{"id":26814,"date":"2026-10-01T11:56:33","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T11:56:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/?p=26814"},"modified":"2026-10-01T11:56:33","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T11:56:33","slug":"part-16-the-blood-sample-from-richards-final-morning-contained-a-drug-he-was-never-prescribed-and-someone-had-searched-for-it-before-his-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/?p=26814","title":{"rendered":"PART 16 \u2013 The Blood Sample From Richard\u2019s Final Morning Contained a Drug He Was Never Prescribed\u2014and Someone Had Searched for It Before His Death"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The toxicology result arrived four days later.<\/p>\n<p>Detective Ruiz insisted on telling me in person.<\/p>\n<p>She came to the house with Thomas and a forensic toxicologist named Dr. Priya Shah.<\/p>\n<p>I knew before anyone sat down that they had found something.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Shah placed a thin folder on the kitchen table.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Mrs. Harris, I need to begin with limitations.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Of course.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The specimen is thirteen years old. It was not collected for the purpose we&#39;re using it for now. Storage conditions were adequate, but degradation can complicate interpretation.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did you find something?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Propranolol.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The word meant nothing to me.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas looked at her.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;A beta blocker.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Correct.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I frowned.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Richard took a beta blocker.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Shah nodded.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He took metoprolol.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;So?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Propranolol is a different drug.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>My mouth went dry.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Could the hospital have given it to him?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;We checked the medication administration record. No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Could his doctor have prescribed it?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No propranolol prescription appears in the records we&#39;ve reviewed.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Could it be a lab mistake?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Possible, which is why we repeated testing using a second portion of the preserved sample.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;And?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Same result.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I looked at Ruiz.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What does that mean?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>She allowed Dr. Shah to answer.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;It means propranolol appears to have been in Richard&#39;s bloodstream when the sample was drawn.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;How much?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The concentration is difficult to reconstruct precisely because of specimen age and post-collection factors.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Was it enough to kill him?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Shah did not dramatize.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;We cannot say that.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Could it have contributed?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Potentially.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;How?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Propranolol can lower heart rate and blood pressure. In certain circumstances, excessive exposure can worsen cardiac instability.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Richard had already had serious heart disease.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What happens if someone takes propranolol while already taking metoprolol?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Combined beta-blocking effects could be clinically significant, depending on dose, timing, metabolism, and the person&#39;s health.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Could it trigger a heart attack?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;That&#39;s too simple a formulation. It could contribute to cardiovascular collapse or complicate an existing cardiac event.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I stared at the folder.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;So somebody poisoned him.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Ruiz spoke immediately.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;We do not know that.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;But he wasn&#39;t prescribed it.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Correct.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Then how did it get there?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;That&#39;s what we&#39;re investigating.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Shah added, &quot;Medication errors happen. Pills can be confused. Samples can have complexities. Intentional administration is one possibility, not the only one.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I nodded.<\/p>\n<p>Evidence.<\/p>\n<p>Not certainty.<\/p>\n<p>But my hands had begun shaking.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What did propranolol look like thirteen years ago?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Depends on manufacturer.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Could it look like one of Richard&#39;s pills?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Possibly.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Could someone put it in his pill organizer?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I thought of Sunday evenings.<\/p>\n<p>My hands sorting tablets.<\/p>\n<p>White.<\/p>\n<p>Pink.<\/p>\n<p>Small blue.<\/p>\n<p>I had filled the organizer.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Then I would have put it there.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Not necessarily.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Who else touched his medication?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer.<\/p>\n<p>She had asked about it.<\/p>\n<p>Photographed it.<\/p>\n<p>Called the pharmacy.<\/p>\n<p>And Kane had obtained medical records.<\/p>\n<p>I hated where my mind went.<\/p>\n<p>Ruiz saw it.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Don&#39;t decide yet.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I know.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>She placed another document on the table.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;We found something else.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Internet search history.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>My heart tightened.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Whose?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;An old computer recovered from Robert Kane&#39;s former office.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;After thirteen years?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The machine was stored with business records seized in connection with a separate financial warrant involving Steven Kane.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I stared.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;And?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Someone searched for interactions between propranolol and metoprolol.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>My hands went cold.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;When?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Nine days before Richard died.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Thomas leaned forward.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Can you identify the user?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Not conclusively.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Account?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Generic office administrator login.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;IP?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The computer itself.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Who had access?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Multiple employees. Robert. Steven. David Cole at times. Others.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Jennifer?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Ruiz paused.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;According to David, Jennifer visited the office during that period.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>My chest tightened.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Michael?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Also possible.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Mercer?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He says no.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I almost laughed.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone had become possible.<\/p>\n<p>Nobody trustworthy enough to eliminate.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Any other searches?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Ruiz slid the printout toward me.<\/p>\n<p>Beta blocker overdose symptoms.<\/p>\n<p>Propranolol onset time.<\/p>\n<p>Heart attack natural death toxicology.<\/p>\n<p>I stopped reading.<\/p>\n<p>Evelyn, sitting beside me, reached for my hand.<\/p>\n<p>I let her hold it.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Those searches were nine days before Richard died?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Over a three-day period beginning nine days before.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did Richard know?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;We don&#39;t know.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What about the fake medical-record request?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Two weeks before death.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Sequence.<\/p>\n<p>Obtain Richard&#39;s records.<\/p>\n<p>Study his medication.<\/p>\n<p>Search drug interactions.<\/p>\n<p>Then Kane enters my house the night before Richard dies.<\/p>\n<p>The facts lined themselves up too neatly.<\/p>\n<p>That frightened me.<\/p>\n<p>Neat stories were often dangerous.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What would you need to prove someone gave it to him?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Ruiz answered.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Evidence connecting a person to the drug and administration.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Can you find pharmacy purchases?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;We&#39;re trying.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Thirteen years later?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Controlled records, insurance claims, archived databases, old business records. We&#39;ll see.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Thomas asked, &quot;Was propranolol controlled?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;So cash purchase could be invisible.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Correct.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Shah continued explaining.<\/p>\n<p>The concentration could not establish an exact dose.<\/p>\n<p>Richard might have taken one tablet.<\/p>\n<p>Several.<\/p>\n<p>Timing could only be estimated broadly.<\/p>\n<p>His heart disease remained a major independent cause of death.<\/p>\n<p>Even if propranolol contributed, proving intentional poisoning would require more.<\/p>\n<p>I appreciated her caution.<\/p>\n<p>I hated it too.<\/p>\n<p>After they left, I sat alone in Richard&#39;s study.<\/p>\n<p>The photograph concealing the old wall compartment rested on the desk.<\/p>\n<p>I picked it up.<\/p>\n<p>Richard and I were laughing in the picture.<\/p>\n<p>Thirty years married.<\/p>\n<p>His arm around my waist.<\/p>\n<p>My head turned toward him.<\/p>\n<p>I remembered what happened immediately after the photograph was taken.<\/p>\n<p>Richard had whispered that the restaurant&#39;s anniversary cake tasted like drywall.<\/p>\n<p>I laughed so hard the photographer captured it.<\/p>\n<p>That man had been real.<\/p>\n<p>So were his mistakes.<\/p>\n<p>He had hidden things from me.<\/p>\n<p>Protected Michael too long.<\/p>\n<p>Settled with Kane instead of exposing him.<\/p>\n<p>Tried to solve danger privately.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe every secret had begun with a reason that sounded like love.<\/p>\n<p>Then secrecy became the thing that allowed worse choices to grow.<\/p>\n<p>My phone rang.<\/p>\n<p>Lisa.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Mom?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Jennifer is here.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>My body tensed.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;At your house?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No. Outside yours.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I looked toward the security monitor.<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer stood at the gate.<\/p>\n<p>Alone.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;How do you know?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;She called me.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Why?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;She says she needs to tell you something before the police find out.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did she say what?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I called Thomas.<\/p>\n<p>He told me not to let Jennifer inside until he arrived.<\/p>\n<p>Ten minutes later, he came through the gate.<\/p>\n<p>Detective Ruiz joined by phone.<\/p>\n<p>Then I admitted Jennifer into the sunroom.<\/p>\n<p>She looked terrible.<\/p>\n<p>Her hair was unwashed.<\/p>\n<p>Dark circles beneath her eyes.<\/p>\n<p>She carried no bag.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Sit.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>She did.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas positioned the recorder openly.<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer stared at it.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Is that necessary?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>She looked at me.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;You found something in Dad&#39;s blood.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>My chest tightened.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;How do you know?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Michael called me.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;How does Michael know?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;His attorney.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>That was plausible.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What do you know about propranolol?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Her face changed.<\/p>\n<p>Not enough for proof.<\/p>\n<p>Enough for fear.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Jennifer.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>She began crying.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I didn&#39;t give it to him.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I had not told her the drug name.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas went perfectly still.<\/p>\n<p>Neither of us spoke for several seconds.<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer realized her mistake.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Oh God.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;How did you know?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Mom.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;How did you know it was propranolol?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>She covered her face.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I didn&#39;t give it to him.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;That wasn&#39;t my question.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I swear.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;How did you know?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>She lowered her hands.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Kane asked me to get it.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The room seemed to contract.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;When?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;About a week before Dad died.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Why?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He said he wanted to prove something.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;That Dad&#39;s dizziness was medication-related.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;That makes no sense.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I know.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did you get it?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer looked down.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>My breath caught.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas said quietly, &quot;Where?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;A pharmacy.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Prescription?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No. Not directly.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Then how?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;A friend had some.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Who?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;She&#39;s dead.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Name.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Carol Benson.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I knew Carol.<\/p>\n<p>She had worked with Jennifer years ago.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What did you tell her?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;That someone in the family had forgotten medication while traveling.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;How many pills?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Ten.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What dosage?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I don&#39;t remember.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did you give them to Kane?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer&#39;s eyes filled.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I felt as though I were watching my daughter through glass.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Where?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;His office.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;When?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Six days before Dad died.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Why didn&#39;t you tell police?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I didn&#39;t know Dad had taken any.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;You knew Kane had them.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;You knew Kane came here the night before Dad died.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Not until afterward.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;You knew he had asked for Dad&#39;s medical records.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;You knew he was blackmailing him.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I didn&#39;t understand how serious it was.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Stop.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>My voice rose.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Stop telling me you didn&#39;t understand.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>She flinched.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;You were an adult woman. You had children. A career. A mortgage. You knew how to keep secrets, forge documents, contact lawyers, track bank accounts, and plan the transfer of my house.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I leaned toward her.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;You do not get to become helpless only when responsibility arrives.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer sobbed.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I didn&#39;t know he&#39;d hurt Dad.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did Kane say he would?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did he ask how Dad took his medicine?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did you tell him?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>She whispered, &quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did you tell him where it was?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>My stomach twisted.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did you give him access to the house?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Garage remote?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Key?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Alarm code?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>She stopped.<\/p>\n<p>My heart sank.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Jennifer.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He already knew the old code.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;How?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Michael.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Of course.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;But Dad had changed it,&quot; she added.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;When?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;A few weeks before.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>That explained why Kane might have needed another way inside.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Then how did he enter that night?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I don&#39;t know.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Thomas asked, &quot;Did you open the garage remotely?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did Michael?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I don&#39;t know.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Who had remotes?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Me, Michael, Lisa, Mom.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Lisa.<\/p>\n<p>I called her immediately.<\/p>\n<p>She answered.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did you have a garage remote when Dad died?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I think so.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Where was it?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;My car.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did anyone borrow your car around then?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Silence.<\/p>\n<p>My pulse quickened.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Lisa.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Jennifer.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I looked at my oldest daughter.<\/p>\n<p>She closed her eyes.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;When?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Lisa answered.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The day before Dad died.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer began shaking her head.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;You borrowed my car because yours was supposedly getting serviced.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer whispered, &quot;Oh God.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I remembered David&#39;s notebook.<\/p>\n<p>He recorded Jennifer&#39;s Lexus at my house.<\/p>\n<p>So why would she need Lisa&#39;s car?<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Your Lexus wasn&#39;t being serviced,&quot; I said.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Then why borrow Lisa&#39;s?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer&#39;s face had gone pale.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Kane asked me to.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>The room fell silent.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Why?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He said someone needed to use a car that couldn&#39;t be connected to him.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Thomas stared.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Who used it?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I don&#39;t know.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Where did you leave it?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Parking garage downtown.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;With the remote inside?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer began crying harder.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did you retrieve it?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The next morning.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What time?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;After Mom called about Dad.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I felt sick.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Was anything different?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The gas tank was lower.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Anything missing?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;The garage remote?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Still there.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Thomas immediately called Ruiz.<\/p>\n<p>She said they would try to recover any old parking records, though chances were poor.<\/p>\n<p>Then Jennifer spoke again.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;There was something in the cup holder.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>We all looked at her.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;A pharmacy bag.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>My hands went cold.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Empty?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did you keep it?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What did you do?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Threw it away.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Where?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;At work.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Thirteen years ago.<\/p>\n<p>Gone.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas asked, &quot;Did it have a name?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I didn&#39;t look.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Think.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I didn&#39;t.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Was there a receipt?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;I don&#39;t remember.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I sat back.<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer had obtained propranolol.<\/p>\n<p>Given it to Kane.<\/p>\n<p>Provided medical information.<\/p>\n<p>Helped secure a vehicle containing a garage remote.<\/p>\n<p>And Kane had visited Richard the night before his death.<\/p>\n<p>Yet she still might not have known what Kane intended.<\/p>\n<p>That possibility made everything worse, not better.<\/p>\n<p>Because evil did not always require a room full of people agreeing to do something terrible.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes it required one person willing to do it and several others willing not to ask why.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Why are you telling me now?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer wiped her face.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Because Kane called me this morning.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Thomas stiffened.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What did he want?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He said the police were looking in the wrong direction.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What direction should they look?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He said if I talked, he&#39;d tell them it was my idea.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>My voice came out flat.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Was it?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Anything else?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer nodded.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He said Dad deserved what happened.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>My chest tightened.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What exactly?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>She looked at me.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;He said, &#39;Richard made his choice when he decided to destroy my family.&#39;&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Thomas wrote the sentence.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did Kane admit giving Richard the drug?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did he admit entering the house?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Then what did he admit?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer swallowed.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Nothing directly.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Of course.<\/p>\n<p>Kane had survived decades through implication.<\/p>\n<p>Threats.<\/p>\n<p>Half-truths.<\/p>\n<p>Other people&#39;s fear.<\/p>\n<p>My phone buzzed.<\/p>\n<p>Detective Ruiz.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas answered.<\/p>\n<p>She had received another result.<\/p>\n<p>A fingerprint examination of Richard&#39;s preserved nitroglycerin bottle.<\/p>\n<p>Most prints were unusable.<\/p>\n<p>Mine appeared.<\/p>\n<p>Richard&#39;s appeared.<\/p>\n<p>One partial print did not match either of us.<\/p>\n<p>They compared it against available known prints from current evidence.<\/p>\n<p>The partial was insufficient for a courtroom identification.<\/p>\n<p>But it was consistent in several points with one person.<\/p>\n<p>Robert Kane.<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer made a choking sound.<\/p>\n<p>I stared at the table.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas asked, &quot;How strong?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Ruiz repeated the limitation.<\/p>\n<p>Not enough for identification.<\/p>\n<p>Not proof.<\/p>\n<p>But another piece.<\/p>\n<p>Then she added something else.<\/p>\n<p>Investigators had searched Steven Kane&#39;s property that morning.<\/p>\n<p>Inside an old locked filing cabinet, they found records belonging to his father.<\/p>\n<p>One was an envelope marked:<\/p>\n<p>HARRIS \u2014 MEDICAL.<\/p>\n<p>Inside was a photocopy of Richard&#39;s medication list.<\/p>\n<p>A handwritten note appeared beside metoprolol.<\/p>\n<p>Ruiz read it aloud.<\/p>\n<p>P + M. Same effect, stronger together?<\/p>\n<p>Below it was another line.<\/p>\n<p>Timing before morning event.<\/p>\n<p>I closed my eyes.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;What morning event?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;We don&#39;t know.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>But Richard had planned to meet federal investigators the morning he died.<\/p>\n<p>The room went silent.<\/p>\n<p>Then Jennifer whispered the question none of us wanted to ask.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Did Kane kill Dad?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Thomas answered before fear could.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;We don&#39;t know.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I looked at Jennifer.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>She wiped her face.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No what?&quot;<\/p>\n<p>&quot;We don&#39;t know yet.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>I repeated it because I needed to hear myself say it.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;But we&#39;re going to.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer nodded weakly.<\/p>\n<p>I stood.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;And when we do, nobody hides it.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Not for Richard&#39;s reputation.<\/p>\n<p>Not for Michael&#39;s company.<\/p>\n<p>Not for Jennifer&#39;s career.<\/p>\n<p>Not for my peace.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;No more protecting the family from the truth.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer lowered her head.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas closed the folder.<\/p>\n<p>Outside, the new security camera turned slowly toward the driveway.<\/p>\n<p>At that exact moment, my phone received another message.<\/p>\n<p>Robert Kane.<\/p>\n<p>One sentence.<\/p>\n<p>Ask Thomas why Richard changed his will the night before he died.<\/p>\n<p>I looked across the table.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas&#39;s face went still.<\/p>\n<p>For the first time since this began, he looked afraid.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/?p=26815\">Click here to continue reading: PART 17: Kane\u2019s Message Forced Thomas to Reveal the Will Richard Signed Hours Before His Death\u2014and Why He Had Hidden It From Me<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The toxicology result arrived four days later. Detective Ruiz insisted on telling me in person. She came to the house with Thomas and a forensic toxicologist named Dr. Priya Shah. &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26798,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26814","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insightdrama"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26814","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=26814"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26814\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26849,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26814\/revisions\/26849"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/26798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=26814"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=26814"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=26814"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}