Chapter 7: What Gerald Foss Said
Solis met me in the hospital lobby twenty minutes later.
He had a second folder with him, thicker than the first.
He set it on a low table between two chairs in the corner and opened it without preamble.
"Gerald Foss has been doing this for eleven years," Solis said.
"Halcyon Patient Services operates legally on the surface — family members petition, he provides documentation support, the holds get processed.
But in four previous cases, the family member who hired him had a financial interest in the outcome.
Estate transfers.
Conservatorships.
Two of them went through before anyone looked closely."
"He's done this before."
"To people who didn't leave envelopes with pharmacists." Solis turned a page.
"When I contacted him this morning and told him we had the note in Marlene's handwriting, he asked for twenty minutes before he said anything else.
Then he called back and said he wanted to cooperate."
"He gave her up."
"He gave her up completely." Solis looked at me.
"According to Foss, Marlene approached him eight months ago.
She told him her daughter was mentally deteriorating and that the family home — your home — was at risk of being mismanaged.
She said Carol had been making irrational financial decisions and that she, as Carol's mother, needed legal standing to protect the asset."
"The house is in Carol's name," I said.
"From before we were married.
Her grandmother left it to her."
"Foss knew that.
That's why the conservatorship route was necessary.
If Marlene could establish Carol as legally incompetent, she could petition as next of kin for financial conservatorship.
The house would fall under her control." He paused.
"Foss says Marlene told him the property was worth just over eight hundred thousand dollars."
Eight hundred thousand.
Marlene had sat at our kitchen table for nine years.
Had corrected my table manners.
Had held Lily as a newborn.
Had told Carol she was her greatest gift.
And she had looked at our house and decided it was worth more than her daughter's freedom.
"The medication," I said.
"Did he know about that?"
"He says no.
He says the note in her purse was outside the scope of what he was hired to do, and that if he'd known she was interfering with Carol's medication he would not have taken the case." Solis's expression made clear what he thought of that.
"Whether that's true or not, the note is yours.
It's physical evidence of something far more serious than what Foss was involved in."
"What happens to him?"
"He's agreed to provide a full written statement in exchange for cooperation consideration.
His license will be reviewed.
The two prior conservatorship cases are being reopened." Solis closed the folder.
"But Marlene is the one who wrote that note.
Marlene is the one who called in the hold.
And Marlene is the one who pinned your nine-year-old daughter to the floor and threatened her."
I thought of Lily's face.
The red marks on her shoulder.
The way she'd said *recognition* without using the word — just her eyes going still when she looked at Marlene.
"She threatened Carol too," I said.
"She told Lily that her mother wouldn't wake up next time.
That means there was a first time."
Solis nodded slowly.
"That's what I want to talk to Carol about.
With your permission.
Today, if she's willing."
"She'll be willing." I stood.
"She told me she wants to be there when it ends."
"Then let's make sure it ends correctly."
We went back upstairs together.
Dr.
Anand let us into Carol's room without hesitation.
Carol sat up straighter when she saw Solis's badge.
"Detective."
"Mrs.
Whitaker.
I want to ask you about something your husband said.
He told me Marlene threatened your daughter this morning — that your mother told Lily you wouldn't wake up next time." Solis sat down across from her.
"Has there been a previous incident?
Something that might explain what she meant by next time?"
Carol looked at her hands.
Then at me.
Then back at Solis.
"Six weeks ago," she said quietly, "I had a night where I couldn't be woken up.
Ethan was traveling.
Lily called Marlene because she couldn't get me to open my eyes." She stopped.
"By the time I came around, Marlene was already there.
She told me I'd had a panic attack in my sleep.
She told me not to worry Ethan about it."
Solis opened his notebook.
"She was there very quickly," Carol said.
"I remember thinking that.
I remember thinking it was strange that she arrived so fast." Her voice dropped.
"I think she was already close.
I think she was already watching."
The room was very quiet.
"Mrs.
Whitaker," Solis said, "I'd like to request a toxicology review from that night, if the hospital has any records.
And I'd like to get a formal statement from you today." He looked up from his notebook.
"Are you ready to do that?"
May you like
Carol straightened her shoulders.
"I've been ready," she said, "for months."
