Chapter 17 - Gregory Tells the Whole Truth
Gregory testified on the fourth day.
He wore a plain suit.
No confident smile.
No fake boyfriend charm.
He admitted everything.
Meeting Mom before Dad died.
Administering the medication.
Altering hospital records.
Ignoring Dad’s call light.
Helping Avery conceal the toxicology issue.
Then disappearing from our lives.
He admitted returning under a false last name.
He admitted pretending to love Mom again.
That surprised everyone.
The prosecutor asked.
“Pretending?”
Gregory looked toward Mom.
“Our relationship ended years ago.”
Mom stared at him.
Gregory continued.
“She contacted me because she needed help with Daniel.”
“She told me the trust would transfer.”
“I came for money.”
Mom’s face changed.
Whatever she had believed about Gregory, he destroyed it in one sentence.
The prosecutor asked about the day I found Daniel.
Gregory swallowed.
“I cornered him in the kitchen.”
“Why?”
“To cause a reaction.”
“Did he attack you?”
“No.”
The courtroom went silent.
“He pushed me after I grabbed him.”
“Why did you grab him?”
“Because he wasn’t reacting strongly enough.”
I felt Daniel stiffen beside me.
The prosecutor continued.
“What did Elaine Reed do?”
“She told me to keep going.”
Mom whispered.
“No.”
Gregory looked toward her.
“You did.”
His voice sounded almost tired.
“You said the evaluation was Friday.”
“You said we needed something Avery could use.”
Mom started crying.
Gregory did not look away.
Then came Dad.
“Did Michael Reed know he had been given sedatives?”
“No.”
“Did he consent?”
“No.”
“Did Elaine know?”
“Yes.”
“Did Avery know?”
“Yes.”
“Did Richard Keller know?”
“Yes.”
“And when Michael Reed began experiencing a medical emergency, what did you do?”
Gregory looked at the floor.
“Nothing.”
“For how long?”
“About thirty minutes.”
“Why?”
“Because we were afraid of being caught.”
There was no dramatic gasp.
Just silence.
A terrible, complete silence.
Dad had pressed that button.
Again.
Again.
Again.
And the people outside his door chose themselves.
When Gregory stepped down, Daniel typed something.
I looked at the screen.
“He heard Dad call.”
“Yes.”
Daniel stared ahead.
“So did Mom.”
“Yes.”
He closed his eyes.
For eleven years, he had wondered whether anyone knew Dad needed help.
May you like
Now he had the answer.
They knew.
