Chapter 11 - THE SECOND DOCTOR
The prescription was for a powerful sedative.
Not enough to kill Alexander.
Enough to make him confused, unsteady, and easy to diagnose as neurologically impaired if the right doctors were waiting.
“Elegant,” Evelyn said bitterly. “They didn’t need you dead. Just helpless.”
Federal agents took Victoria into protective custody before sunset. Her lawyer negotiated. Alexander refused to participate.
“I don’t care what deal she gets,” he told the lead investigator. “I care that she never gets near my mother again.”
The investigation moved quickly now.
Dr. Kessler was stopped during a connection in Frankfurt.
The second physician turned out to be Dr. Samuel Boone, a respected geriatric specialist who had treated Evelyn twice.
When agents approached him, Boone broke almost immediately.
Nolan had paid off his medical school debt and threatened to expose falsified billing records.
“He told me I would only need to confirm what Kessler diagnosed,” Boone said. “I never thought anyone would get hurt.”
Alexander stared at him across the conference table.
“My mother went down twelve marble steps.”
Boone lowered his eyes.
Evelyn touched her son’s arm.
“Enough.”
Outside, she said, “You cannot spend the rest of your life collecting people to hate.”
“I can start with a manageable list.”
She almost smiled.
Then her face tightened with pain.
Alexander immediately stopped. “What’s wrong?”
“Ribs.”
“Sit down.”
“I’m fine.”
“You fell down a staircase three days ago.”
“And you’ve mentioned it every nine minutes since.”
He helped her into a chair anyway.
The additional lung tests had come back that morning.
The shadow was not cancer.
It was old scar tissue.
Alexander had nearly cried when the doctor told them.
Evelyn had simply said, “Good. I don’t have time for cancer this month.”
That evening, Marcus entered Alexander’s office carrying a printed access report.
“There’s one thing we missed.”
“What?”
“Nolan didn’t access your estate file from his office.”
“Then who did?”
Marcus placed the report on the desk.
The login came from inside Evelyn’s apartment building.
Alexander stared at it.
“That’s impossible.”
“No. It gets worse.”
Marcus pointed to the user name.
The credentials belonged to Evelyn Parker.
Evelyn looked from the paper to Marcus.
“I have never logged into his estate system in my life.”
Marcus nodded.
“I believe you.”
“Then who used my account?”
Marcus looked at Alexander.
“Someone who has had physical access to Mrs. Parker’s home for years.”
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Alexander knew exactly one person who fit that description.
His younger brother, Daniel.
