She looked at me.
“But if someone hurt him…”
Her voice disappeared.
Testing took time.
Meanwhile, Brandon’s financial case collapsed around him.
The title company returned the frozen house funds.
Northstar’s accounts were seized.
Natalie hired an attorney and claimed Brandon had told her he was already separated from me.
Maybe she lied.
Maybe she didn’t.
By then I almost didn’t care.
The money mattered.
But it also didn’t.
I had learned that there are things more expensive than losing $170,000.
Like realizing your husband may have watched your father die.
Six weeks later, Detective Ramirez came to Mom’s apartment.
By then, she had rented a small place near Lake Park.
It had tall windows and terrible plumbing.
She loved it.
She made tea.
Ramirez didn’t drink his.
That told me everything before he spoke.
“Toxicology found digoxin in your father’s system.”
Mom stared blankly.
“What’s digoxin?”
“A heart medication.”
“He didn’t take that.”
“I know.”
The room became very quiet.
“In elevated amounts, it can trigger dangerous arrhythmias.”
I felt Mom’s hand grip mine.
Ramirez continued.
“We found a prescription bottle associated with Brandon’s mother’s surgery recovery period in pharmacy records. She was prescribed digoxin temporarily after cardiac complications. Several tablets were unaccounted for.”
I remembered.
I had organized Elaine’s medicines.
I had taken three weeks off work.
Brandon had access to everything.
Ramirez leaned forward.
“We also recovered a recording from your father’s device dated the morning he died.”
Mom closed her eyes.
I whispered, “Play it.”
Footsteps.
Dad breathing.
A garage door opening.
Then Brandon.
“You really changed it?”
Dad.
“You won’t touch a dollar.”
Brandon’s voice.
“You’re destroying Hannah’s marriage.”
“No. You did that.”
A long silence.
Then Brandon said, “You should have stayed out of it.”
There was a scrape.
Dad coughed.
