Chapter 16 - THE SECOND BETRAYAL
Detective Mason returned to Brandon.
The photograph sat between them.
Brandon stared at it for a long time.
“You said you knew nothing about Dr. Mercer and Thomas Hale.”
Brandon swallowed.
“I lied.”
Mason leaned back.
“What happened at dinner?”
“My mother told me Thomas was changing the trust.”
“We know.”
“She said he was going to report us.”
“What did Mercer say?”
Brandon looked toward his attorney.
The attorney nodded once.
“Mercer said Thomas’s heart was under strain.”
“And?”
“He said changing medication could make him confused.”
My chest tightened when Mason later told me.
Brandon continued.
“I thought they wanted him discredited.”
“Did Margaret discuss his death?”
“No.”
“Did she discuss increasing medication?”
Brandon hesitated.
“Yes.”
Mason’s voice sharpened.
“And you did nothing?”
“I left.”
“That is not doing nothing.”
“I told her I wanted no part of it.”
“Then why didn’t you warn Thomas?”
Brandon had no answer.
Mason waited.
Finally Brandon whispered.
“Because if he lived long enough to change the trust, I lost everything.”
There it was.
Not murder.
Not innocence.
Cowardice dressed as distance.
Brandon did not pour pills into Dad’s hand.
He did not sign the death certificate.
But he knew enough to act.
And chose money.
Again.
The prosecutor called me.
“We are expanding the conspiracy case.”
“Against Brandon?”
“Yes.”
“Will he be charged in Dad’s death?”
“We need to establish legal causation and intent.”
I hated those words.
They sounded sterile.
But evidence requires precision.
Days later, the exhumation results came back.
Dad had levels of his medication far above prescribed dosage.
Dr. Mercer’s treatment notes were inconsistent with pharmacy records.
The medical examiner amended the manner of death.
From natural.
To undetermined pending criminal investigation.
Margaret’s attorney withdrew from negotiations.
Dr. Mercer was arrested.
Then something unexpected happened.
He talked.
For nine hours.
By the end of the interview, my father’s death was no longer undetermined.
Mercer admitted Margaret paid him to manipulate the dosage.
He claimed he believed she wanted Dad hospitalized.
Mason asked.
“Did you understand the dose could kill him?”
Mercer cried.
“Yes.”
“Did Margaret?”
“Yes.”
“Did Brandon?”
Mercer stopped.
May you like
Then answered.
“He knew enough.”
