Chapter 13 - What the Missing Page Said
The archived page was a statement Peter had made to a hospital administrator. He claimed Eleanor had been confused by medication and had asked him to handle foundation matters on her behalf. The statement was dated two days before her death, but the hospital's notes said Eleanor had been alert and able to speak with her doctors that afternoon.
Elaine read it twice. “This doesn't change the medical cause of death by itself. But it raises questions about why Peter was presenting himself as her representative, and why this statement was later restricted.”
The investigators also recovered an email from Peter to a Northstar account, sent the day after Eleanor died: She won't be asking questions now. Make sure the transfer stays off the quarterly report. The wording was chilling, but the prosecutor cautioned that it referred to financial records, not necessarily to Eleanor's death.
Richard wanted to know if Peter had caused the medical complication. The evidence did not establish that, and no one would pretend it did. What it showed was that Peter had used the hospital period to gain access to papers and later helped conceal financial misconduct.
When Richard returned home, Maya waited at the top of the stairs. “Did you find out what happened to Mommy?”
“Some things,” he said. “We found proof that people lied about money and hid papers. We don't have proof anyone caused her death.”
Maya looked down. “So it wasn't my fault?”
“No. Not then. Not ever.”
She began to cry, quietly at first, then with the full grief she had tried to hold back for two years. Richard sat beside her and let her cry without asking her to stop.
When she was ready, she leaned against him. “Can we open Mommy's room and leave it open?”
“Yes.”
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Together they opened the curtains, dusted the desk, and set Eleanor's blue mug by the window.
Then the doorbell rang. Two detectives stood outside with a warrant for Peter Vance's office records.
