Chapter 5 - Sarah’s Last NightSarah Lawson had died thirteen months earlier.
Official cause: an accidental medical event complicated by a previously undiagnosed condition.
She was thirty-eight.
Healthy.
A mother of one.
And according to the original report, Nathan Mercer had discovered her unconscious during a family visit.
At the time, nobody had suspected him of anything.
Why would they?
Nathan attempted resuscitation.
Called emergency services.
Rode to the hospital.
Comforted Emily afterward.
He even spoke at Sarah’s funeral.
Mara requested the entire case file.
Within two hours, she sat across a table from the county medical examiner, Dr. Sofia Chen.
Chen had not conducted Sarah’s original examination but reviewed the records.
“The conclusion wasn’t unreasonable based on what was available.”
“Was it certain?”
“No cause of death is interpreted in a vacuum. Medical history matters.”
Mara nearly laughed.
Context again.
“What medical history?”
“Episodes of dizziness, anxiety, fainting.”
“Who provided that history?”
Chen checked.
“Her brother-in-law.”
“Nathan Mercer.”
“Yes.”
“Anyone else confirm it?”
Chen read farther.
“Her primary-care physician noted anxiety complaints.”
“Who referred her to that physician?”
Chen looked up.
“You already know.”
“Nathan.”
Mara leaned back.
Every road returned to him.
“Can you determine now whether something was missed?”
“I can reexamine retained samples if they’re still available.”
“How long?”
“I’ll prioritize it.”
Emily spent the morning giving investigators every detail she remembered about Sarah’s final weeks.
Sarah had been worried.
Not about herself.
About Hannah.
“She called me two weeks before she died,” Emily said. “She asked why Hannah was hospitalized so often.”
“What did you tell her?”
“That Nathan believed she had an unusual condition.”
“What did Sarah say?”
“She said I should get an independent opinion.”
“Did Nathan know?”
“I mentioned it.”
Emily closed her eyes.
“He became furious.”
“Why?”
“He said Sarah was undermining him.”
Mara’s pen stopped.
“Was Nathan alone with Sarah the day she died?”
“For maybe twenty minutes.”
“What happened immediately before?”
“We were at Sarah’s house. Her son had a soccer game. I left with the girls. Nathan said he’d follow later because Sarah wanted him to look at some medical paperwork.”
“And he called you?”
“Thirty-two minutes later.”
“Saying?”
“That Sarah had collapsed.”
Emily began crying silently.
“I thanked him for trying to save her.”
Mara let the silence sit.
There were moments when investigators should not interrupt.
Finally Emily whispered, “I slept beside that man afterward and thanked him for trying to save my sister.”
“You didn’t know.”
“I should have.”
“You had no reason to.”
“I had Hannah.”
Mara looked at her.
“I should have seen it.”
Later that afternoon, federal authorities joined the search because evidence suggested Nathan might cross state lines and because alleged offenses involved controlled medical access and interstate records.
His photograph appeared across regional news.
Hospital administrators held a press conference.
St. Matthew’s placed Nathan on immediate suspension and announced an internal review.
Former patients began calling.
At first, dozens.
Then hundreds.
Most had normal experiences.
Nathan had treated children for years.
Many families defended him.
“He saved my son.”
“He was the only doctor who listened.”
“He was wonderful.”
Online, arguments exploded.
Some accused Emily of framing him during a custody dispute.
Others attacked police for believing children.
Mara knew Nathan would love that.
Confusion protected him.
Then one call stood out.
A woman named Rebecca Sloan.
Her nine-year-old son, Caleb, had been treated by Nathan three years earlier for repeated unexplained illnesses.
Caleb had been hospitalized six times.
Nathan eventually stopped treating him when the family moved.
Something unexpected happened afterward.
Caleb got better.
Completely.
Rebecca had always considered it a miracle.
Now she wanted investigators to examine his history.
Mara forwarded the case for review.
Then another family called.
Then another.
The investigation expanded.
But Nathan remained invisible.
Until 5:40 p.m.
A traffic camera captured a man resembling him driving a stolen pickup northbound.
Police pursued leads toward the state line.
The vehicle was discovered abandoned ninety minutes later.
Inside were disposable gloves, bottled water, and a prepaid phone.
No fingerprints.
No Nathan.
But the phone had one outgoing call.
To Emily.
Her protected hospital number.
It had rung once before automatically disconnecting.
“He knows where I am,” Emily said.
Mara disagreed.
“He knows you’re probably still at the hospital.”
“That isn’t what I mean.”
Emily’s hands shook.
“He wants me to know he can reach me.”
They moved Emily and the twins that night.
The destination was confidential.
Only a small group of investigators knew.
A secure family-services residence outside the city was chosen.
No public registration.
No hospital records.
No electronic connection to Nathan.
Terrence drove the second vehicle.
Lucy and Hannah slept against one another in the back seat.
Emily sat beside them.
For the first time since her rescue, she appeared calm.
“Officer Callahan?”
Terrence looked in the mirror.
“Yes?”
“Lucy told me what you did.”
“What did I do?”
“You believed her.”
Terrence shook his head.
“She gave me a pretty convincing reason.”
Emily smiled weakly.
“You’d be surprised how many adults need more.”
When they arrived, the girls were carried inside asleep.
Mara remained outside.
Emily paused before entering.
“What happens now?”
“We find him.”
“And if you don’t?”
“We will.”
Emily studied her.
“You shouldn’t promise things you can’t guarantee.”
Mara almost replied.
Instead she nodded.
“You’re right.”
Emily opened the door.
Mara added, “But I can promise we’re not stopping.”
That was more honest.
At 2:16 the next morning, Dr. Sofia Chen called.
Mara answered on the first ring.
“You found something.”
Chen’s voice was careful.
“I completed preliminary testing on retained samples from Sarah Lawson.”
“And?”
“The original cause of death should be reconsidered.”
Mara sat upright.
“Why?”
“There’s evidence she was exposed to something not documented in her treatment records.”
“Could it have caused her death?”
“It could have contributed significantly.”
“Can you connect it to Nathan?”
“Not from toxicology alone.”
“But Sarah didn’t die from the condition Nathan described?”
“Her documented history may have been misleading.”
Mara closed her eyes.
A second possible victim.
Maybe more.
Then Chen added, “There’s another issue.”
“What?”
“Some of Sarah’s electronic medical records were amended after her death.”
“By whom?”
“We’re tracing authentication now.”
Mara already knew the answer.
Thirty minutes later, St. Matthew’s IT confirmed it.
Nathan Mercer’s credentials.
Two days after Sarah died, Nathan had entered her medical record and added details supporting the explanation given for her death.
He had rewritten her history after she could no longer contradict him.
At dawn, Mara drove toward the secure residence to tell Emily.
She never made it.
Halfway there, dispatch called.
“Detective Bennett, we have a situation at the family-services property.”
Mara’s grip tightened on the steering wheel.
“What situation?”
“Security officer found unconscious outside.”
“Status?”
“Alive.”
“Emily and the children?”
A pause.
“We’re checking.”
Mara accelerated.
“No. Tell me now.”
Another pause.
Then:
“The children are there.”
Mara’s chest loosened slightly.
“Emily?”
Silence.
“Where is Emily?”
“We cannot locate her.”
Mara felt the old fear return.
She reached the residence eleven minutes later.
Lucy and Hannah were physically unharmed.
Their bedroom window was closed.
Door still locked from the inside.
Nobody had entered their room.
But Emily’s room stood empty.
On the pillow was an envelope.
Mara opened it.
Inside was a note written in Emily’s handwriting.
I’m sorry. He’ll hurt the girls if I don’t go.
Terrence read it over her shoulder.
“She left willingly?”
Mara studied the room.
Then noticed the bedside table.
A glass of water.
Beside it, an old photograph of Emily and Sarah.
On the back, written in different handwriting:
COME ALONE OR LUCY LEARNS WHAT HAPPENED TO HER AUNT.
Mara shook her head.
“No.”
Terrence looked at her.
“What?”
“She didn’t leave willingly.”
Mara folded the note into evidence packaging.
“Nathan found the one thing stronger than Emily’s fear of him.”
May you like
She looked toward the room where Lucy and Hannah were waking.
“Her fear of what he might do to her children.”
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