He pulled out his phone and called Margaret. She answered immediately. His voice was tight as he explained what had happened. There was a long pause on the line, heavy and uncomfortable, before she spoke, her voice shaking with guilt.
“Mr. Parker… there’s something I should have told you earlier.”
His jaw tightened. “What is it, Margaret?”
She took a deep breath. Emily hadn’t been feeling well for days. She had fainted twice in the house—once in the laundry room, once in the kitchen. Margaret had urged her to see a doctor, but Emily said she couldn’t afford it, that it was just exhaustion and she’d recover.
Margaret had given her some blood pressure medication, but it didn’t seem to help.
Jonathan closed his eyes, guilt crashing over him as the weight of her words sank in.
