richard said, “I am not.”
Vanessa looked at him.
“You tried to fire twelve executives in one afternoon.”
“They deserved it.”
“You called the governor at three in the morning.”
“He owed me a call.”
“You accused Tyler of stealing your watch after you gave it to him.”
“I never gave him my watch!”
Vanessa looked back at Emma.
“You see abuse because you arrived at the worst moment. I see the last six weeks.”
Emma held up the photograph.
“And the crash?”
Vanessa’s expression changed.
“I didn’t cause it.”
“You know something.”
“I know Richard was investigating that SUV before the accident.”
Emma froze.
“What?”
Vanessa took another photograph from her bag.
Richard standing beside the same black SUV.
Talking to Tyler.
The timestamp was two days before the crash.
Emma turned toward Richard.
“Dad?”
Richard stared at Tyler in the photograph.
Then he whispered:
“I remember now.”
Emma leaned closer.
“What?”
May you like
Richard looked terrified.
“Tyler told me someone was going to kill me.”
