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00:01I'm Robert Mitchell. The Tuesday morning when I buried my son felt like the end of everything
00:06I'd built over 63 years. Sarah, my daughter-in-law, stood beside me at the grave, her hand gripping
00:13mine so tight it hurt. She whispered that we'd get through this together. I believed
00:18her. God help me, I believed every word. My boy Daniel had been 34 when the heart attack
00:24took him. Too young. Far too young. The doctors said it was sudden, unexpected, a tragic anomaly
00:32in an otherwise healthy man. I'd spent three weeks in a fog, moving through the funeral
00:38arrangements like a ghost. Sarah handled everything I couldn't. She was there when I woke up at
00:43three in the morning, unable to breathe. She made coffee when my hands shook too badly to
00:48hold the pot. She answered calls from people I couldn't bear to speak to. The morning after
00:53we laid Daniel to rest, I woke up in my house feeling hollow. The place seemed too big, too
01:00quiet. Forty years I'd lived here with my wife Catherine before cancer took her five years
01:04back. Then it had been just me and occasional visits from Daniel and Sarah. Now it was just
01:10me. I was sitting at the kitchen table, staring at cold coffee, when my phone rang. The number
01:16wasn't one I recognized. But the voice on the other end was, Mr. Mitchell? This is Gerald
01:23Pearson. From Pearson and Associates. I knew the name. Gerald Pearson had been Daniel's boss
01:31at the investment firm downtown. He'd come to the funeral, shaken my hand, said the usual
01:37things people say. Mr. Pearson, I managed. I need you to come to my office. Today. As soon
01:44as possible. His voice was tight, controlled. There's something you need to see. Something
01:51about Daniel. My chest constricted. What is it? Not over the phone. Please, Mr. Mitchell.
01:58This is urgent. He paused. And when he spoke again, his voice dropped lower. And Robert.
02:05Come alone. Don't mention this to Sarah. Not yet. The line went dead. I sat there for a long
02:12moment. The phone still pressed to my ear. Don't mention this to Sarah. Why would he
02:18say that? Sarah was family. She was all the family I had left. But something in Gerald Pearson's
02:24voice made me get dressed, get in my car, and drive downtown without telling anyone where
02:30I was going. The Pearson building was all glass and steel, reaching 20 stories into the gray
02:36Seattle sky. I'd been here once before, three years ago, when Daniel got his promotion. He'd
02:43been so proud showing me his new corner office, the view of Puget Sound. The receptionist seemed
02:49to be expecting me. She walked me past the elevator to a private door in the back. We took a
02:55different
02:56elevator, one that required a key card, and went up to the 20th floor. Gerald Pearson's office
03:02was exactly what you'd expect from a man who'd built a multi-million dollar firm from nothing.
03:07Rich mahogany, leather chairs, artwork that probably cost more than my house. But Pearson
03:13himself looked like he'd aged ten years since the funeral. His silver hair was disheveled,
03:18his tie loosened, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Thank you for coming, he said,
03:25gesturing to a chair. I know this is difficult timing. What's this about, Mr. Pearson? He pulled
03:31out a file from his desk drawer. A thick one. Three months ago, Daniel came to me with concerns.
03:36He'd noticed irregularities in some of the firm's accounts. Small discrepancies at first,
03:42but they were adding up. I felt my stomach drop. You're saying Daniel was involved in something
03:48illegal? No. Pearson's voice was firm. I'm saying Daniel discovered something illegal,
03:54and he was trying to find out who was responsible. He slid the file across to me. He documented everything.
04:01Offshore transfers. Shell companies. Forged signatures. Someone had been embezzling from
04:07the firm for at least two years. The total amount. He paused. Just over four million dollars.
04:14My hands trembled as I opened the file. Pages and pages of financial records, account numbers,
04:21highlighted transactions. Daniel's handwriting in the margins. Careful notes and dates.
04:26Did he find out who it was? Pearson's face went pale. Yes. He told me three days before he died.
04:34He pulled out another document. Robert, the transfers were authorized using Sarah's credentials.
04:40Your daughter-in-law has been stealing from this firm, and when Daniel discovered it,
04:45he confronted her. The room tilted. I gripped the edge of the desk. That's impossible. Sarah wouldn't.
04:52She loved Daniel. I'm sure she did, Pearson said quietly. But she also has a gambling problem.
05:00A severe one. We've confirmed she owes money to some very dangerous people.
05:04The kind of people who don't accept late payments. He pulled out more documents. Casino records.
05:10Private gambling clubs. Credit card statements showing cash advances in the tens of thousands.
05:16Sarah's name on all of them. Daniel was going to report her, Pearson continued.
05:21He told me he was giving her a chance to turn herself in first. He was devastated. But he couldn't
05:27let her destroy the firm. Destroy other people's lives. That conversation happened on a Thursday
05:33evening. He looked at me with something like pity. Daniel died the following Tuesday morning.
05:39I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. You think Sarah. You think she killed my son? I think Daniel's
05:47death should have been investigated more thoroughly. I think a healthy 34-year-old man doesn't just drop
05:53dead from a heart attack. And I think... He slid one more document across the desk. You should have
06:00this. It was a toxicology report. Not the one from the hospital. This one was private. Paid for by
06:07Pearson himself. He'd had Daniel's blood samples retested. Digoxin. Levels consistent with acute
06:14poisoning. The world went silent. All I could hear was my own heartbeat. Too fast. Too loud.
06:21Digoxin is a heart medication, Pearson said. In normal doses, it regulates heartbeat. In high doses,
06:28it causes cardiac arrest. It's difficult to detect unless you're specifically looking for it.
06:34And in a young, healthy man, with no history of heart problems, he didn't need to finish.
06:40Sarah is a nurse, I whispered. She has access to medications. Pearson nodded. I've reported this
06:47to the police. But Robert, you need to understand something. Sarah doesn't know that I know. She
06:53doesn't know about this file. About the toxicology report. As far as she's concerned, she got away
07:00with it. Why are you telling me this? Why not just let the police handle it? His expression darkened.
07:05Because you're in danger. Sarah stands to inherit everything from Daniel. His life insurance,
07:12his estate, his share of your family's assets. But there's one problem. Your house, your savings,
07:20your property. It's all in your name. And you're only 63. You could live another 20, 30 years.
07:27The implication hit me like a physical blow. She's been living with me since Daniel died,
07:32I said. She's been making my meals. Bringing me coffee. Helping me take my medication. Pearson
07:39leaned forward. Robert, have you been feeling unwell? Fatigue? Nausea? Dizziness? I had. For the past
07:48week, I'd attributed it to grief, stress, the lack of sleep. But now, you need to leave. Now. Don't go
07:56home. Don't tell Sarah where you're going. I have a place you can stay. Somewhere safe. He handed me a
08:04business card. This is Marcus Webb. He's a private investigator. Former detective. He's already started
08:11gathering evidence. But we need you protected while we build the case. I can't just disappear.
08:17Sarah will notice. Sarah needs to think everything is normal until we have enough to arrest her. You tell
08:24her you're going to stay with your brother for a few days. Tell her you need space to grieve. But
08:30Robert, his eyes locked with mine, don't eat or drink anything she gives you. Don't take any
08:36medication she hands you. And don't let her know you suspect anything. I left the building in a daze.
08:42My phone buzzed almost immediately. Sarah. Robert? Where are you? I made lunch. My hand shook as I held
08:51the phone. This woman had killed my son. Had been planning to kill me. And she was asking about
08:57lunch. Like we were a normal family. I'm downtown. I said. Keeping my voice steady. I needed to take
09:04care of some paperwork. I'll be home later. I'll keep it warm for you. She said sweetly. Drive safe.
09:10I didn't go home. I drove to the address Pearson had given me. A hotel on the waterfront. Marcus Webb
09:18was waiting in the lobby. He was in his fifties. Built like someone who'd spent years on the force.
09:24With graying hair and sharp eyes that seemed to see right through me. Mr. Mitchell, he said,
09:30shaking my hand. Let's talk somewhere private. The room he'd reserved was on the top floor,
09:36with a view of the water. He'd already set up a laptop. Files spread across the desk.
09:42I need you to understand something. Marcus said. What we're about to do is build a case that will put
09:47Sarah away for the rest of her life. But it requires patience. It requires you to play along.
09:54To act normal. Until we have everything we need. How long? Two weeks. Maybe three. He pulled out a
10:02small device. This is a voice recorder. Smaller than a pen. When you're around Sarah, I need you
10:08to wear it. Get her talking about Daniel. About money. About her plans. People who think they've
10:15gotten away with murder, tend to get comfortable. They make mistakes. He showed me photographs.
10:21Sarah at a casino in Reno. Sarah meeting with men who looked like they could break someone in half.
10:27Sarah at the hospital where she worked, signing for medications. We've been tracking her for the
10:32past week, Marcus said. Since Pearson brought me in. She's desperate. The people she owes money to
10:38aren't patient. She needs your assets. And she needs them soon. So I'm bait. You're the key to
10:45catching a murderer. Marcus corrected. But yes, this is dangerous. If she suspects, you know. If she
10:53thinks the plan is falling apart. He didn't finish. But he didn't need to. I spent that night in the
10:59hotel, unable to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Sarah's face at the funeral. Tears streaming
11:07down her cheeks. Had any of it been real? Had she ever loved Daniel? Or had he just been a
11:12means to
11:13an end? The next morning, I went home. Sarah was in the kitchen, making breakfast. Robert. She rushed
11:21over, hugging me. I was so worried. You didn't come home last night. I stayed at a hotel, I said.
11:27I needed some time alone. Of course, she said softly. I understand. Come, sit. I made your
11:36favorite. Eggs and bacon. And I picked up those pastries you like from the bakery. I sat down.
11:43The recorder was in my shirt pocket, barely visible. Sarah set a plate in front of me,
11:49along with a cup of coffee. You need to keep your strength up, she said, sitting across from me.
11:55I know this is hard. But we have to take care of ourselves. Daniel would want that. I looked at
12:01the coffee. Looked at the eggs. Marcus's words echoed in my head. Don't eat or drink anything
12:08she gives you. I'm not very hungry, I said. I think I'll just have some water. Her smile flickered.
12:14Just for a second. You should eat something, Robert. You've barely had anything in days.
12:20Later, maybe. I saw the frustration cross her face, quickly masked. She stood up. I'll wrap
12:27it up for you. For when you're ready. Over the next week, I played the part. I went through
12:33the motions of grief while wearing Marcus's recorder. I had conversations with Sarah about
12:39Daniel. About our future. About the house and the estate. And slowly, carefully, she began
12:47to reveal herself. We should think about selling this place, she said one evening. It's too big
12:53for just you. We could find something smaller, more manageable. And the money, well, it would
13:00give you security. This is my home, Sarah. I know, I know. I'm just thinking about your future.
13:07About what's best for you, she paused. Daniel would want me to take care of you. He made me promise.
13:13Marcus told me she'd contacted a real estate agent. Started the process of transferring
13:18Daniel's assets to her name. Applied for a power of attorney over my affairs, claiming
13:24I was too grief-stricken to make decisions. But we were building the case. Bank records
13:29showing the embezzlement. Casino debts. The toxicology report. Security footage from the
13:35hospital showing Sarah accessing the medication storage. Phone records between her and the men
13:41she owed money to. Two weeks in, something changed. I woke up in the middle of the night,
13:48feeling strange. Dizzy. Nauseous. My heart was racing. I stumbled to the bathroom and forced
13:55myself to vomit. In the toilet bowl, I saw traces of my dinner. The dinner Sarah had insisted I eat
14:02because you're wasting away, Robert. I called Marcus. He arrived within twenty minutes with a doctor.
14:08The blood test confirmed it. Digoxin. The same thing that had killed Daniel. Not enough to kill
14:15me yet. But she was building up the dose, making it look gradual. Making it look like grief-induced
14:21heart failure. We move now. Marcus said. We have enough. The police arrested Sarah the next morning.
14:28I wasn't there. Marcus had taken me to a secure location. But he showed me the footage later.
14:34Sarah had been calm at first. Confused. Claiming there must be some mistake. But when they showed
14:41her the evidence. When they told her about the toxicology reports. When they played the recordings
14:46of her talking about selling my house. About how much easier everything would be once I was gone.
14:52She broke. Screamed. That it wasn't her fault. That the men she owed money to had threatened her.
14:58That Daniel had been going to ruin everything. That I was old anyway. That I'd had my life.
15:05And she deserved hers. The trial took three months. Gerald Pearson testified about the embezzlement.
15:11The doctor testified about the digoxin. Marcus Webb laid out the evidence piece by piece.
15:17The security footage. The bank records. The recordings. And I sat in that courtroom and listened
15:23to the woman I'd welcomed into my family. The woman I'd thought of as a daughter. To admit to
15:28murdering my son because he'd discovered her crimes. Admit to planning my death for the insurance
15:33money. The jury took four hours to convict her on all counts. Murder in the first degree. Attempted
15:40murder. Embezzlement. Fraud. The judge gave her life without the possibility of parole. I should have felt
15:47relief. Vindication. But sitting there. Watching Sarah being led away in handcuffs. All I felt was
15:54empty. Gerald Pearson found me in the hallway after the sentencing. Daniel left something for you. He
16:00said quietly. He gave it to me three days before he died. Said if anything happened to him. I should
16:07make sure you got it. He handed me an envelope. My name in Daniel's handwriting. I didn't open it until
16:13I got home. Until I was sitting in the kitchen where I'd had my last real conversation with my
16:18son. The letter was dated the Thursday before he died. The day he'd told Pearson about Sarah. Dad. It
16:25began. If you're reading this. I'm gone. And Sarah is probably the reason why. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I
16:33brought her into our lives. I'm sorry I didn't see what she was sooner. I'm sorry I can't protect you
16:39from what she might try to do next. But I need you to know that I documented everything. Pearson has
16:45it
16:45all. The evidence. The proof. Don't let her get away with this. Don't let grief make you vulnerable.
16:52You're stronger than you think. Smarter than you give yourself credit for. You raised me to stand up
16:58for what's right. Even when it's hard. Even when it costs everything. I learned that from you. I love
17:06you dad. I'm sorry I won't get to say it again. But please. Live. Don't let her take you too.
17:13Don't
17:13let her win. And when this is over. When justice is served. Remember that you did what I couldn't
17:19finish. You protected yourself. You protected mom's memory and mine. Be proud of that. I'm proud of you.
17:27Your son? Daniel. I read it three times. Four. Until tears blurred the words. That was six months
17:35ago. The house is quiet now. Too quiet sometimes. But I'm still here. I wake up every morning. I have
17:43coffee that I make myself. I've started volunteering at the community center. Teaching woodworking to kids
17:49who remind me of Daniel at that age. Gerald Pearson calls me once a month. Just to check in. He
17:56says.
17:57But I think he feels guilty that he didn't see what Sarah was doing sooner. I tell him there's no
18:02blame
18:03there. She fooled all of us. Marcus Webb stops by sometimes. We have dinner. Talk about his cases.
18:11He says I handled myself better than most people would have. Says I'm tougher than I look. I keep
18:17Daniel's letter in my desk drawer. Some mornings. When the grief is too heavy. I read it again.
18:23Remember that my son knew what he was doing was dangerous. Did it anyway because it was right.
18:28Sarah writes me from prison sometimes. Letters I don't open. The prison counselor says she's still
18:34claiming she was a victim. That circumstance forced her hand. That if the debt collectors hadn't
18:39pressured her. If Daniel had just understood. I burn those letters. Because Daniel understood perfectly.
18:46He understood that some people. When faced with their own mistakes. Choose to destroy. Rather
18:53than face consequences. He understood that the woman he'd married had become someone he didn't
18:59recognize. And he made sure that when she came for me. I'd have the tools to fight back. I'm 64
19:05now.
19:06The doctors say I'm healthy. That the digoxin cleared my system with no permanent damage.
19:11I could have another 20 years. Maybe 30. I plan to live every single one of them. Not just for
19:18me.
19:19But for Daniel. For the future he didn't get to have. For the son who loved me enough to protect
19:25me
19:25even after death. That's what Sarah never understood. She thought she could poison everything my son and I
19:31built together. Our trust. Our family. Our love. But some things are stronger than poison. Some bonds
19:39can't be broken. Even by death. And sometimes the quiet man you underestimated is the one who brings
19:46you down. Justice isn't always loud. Sometimes it's patient. Sometimes it's a father who loved his son
19:53enough to see the truth. No matter how much it hurt. Sometimes it's a father's quiet revenge.
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