Chapter 8 - THE GRANDMOTHER’S SECOND DISCOVERY
Rosa returned to Alejandro’s house with police.
She wanted Sophie’s pink blanket, photographs of Marissa, and clothing for the hospital.
While officers searched the medicine cabinet again, Rosa examined the tablet charger.
Marissa had modified it.
A tiny memory card had been hidden inside the plastic casing.
The card contained scanned trust documents, bank records, and photographs.
It also contained a video recorded inside the Rivers family kitchen two days before Marissa died.
Marissa stood across from Martin Wells.
Valerie waited near the back door.
Raymond Lane sat at the table.
Marissa placed the trust documents between them.
“You will return every dollar.”
Martin spoke first.
“The money is tied to active investments.”
“Then sell them.”
“You will destroy Alejandro’s company.”
“You used Sophie’s money without permission.”
“Alejandro knows nothing.”
“And I want to keep it that way.”
Valerie laughed.
“You think protecting your brother makes you noble.”
Marissa turned toward her.
“You processed the claim.”
“You knew Daniel created this for his daughter.”
Valerie folded her arms.
“I signed what Martin gave me.”
“You also received two hundred thousand dollars.”
Valerie’s face changed.
Raymond stood.
“This conversation is over.”
Marissa looked directly into the hidden tablet camera.
“No.”
“It is beginning.”
The video ended when someone grabbed the device.
Rosa stared at the screen.
Marissa had intentionally placed the tablet in the kitchen.
She wanted evidence.
Valerie must have believed she destroyed the recording.
Instead, Sophie’s blanket preserved the tablet and every file connected to it.
Police searched the medicine cabinet compartment more deeply.
Behind the first false wall was another narrow opening.
Inside was a small brown bottle.
The label carried Sophie’s name.
The liquid contained a compound that weakened the immune system when given repeatedly.
It did not create obvious symptoms immediately.
It made ordinary infections more severe.
Valerie had not simply withheld antibiotics.
She had been making Sophie more vulnerable for weeks.
Dr. Park reviewed the toxicology report.
“The exposure appears limited.”
“She should recover.”
“But another month could have caused serious damage.”
Rosa sat beside Sophie’s bed after hearing the result.
Sophie looked at her.
“Is Dad mad at me?”
“No.”
“He looks sad.”
“He is sad because adults lied to him.”
Sophie touched the pink blanket.
“Mom tried to tell him.”
“Yes.”
“Did Grandma find everything?”
Rosa kissed her forehead.
“Not yet.”
A notification appeared on the tablet.
Someone had remotely accessed Marissa’s cloud account.
The user was attempting to delete the hidden files.
The location traced to Alejandro’s trucking headquarters.
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Only one person remained inside the building.
Valerie’s closest friend and branch manager, Jenna Cross.
