Chapter 2: The Woman Who Knew Too Much
Hannah didn't sleep that night.
She sat at her small kitchen table, still wearing the cardigan she'd worn to the Halloween party.
Her cheek had swollen slightly.
Every time she looked in the bathroom mirror, she remembered Ethan's hand striking her face.
But that wasn't what kept her awake.
It was Grace.
The little girl had reached for her after being pulled from the water.
She had cried Hannah's name.
And Hannah had walked away without knowing whether Grace was safe.
At 6:17 the following morning, her phone rang.
It was Dr. Lewis.
“Hannah, are you somewhere private?””
She sat straighter.
“Yes. What's happened?””
“I reviewed the records again.””
“And?””
“The Isabella Whitmore file contains a birth certificate, vaccination records, and several pediatric appointments.””
Hannah frowned.
“Was there another child?””
“That's what I thought initially. But the dates don't make sense.””
“What dates?””
“Isabella was supposedly born three years ago. Yet the hospital's system shows that the medical record was created only fourteen months ago.””
Hannah gripped her phone.
“Someone created a fake medical record?””
“Possibly.””
“Why would Savannah do that?””
“I don't know. But I think someone needs to investigate.””
Hannah looked toward her kitchen window.
Rain was beginning to fall.
“Can you report it?””
“I've already contacted the hospital's safeguarding officer. I wanted you to know because your name may come up in the investigation.””
Hannah swallowed.
“Will Ethan believe me?””
Dr. Lewis was quiet.
“I'm afraid Ethan believes whatever Savannah tells him.””
That afternoon, Hannah received a call from the nursing agency.
The director, Margaret Collins, sounded unusually formal.
“Hannah, I need you to come in.””
“Why?””
“Mr. Whitmore has submitted a written complaint.””
“What kind of complaint?””
“He alleges that you neglected your duties, behaved aggressively toward his pregnant wife, and placed his daughter in immediate danger.””
Hannah closed her eyes.
“That's a lie.””
“I understand you're upset.””
“Margaret, I saved that child's life.””
“I can't discuss the details over the phone. Please come to the office.””
Hannah arrived forty minutes later.
Margaret was waiting in a glass-walled conference room with a folder in front of her.
She looked uncomfortable.
“Sit down.””
Hannah remained standing.
“Did Ethan tell you I pushed Grace into the pool?””
“He said he witnessed you behaving recklessly.””
“He wasn't there.””
Margaret opened the folder.
“There's a statement from Mrs. Whitmore.””
“Of course there is.””
“And three witness statements.””
Hannah blinked.
“From whom?””
“Guests at the party.””
“Did any of them see what happened?””
Margaret didn't answer immediately.
One of the statements described Hannah running toward the pool.
Another said she had been standing close to Grace moments before the child fell.
The third claimed Savannah had been sitting several feet away.
None mentioned a push.
Hannah felt sick.
“They're deliberately leaving out what happened.””
Margaret folded her hands.
“I can't determine what happened.””
“You could ask the guests who were standing near the pool.””
“I did.””
“And?””
“They've all said they didn't see the actual incident.””
Hannah let out a bitter laugh.
“So the woman who pushed a toddler into a swimming pool gets to decide whether I can work as a nurse?””
“Please lower your voice.””
Hannah looked at the folder.
Then she noticed something.
The complaint had been submitted at 8:42 p.m.
Less than two hours after the incident.
There was another document underneath it.
A request for an immediate professional misconduct review.
It contained a statement from Savannah.
Hannah read the first paragraph.
Then the second.
Her hands began to shake.
Savannah claimed Hannah had repeatedly expressed resentment toward her pregnancy.
She alleged that Hannah had once threatened to take Grace away from the family.
None of it was true.
“She has invented everything.””
Margaret sighed.
“I'm sorry.””
“Are you going to suspend me?””
Margaret looked down.
“Until the investigation is completed.””
Hannah slowly picked up her handbag.
“Then I hope you investigate properly.””
As she reached the door, Margaret spoke again.
“One more thing.””
Hannah turned.
“Mr. Whitmore requested that the agency not contact any of the other staff members from the house.””
“Why?””
“He said he wanted to protect his family from further embarrassment.””
Hannah stared at her.
“That isn't protection. It's intimidation.””
She left before Margaret could respond.
At 3:30 p.m., Hannah drove to the hospital.
Dr. Lewis had agreed to meet her in person.
He was waiting in a small consultation room, his expression serious.
“Thank you for coming.””
Hannah sat down.
“Have you found anything?””
He opened a file on his laptop.
“Look at this.””
A photograph appeared on the screen.
It showed Grace sitting on a hospital examination table, wearing a pink sweater.
A faint purple mark was visible on her upper arm.
“That's the bruise I mentioned,” he said.
Hannah leaned closer.
“It's exactly where Savannah grabbed her yesterday.””
Dr. Lewis nodded.
“I examined her on three separate occasions over the last two months. There were other marks.””
“Why didn't you report them?””
“I did. The first time, Savannah explained them as ordinary childhood injuries. The second time, she became extremely defensive.””
“And the third?””
“She brought Ethan.””
Hannah frowned.
“What happened?””
“Ethan accused me of suggesting his wife was abusive. He threatened to move Grace to another practice.””
Dr. Lewis leaned back.
“I should have pushed harder.””
Hannah looked at the photograph.
“Did Grace ever say anything?””
“Not directly. She's very young.””
“Did she seem afraid of Savannah?””
The doctor hesitated.
“Sometimes.””
Hannah's eyes filled.
“Then you know I wasn't lying.””
“I know your account is consistent with several things I've observed. But we need evidence.””
He closed the photograph.
“There's another reason I wanted you here.””
He reached into a drawer and placed a printed document on the table.
It was a hospital billing statement.
The patient name read:
*ISABELLA WHITMORE.*
The date of birth was three years earlier.
But the address was not the Whitmore mansion.
It belonged to a residential care facility outside the city.
Hannah read the address twice.
“Who lived there?””
“I don't know.””
Dr. Lewis pointed to the billing information.
“Look at the physician's name.””
Hannah leaned closer.
The attending physician was listed as Dr. Samuel Reeves.
She recognized the name.
“Isn't he Savannah's obstetrician?””
“Yes.””
“Why would he be treating a three-year-old child?””
“That's what I asked myself.””
Dr. Lewis opened another document.
The billing statement included an authorization signature.
Savannah Whitmore.
Hannah felt a chill move through her body.
“Could Isabella be Grace's sister?””
“Possibly.””
“Then where is she?””
Dr. Lewis looked at her.
“That's the question I haven't been able to answer.””
Before Hannah could respond, her phone began vibrating.
An unknown number.
She answered.
“Hello?””
A woman's voice came through.
“Is this Hannah Miller?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Rebecca. I used to work at the Whitmore mansion.””
Hannah sat straighter.
“What do you want?””
“I heard what happened yesterday.””
“How?””
“Everyone is talking about it.””
Hannah closed the office door.
“Who are you?””
“I was Savannah's personal assistant for nearly two years.””
Hannah's pulse quickened.
“Were you there when Grace fell?””
“No. I left the family last month.””
“Why?””
Rebecca was silent for a moment.
Then she whispered:
“Because I saw something I wasn't supposed to see.””
Hannah gripped the phone.
“What?””
“I don't want to talk on the phone.””
“Then meet me.””
“There's something you need to understand first.””
“What?””
Rebecca's voice began trembling.
“Grace isn't the first child Savannah has tried to get rid of.””
Hannah went completely still.
“What did you say?””
“I know about Isabella.””
Hannah looked at Dr. Lewis.
He was watching her closely.
“Where is Isabella?”” Hannah asked.
“I don't know. But I know Savannah didn't give birth to her.””
Hannah's mouth went dry.
“Then whose child is she?””
Rebecca inhaled sharply.
Before she could answer, another voice interrupted her.
A man's voice.
Deep.
Angry.
“Who are you talking to?””
Rebecca gasped.
The call ended.
Hannah immediately called back.
The number was no longer available.
She stared at her phone.
Then a message appeared.
May you like
It contained only seven words.
*Don't trust Ethan. He's not Grace's father.*
