Chapter 15 - The Hospital Laptop
Rachel’s laptop sat on a chair beside Emma’s bed.
She had not touched it since Sunday.
Federal technicians examined it.
At 9:12 Monday morning, someone connected remotely through a hospital guest network.
The login used Rachel’s password.
The device camera captured a reflection in the dark screen during the session.
A man in scrubs.
He stood behind the laptop for ninety seconds.
Not a doctor.
Not a nurse.
Hospital security found him on hallway footage.
The man was identified as Thomas Greer, a private investigator Claire had used during her divorce from her first husband.
I looked at Lena.
“She was married before?”
Lena nodded.
“Briefly. Sealed records.”
Claire had told me she had never married.
Greer was arrested that night at a motel near the airport.
He had three phones.
One contained messages from Claire.
LEAK THE FILE AFTER THE BOARD MEETING.
MAKE IT LOOK LIKE MICHAEL CAN’T CONTROL HIS OWN DISCLOSURE.
Another message:
IF HE KEEPS THE COMPANY, DESTROY TRUST IN HIM.
The last message had been sent after Claire’s arrest.
USE THE GIRL’S ROOM IF YOU NEED ACCESS. PEOPLE WATCH THE FRONT DESK, NOT THE CHILD.
I stopped reading.
Claire had used Emma as a location.
A prop.
A pressure point.
Again.
I called the prosecutor.
“I want every protective condition enforced.”
“They are.”
“She had someone inside my daughter’s hospital room.”
“We’re adding witness-tampering counts.”
“Good.”
The next morning, Claire requested to speak with me.
I said no.
She sent a message through her attorney.
TELL MICHAEL I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS MOTHER.
My mother had died when I was sixteen.
Single-car crash.
Rainy night.
Police report said she fell asleep.
“What?”
Rachel sat down.
May you like
“Dad never believed it was an accident.”
And suddenly my father’s red notebook felt unfinished.
