Chapter 6: The Man Who Knew My Wife's Secret
Daniel stopped just inside the chapel doors.
He was in his early forties, with neatly combed dark hair, a charcoal suit, and the kind of expression people wore when they had rehearsed a difficult conversation too many times.
I recognized him immediately.
He was the man standing beside Nora in the photograph.
He was also the man who had been sitting across from Vanessa in the restaurant six weeks earlier.
And now he was standing in my wedding chapel.
“Who are you?”” I demanded.
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
She shook her head almost imperceptibly.
He ignored her.
“My name is Daniel Brooks.””
“What do you want?””
“To make sure you hear the truth before someone else changes it.””
Vanessa laughed nervously.
“Daniel, this is not the time.””
He looked at her.
“You've been saying that for six years.””
My stomach tightened.
Six years.
I stepped closer.
“What does that mean?””
Daniel glanced at the guests.
“Can we speak somewhere private?””
“No.””
He nodded slowly.
“Then I'll say it here.””
Vanessa rushed toward him.
“You promised!””
Daniel pulled a small envelope from his jacket.
“I promised Rachel I would protect her daughter. I never promised to protect you.””
The chapel fell silent.
I stared at him.
“You knew Rachel?””
Daniel nodded.
“We worked together. She was a financial auditor at a medical equipment company in Columbus.””
I remembered Rachel mentioning her job occasionally.
She had always been careful about what she discussed at home because some of her work involved confidential records.
“Why didn't I know you?””
“Because Rachel kept her professional life separate from her family.””
He placed the envelope on the pew.
“Six years ago, she discovered something wrong with a series of financial transactions. Someone had been using a medical supply company to move money through accounts connected to several private clinics.””
I frowned.
“What does that have to do with my wife?””
“Rachel discovered that one of the clinics was being used to falsify medical records.””
My eyes moved toward Vanessa.
She was staring at the envelope.
Daniel continued.
“She found evidence that a doctor had been creating false pregnancy documentation for women who wanted to obtain financial benefits, manipulate custody arrangements, or make fraudulent insurance claims.””
I felt my stomach turn.
“Dr. Hayes?””
Daniel nodded.
“Martin Hayes was one of the doctors involved.””
I looked toward the surgeon.
He stood near Claire, his hands clasped tightly in front of him.
“Is that why Vanessa contacted him?””
Daniel nodded again.
“She knew about the old operation because she had been involved with someone connected to it.””
Vanessa suddenly shouted.
“That's a lie!””
Daniel didn't flinch.
“Then explain why you were in possession of Rachel's missing phone.””
I turned toward her.
“You had Rachel's phone?””
She looked at me.
“Ethan, don't listen to him.””
Daniel opened the envelope.
Inside was a printed photograph of Rachel.
She was sitting at a small café table, wearing the blue cardigan I had bought her for our fifth anniversary.
My throat tightened.
Daniel placed another photograph beside it.
This one showed Rachel standing beside a man.
The same man who was now standing in front of me.
“Rachel gave me the phone three days before she died,” Daniel explained.
“She had discovered that someone was following her.””
“Why didn't she tell me?””
“She wanted to. But she was afraid you would get involved.””
I felt anger rising.
“I was her husband.””
“I know.””
“Then she should have trusted me!””
Daniel looked down.
“She did trust you. That's why she wanted to keep you and Nora safe.””
I stared at the photograph.
“Who was following her?””
Daniel looked toward Vanessa.
“Her.””
The word landed like a slap.
Vanessa stepped backward.
“That's absurd.””
Daniel removed another document.
“Rachel discovered that Vanessa had been using a false identity to obtain access to medical records and insurance information.””
I looked at Vanessa.
“Your name is Vanessa Cole.””
“Of course it is!””
Daniel shook his head.
“No. It wasn't always.””
He placed the document on the pew.
It contained two photographs and a name.
*Victoria Collins.*
I looked from the document to Vanessa.
The resemblance was unmistakable.
“Who is Victoria Collins?””
Vanessa's face crumpled.
“Ethan, I can explain.””
Daniel answered instead.
“Victoria was the name she used when she worked for a medical billing company. She was dismissed after an investigation into fraudulent claims.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“That investigation was unfair!””
Daniel continued.
“Rachel was one of the people who discovered the fraud.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“So Rachel knew her?””
“Yes. They met during the investigation. Rachel later discovered that Victoria had started contacting people connected to her family.””
My mind raced.
“Why would she come after Rachel?””
Daniel looked at the envelope.
“Because Rachel had evidence.””
He pulled out a small flash drive.
“This contains copies of the records she managed to save.””
I stared at it.
“What's on it?””
“Financial transfers, altered medical documents, and correspondence involving several people.””
He paused.
“There's also a recording Rachel made the night before the accident.””
My breath caught.
“The night she died?””
Daniel nodded.
I reached for the drive.
But he held it back.
“Before you listen, you need to understand something.””
“What?””
“Rachel was pregnant.””
I closed my eyes.
“I know.””
“No, Ethan. You don't.””
He placed a final document in front of me.
It was a hospital laboratory report dated six years earlier.
Rachel's name was printed at the top.
The result was positive.
Five weeks pregnant.
My hands began trembling.
I read the date.
Then I read it again.
Rachel had been pregnant with our second child.
I looked at Daniel.
“Why didn't she tell me?””
“She planned to. She wanted to wait until she was certain everything was safe.””
“Safe from what?””
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“From someone who had threatened to destroy her family.””
Vanessa suddenly screamed.
“Stop making me responsible for everything!””
Daniel's voice remained calm.
“You had six years to tell the truth.””
I turned toward her.
“Did you know Rachel was pregnant?””
She didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
“Vanessa, look at me.””
Her eyes met mine.
And she whispered something that made the entire room disappear.
“I knew.””
I could barely speak.
“You knew my wife was pregnant?””
She nodded.
“And you never told me?””
“I was trying to protect myself.””
“From what?””
She looked toward the chapel doors.
Then she said:
“Because I was there the night Rachel died.””
My heart stopped.
May you like
Before I could move, she added:
“And I wasn't alone.””
