Chapter 2 - The Doctor's Sentence
Dr. Harrison walked into the room, his eyes sharp behind rimless glasses. He looked at Diane and Richard standing beside the freshly made, empty hospital bed. Diane was holding a manila folder, her smug expression suddenly faltering as she realized the room was completely void of personal belongings.
"Where is she?" Richard demanded, stepping forward with his usual aggressive posture. "Where is my daughter-in-law? We came to check on her progress."
Dr. Harrison pulled a document from his clipboard and looked directly at Richard.
"Mrs. Claire Mercer was discharged two hours ago under federal witness protection and law enforcement escort, immediately following her formal statement to the District Attorney."
Diane dropped her cane onto the tile floor with a loud clatter. Richard’s face lost all color, his mouth opening slightly as the full weight of the doctor's words hit them.
"Federal protection?" Diane gasped, grabbing her husband's arm. "That's ridiculous! She fell down the stairs! She's mentally unstable!"
"The medical examiners found double fractures inconsistent with a simple fall, alongside severe blunt force trauma patterns that match a heavy object, such as a cane," Dr. Harrison said calmly, glancing down at the wooden cane on the floor. "The authorities were brought in yesterday. The high-definition audio and video footage submitted by Mrs. Mercer’s legal counsel made any further questioning of her story entirely unnecessary."
"Footage?" Richard’s voice cracked.
"Every angle of the attack in your home was recorded in 4K resolution and transmitted directly to an off-site server," Dr. Harrison continued. "Along with forensic accounting logs detailing four years of embezzled corporate funds. If I were you, I would not be looking for Claire. I would be looking for a criminal defense lawyer."
Before Richard or Diane could speak, two police officers walked into the hallway, standing right outside the room. Dr. Harrison handed Diane the note Claire had left behind.
Diane opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a single printed line:
“You wanted my silence. Now you will listen to the court.”
Diane collapsed into the plastic waiting room chair behind her, her air of superiority instantly evaporating. Richard reached for his phone to call Evan, but his hands were shaking so badly he dropped it twice.
When he finally got through, Evan answered on the second ring, sounding panicked. "Dad! Where are you? Federal agents just walked into the corporate office with a search warrant. They're freezing all primary accounts!"
"Evan..." Richard choked out, looking at the police officers outside the door. "She recorded everything. She had cameras."
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Silence hung on the line for three agonizing seconds before Evan spoke, his voice trembling with a realization that was far too late. "What did she do?"
"She didn’t just leave," Richard whispered, watching the officers step into the hospital room. "She built a trap, and we walked right into it."
