Chapter 8 - THE FILE CAROLINE LEFT BEHIND
The breakthrough came from Eleanor.
She called Tristan one afternoon.
“I found something.”
He frowned.
“What?”
“Caroline's old laptop.”
Tristan went still.
“Mother.”
“I know.”
The laptop had been stored in a locked cabinet since Caroline's death.
Eleanor had never been able to bring herself to open it.
But after the threats against me, she decided the time had come.
Tristan arranged for a digital forensic specialist to examine the device lawfully.
The specialist recovered archived emails and documents.
Among them was a folder labeled:
MERIDIAN — PATIENT ACCESS REVIEW.
The files contained notes from Caroline's investigation.
Names of clinics.
Financial discrepancies.
Correspondence with patients.
And concerns about whether vulnerable people had received accurate information before entering certain research programs.
One name appeared repeatedly.
Graham Whitlock.
Tristan recognized it immediately.
Whitlock was a senior executive involved in Meridian's early expansion.
He had worked with the Bellamy family for more than a decade.
He was respected.
Well-connected.
And trusted.
Tristan showed the relevant material to the independent investigators.
They discovered that several consulting companies receiving payments from Meridian were connected to Whitlock's associates.
The findings suggested a pattern of financial misconduct.
But investigators needed more evidence before reaching conclusions about the threats or Caroline's death.
One evening, Tristan sat beside me on my couch.
He looked exhausted.
“I trusted Graham.”
I touched his hand.
“I know.”
“He knew Caroline.”
I nodded.
“He attended her funeral.”
My heart tightened.
Tristan looked at me.
“What if she was right?”
I swallowed.
“Then the truth matters.”
He closed his eyes.
“And what if finding it puts you in danger?”
I looked at him.
“Then we handle that carefully. Together.”
He opened his eyes.
For a long moment, he simply stared at me.
Then he whispered:
“I love you.”
My breath caught.
He looked almost frightened.
“I didn't mean to say it like that.”
I smiled through tears.
“Like what?”
“Without planning.”
I laughed softly.
“Tristan.”
He swallowed.
May you like
“Yes?”
“I love you too.”
