Chapter 459 Patricia's Disappearance
As Patricia continued to speak, her agitation escalated, causing her body to tremble uncontrollably with terror in her eyes.
Martin, whose heart ached for her, cradled her face. The warmth from his palms seeped through her skin, warming her chilled cheeks. "Patricia, calm down, listen to me, just listen."
The warmth from Martin's hands managed to slightly calm Patricia, yet the fear lingering in her eyes was unmistakable. Martin looked into her eyes intently, "Patricia, tell me everything you remember. What happened last night? Why did you go to Shane's study? Where did you get the knife? Why did you stab Shane?"
Under Martin's steady gaze, Patricia felt a semblance of calmness. Though still scared, she was able to gather her thoughts for a moment. Her gaze became unfocused as she slowly recounted her fragmented memories. "I don't remember exactly what happened, why I went to Shane's study, or how I got the knife. All I remember is stabbing Shane. Then, as I was about to flee, I saw Grace at the door. I wanted to silence her, but I fell... Beyond that, my memory is blank."
As Patricia recounted her memories, her emotions intensified. With her hands tangled in her hair, she looked at Martin, her eyes filled with distress. "What am I going to do? Did I really kill Shane? How could I forget something so crucial? Why?"
Seeing Patricia in such agony, Martin enveloped her in a comforting embrace, trying to offer some solace. "It's possible that the impact when you fell caused temporary amnesia. Don't be scared. I'm here for you. I won't let anything happen to you."
Patricia clung to Martin, seeking solace in his presence. Through his shirt, Martin could feel the warmth of her body, a desperate attempt to ward off her fears. He continued to soothe her, gently patting her back in a reassuring rhythm.
The concussion had left Patricia's head feeling heavy and foggy, and her efforts to recall the events only exacerbated the sensation. Her head became increasingly clouded.
Eventually, exhausted by the emotional turmoil, Patricia leaned against Martin's shoulder and fell asleep. Martin carefully laid her down on the bed and tucked the blanket around her, ensuring she was comfortable. After making sure she was sound asleep, he left the room to discuss his concerns with her attending physician.
The doctor, a middle-aged man, listened attentively to Martin's theory and adjusted his glasses thoughtfully. "Memory loss can indeed result from a severe blow to the head or intense psychological trauma. The recovery for each is different. Traumatic injury-related memory loss may improve with medical treatment, whereas memory loss due to psychological trauma is a self-defense mechanism, often requiring psychological counseling for recovery. The path to regaining memory in such cases is tied to the patient's ability to confront and move beyond the traumatic event."
Anxious, Martin asked, "How can we find out the cause of her amnesia?"
The doctor pulled up Patricia's MRI scans on his computer. "The MRI shows no physical damage to her head. Therefore, I suspect that the amnesia is primarily due to psychological factors."
"Should we get her a therapist?" Martin queried.
The doctor suggested, "Given her current state, it might be best to wait before introducing a therapist. We advise waiting until she's more emotionally stable. The treatment will likely be more effective then."
Martin nodded in understanding, thanked him, and left his office. Instead of heading straight back to her room, Martin found his way to the intensive care unit.
Riley and Sebastian, appearing fatigued, were seated outside the ICU, lost in their thoughts. Martin approached them, and upon hearing him, they both looked up.
Settling down next to Riley, Martin asked the burning question on his mind. "How's Grandpa doing? What did the doctor say?"
Riley shared the doctor's update verbatim, leading to a tense silence. Martin then inquired about the security footage, remembering the Koch family's security system could shed light on the events.
Without a word, Riley took out his phone, accessed the security app, and handed it to Martin. The security video clearly showed Patricia at the study door with a knife, knocking before eventually entering with the knife hidden behind her back. The footage was clear and left no room for doubt.
After viewing the footage, the three men sat in silence until Martin, struggling to reconcile the evidence with his belief in Patricia's innocence, asked, "Is there a camera inside the study?"
Riley shook his head. "No, we value our privacy too much to install cameras in personal spaces. So, we have no footage of what transpired inside the study. The hallway camera only shows Patricia entering just before Grandpa's 'accident' occurred."
The footage closely aligned with Grace's testimony, causing a throbbing pain to develop in Martin's temples as he grappled with the severity of the situation. Despite his conviction that Patricia was innocent, the evidence seemed to point squarely at her.
Rubbing his forehead, looking worn, Riley admitted, "I've held onto the footage for some time but haven't shared it with the police. Doing so would undoubtedly determine Patricia's fate."
Understanding the difficult position Riley was in, Martin offered a reassuring pat on the shoulder and expressed his gratitude, "Thanks."
Riley managed a tired smile and responded, "Don't mention it. I'm acting on instinct here. We have at most three days. If we can't exonerate Patricia by then, I'll have no choice but to release the footage."
While three days seemed insufficient, Martin recognized it was the most Riley could offer given the circumstances. The Koch family's interests extended beyond just his own, and Riley had other members to consider.
After concluding their discussion, Martin stood to return to Patricia's room, only to find it eerily empty. The bed was made, with no sign of Patricia. A wave of panic washed over him as he checked the restroom and balcony, finding both vacant.
His anxiety mounting, Martin hastily dialed Patricia's number, only for her ringtone to fill the room, indicating she had left without her phone.
Where did she go? And when?
Flooded with regret, Martin cursed himself for leaving her alone in the room, for not taking better care of her, and for the consecutive mishaps that had befallen her.
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