Chapter 9 - THE FILE UNDER THE CHAPEL
The old chapel stood on a quiet street between a closed bakery and a row of brick warehouses. Its stained-glass windows were dusty, and the wooden door had swollen in the damp weather.
Dominic insisted that investigators be notified before they entered. Chloe agreed, though every minute felt like another chance for the evidence to disappear.
A detective met them outside.
Inside, the chapel smelled of old wood and candle wax. The altar had been removed years earlier, leaving a plain stone platform. Chloe searched the pews while Dominic examined the wall behind the lectern.
“Margaret used to bring me here when I was little,” Chloe said. “She said it was a place where people could tell the truth without being interrupted.”
Dominic looked at her. “She sounds like someone I should have listened to.”
They found a loose floorboard beneath the first pew.
Inside was a metal document box wrapped in oilcloth.
The detective photographed it before opening the lid.
There were original invoices, signed delivery forms, medical authorizations, and a small audio recorder. A label on the recorder carried Margaret's handwriting:
IF I AM NOT HERE.
The detective played the recording.
Margaret's voice filled the empty chapel.
“My name is Margaret Henderson. I am making this recording because I believe the medication being supplied through Northstar is being used without patient consent. Victor Sloane knows. Dr. Reed knows. I do not know how high this goes, but I have seen payments approved by people who should have questioned them.”
There was a pause. Then her voice became softer.
“Chloe, if you ever hear this, I am sorry. I wanted to protect you. I thought I could fix it before you noticed anything was wrong. I was mistaken.”
Chloe covered her mouth.
“I love you. None of this is your fault. Don't let anyone tell you that being afraid means you are weak.”
The recording ended.
For several seconds, Chloe couldn't move.
Dominic stood beside her, his hands clenched at his sides.
The detective examined the remaining documents. One authorization carried the signature of Dominic's father, who had died five years earlier. Another carried Isabella's.
Dominic looked at the signatures.
“My father knew about the supplier,” he said.
“Maybe he knew about the payments,” the detective replied. “We need to establish what he knew about the medication.”
The final document was a handwritten list of names. Beside each name was a date and a payment amount. Some patients had received compensation. Others had not.
At the bottom, Margaret had written:
THE MONEY WAS NEVER FOR TREATMENT. IT WAS FOR SILENCE.
The detective secured the box.
As they stepped outside, Dominic's phone rang. Matteo's voice was urgent.
“Boss, Sloane's people are moving. We have a location.”
“Where?”
“Airport hotel. He's trying to leave the country.”
Dominic looked toward the detective.
“Tell the investigators. We are not handling this ourselves.”
Chloe met his eyes.
“Good.”
Dominic nodded.
For once, he did not mistake revenge for justice.
But before they could leave, Chloe's phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number contained a photograph of her mother's grave.
May you like
Under it were four words:
SHE SHOULD HAVE STAYED QUIET.
