Chapter 5 - The Blue Tablet
Identifying the tablet from a photograph was not enough.
Detective Brooks explained that repeatedly.
Color and shape narrowed possibilities.
It did not establish chemical contents.
But the photograph had one useful detail.
A tiny imprint.
Lily could not read it.
The forensic technician could.
The imprint matched a prescription sedative called temazepam.
David stared at the report.
“Anna was never prescribed that.”
Her medical chart confirmed it.
More importantly, her cardiologist had specifically warned against unsupervised sedatives because of interactions with her other medications and her history of low blood pressure.
Rachel whispered, “Could that have killed her?”
Detective Brooks did not speculate.
“We need medical review.”
The hospital still retained blood samples from Anna’s final admission because her death had occurred less than a year earlier.
With consent from David as next of kin and a court order obtained through the investigation, additional toxicology testing was requested.
Results would take time.
Meanwhile, Brooks subpoenaed pharmacy records.
Three months before Anna died, Vivian had filled a prescription for temazepam.
For herself.
David sat in the police interview room staring at the printout.
“She had insomnia.”
“Maybe,” Brooks said.
“You think she gave Anna her medication?”
“I think we have a reason to ask.”
Vivian’s attorney answered for her.
No interview.
No statement.
All communication through counsel.
Vivian still had not returned to the mansion.
She was staying at a hotel.
Her attorney demanded access to clothing, documents, and personal property.
David allowed supervised retrieval.
Lily refused to be home.
She went with Rachel.
When she returned, Vivian’s clothes were gone.
So were the framed wedding photographs from the upstairs corridor.
David had removed those himself.
Lily noticed.
She said nothing.
That evening, they listened to recording fourteen.
Anna sounded exhausted.
“I called Dr. Patel’s office. No new prescription.”
A pause.
Then:
“I’m hiding the photographs with the invoices.”
Another pause.
“If I’m wrong, I’ll apologize to Vivian.”
Lily closed her eyes.
Even frightened, Anna had left room for being wrong.
The next recording began with a door opening.
Vivian’s voice.
“You’re recording me now?”
Anna answered:
“Yes.”
“You’re becoming paranoid.”
“Then you should be thrilled. Paranoid people are easy to disprove.”
Vivian laughed.
“What do you want?”
“My money back.”
“It’s company money.”
“My company.”
“You haven’t run it in months.”
“That doesn’t make it yours.”
Lily looked at Mina.
The accountant’s jaw tightened.
The recording continued.
Vivian said, “Meridian paid vendors you couldn’t manage.”
“Name one.”
Silence.
Anna’s voice sharpened.
“Name one.”
Vivian answered:
“You’re sick.”
“That is not a vendor.”
David lowered his head.
Anna continued.
“You keep saying sick when you mean inconvenient.”
Lily looked at her father.
He heard it too.
Vivian had built her defense long before Anna died.
Sick.
Confused.
Forgetful.
Unstable.
Words that turned every accusation into another symptom.
Then Anna said:
“I’m meeting Mina Saturday.”
Vivian answered:
“No, you aren’t.”
“You don’t decide that.”
“You won’t be well enough.”
The recording ended.
Rachel whispered, “She knew.”
David stood.
“Knew what?”
“That Anna planned to expose her.”
“Yes.”
“No. I mean she knew Anna wouldn’t make the meeting.”
The implication filled the room.
Lily hated it.
Because it sounded like certainty without proof.
She surprised herself by saying:
“We don’t know that yet.”
Rachel looked at her.
Lily swallowed.
“Mom would want us to prove it.”
David’s eyes filled.
“Yes.”
That became their rule.
Not protecting Vivian.
Not protecting the Bennett family.
Protecting the truth from exaggeration.
Two days later, forensic technicians recovered Anna’s silver tablet.
The photographs were there.
So was a draft email to David.
It had never been sent.
David,
I need you to listen without letting Vivian explain me to you first.
Mina found money missing. Vivian is connected. I also think she has been changing my medication.
I know how this sounds.
That is why I waited for evidence.
Please come home before Friday.
David stared at the date.
Thursday afternoon.
He had been in Chicago.
He remembered Anna calling that evening.
He had been entering a client dinner.
Vivian texted him first.
Anna is having another confused night. I’ve got her. Don’t worry.
David declined Anna’s call.
He never heard what she wanted to say.
Lily found him sitting alone in the study.
“You didn’t know.”
He looked at her.
“No.”
“You believed Vivian.”
“Yes.”
Lily sat beside him.
For once, she did not say it accusingly.
The truth hurt enough without decoration.
David wiped his eyes.
“I thought I was trusting the person taking care of her.”
Lily answered quietly.
“Mom was asking you to take care of her too.”
He nodded.
There was no defense.
Only consequence.
Then Detective Brooks called.
The toxicology results were back.
Temazepam had been present in Anna’s blood.
At a level inconsistent with any medication listed in her medical record.
The question was no longer whether Anna had been given the drug.
May you like
The question was who gave it to her—and why.
---
