Chapter 14 - The Housemaid Returns|
Emily returned to the mansion three days later.
Not as an employee.
As a witness.
Detective Bennett had asked her to walk through the house and identify where she had found the bottle, the courier receipt, and the notebook.
I met her at the front entrance.
"Thank you for coming."
She nodded.
"How is Zion?"
"Better. He's still being monitored, but the doctors are hopeful."
Her shoulders relaxed.
"Thank God."
I wanted to say more.
I wanted to tell her that she had saved my son.
But I knew she wouldn't want a dramatic speech.
So I simply said:
"I'm sorry."
She looked at me.
"I heard you the first time, sir."
"I don't think I apologized properly."
"Then don't make the same mistake again."
I nodded.
We walked toward the kitchen.
The small plastic tub was still beside the sink.
I had asked the staff not to remove it.
Emily stopped when she saw it.
"I remember that day."
"So do I."
"I was trying to show him something."
"What?"
She smiled faintly.
"That warm water and a gentle voice could make him feel safe. He had been crying for nearly an hour."
I looked at the tub.
"I thought you were ignoring the rules."
"I was trying to help him."
"I know."
Detective Bennett joined us.
She asked Emily to show her the nursery cabinet.
Emily pointed to the lower shelf.
"That's where the bottle was."
The detective photographed the cabinet.
Then Emily noticed something behind a stack of folded blankets.
"Wait."
She reached toward it, then stopped.
"There's something there."
An officer put on gloves and removed a small envelope.
Inside were handwritten notes.
They appeared to be instructions about Zion's routine.
Some were ordinary.
Feeding times.
Nap schedules.
Bath temperatures.
But several entries were different.
Evening dose — increase if still awake.
Do not discuss with father.
Emily asking questions. Keep her away from nursery.
I felt a wave of anger.
Detective Bennett photographed the notes.
"These may be important."
Emily looked at the last line.
"I told you she knew I was going to speak to you."
I nodded.
Then she noticed another page.
It contained a list of names.
Margaret.
Daniel.
Claire.
And one more.
Dr. Nolan.
I recognized the name.
Dr. Nolan had been Zion's original pediatric consultant before Dr. Hayes took over.
I frowned.
"Why is his name here?"
Detective Bennett studied the page.
"Do you know him?"
"He examined Zion twice after Olivia died."
Emily looked at me.
"Sir, I heard Margaret mention that name."
"When?"
"The night before I was fired. She was on the phone in the laundry room. She said, 'Nolan promised nobody would question the formula.'"
The detective's expression hardened.
"That's important."
I stared at the page.
"Are you telling me a doctor was involved?"
"I'm telling you we need to investigate."
Then Emily quietly added:
"There's something else I haven't told you."
I turned toward her.
"What?"
She looked at the kitchen doorway.
"The night before Zion stopped breathing, I saw Margaret hand a sealed envelope to someone outside the house."
"Who?"
"I didn't see his face."
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"Then how do you know it matters?"
"Because he was wearing a medical coat."
