Chapter 16 - THE WITNESS FROM THE CLINIC
The former clinic administrator was named Patricia Wynn.
She arrived at the café ten minutes early, wearing a beige coat and carrying a canvas bag. Daniel sat at the next table, close enough to intervene but far enough away to let her speak freely.
Luca attended with Elena.
Patricia recognized him immediately.
“I wondered if this day would come,” she said.
Luca kept his voice even.
“Did you know I was being poisoned?”
Patricia's hands trembled.
“I knew the medication was unusual. I didn't know it was poison.”
“Who ordered it?”
“Dr. Voss.”
“Who paid?”
“Mr. Rourke.”
Elena leaned forward.
“Why was my name in the records?”
Patricia looked at her.
“Because Mr. Rourke told us you were part of the treatment plan. He said you were a family member who needed privacy.”
“I never received treatment there.”
“I know that now.”
Patricia opened her bag and removed a small notebook.
“I kept copies of the original delivery entries. When the clinic closed, Dr. Voss told me to destroy everything. I couldn't.”
She placed the notebook on the table.
The entries showed repeated deliveries of the compound, each signed by a nurse whose name had been crossed out. The same initials appeared beside every authorization: S.R.
Luca studied the pages.
“Why didn't you go to the authorities?”
Patricia looked down.
“Mr. Rourke told me your family would destroy my life if I spoke. He showed me photographs of my children leaving school.”
Elena's expression tightened.
“He threatened your children?”
“He said he was protecting them. I believed him because he knew where they went every day.”
Luca's hands closed around the edge of the table.
“I'm sorry.”
Patricia looked at him with tired eyes.
“You didn't do it.”
“No. But I should have known what was happening in my own house.”
She shook her head.
“You were the patient.”
The notebook contained another detail. A delivery had been made to the estate's private medical room on the same afternoon Luca first lost movement in his legs. The nurse's initials matched a staff member who had resigned shortly afterward.
Daniel photographed every page.
“Can you identify the nurse?” he asked.
Patricia nodded.
“Her name was Margaret Ellis. She moved to Indiana. I haven't spoken to her in years.”
“Do you know where?”
“I kept an emergency contact in the notebook.”
Daniel looked at Luca.
“We can find her.”
Patricia stood to leave.
Before she did, she turned back.
“There is one more thing. Dr. Voss told me the compound was supposed to be temporary. He said Mr. Costello would recover after a few months.”
Luca stared at her.
“Then why did it continue?”
Patricia swallowed.
“Because someone kept renewing the orders.”
“Who?”
“Mr. Rourke.”
The café seemed to fall silent.
Luca thanked her and let Daniel escort her to her car.
On the ride back, Elena sat beside him without speaking.
Finally, she said, “He made you believe your body had failed.”
“Yes.”
“And he made me believe you had abandoned us.”
Luca looked out at the passing buildings.
“He stole twelve years from both of us.”
May you like
Elena turned toward him.
“Then don't let anger steal the years you still have.”
