Chapter 2 - The Pocket
Ruiz did not leave.
"Mr. Voss," she said, "I'd like to see what's in your jacket pocket."
Preston gave a tired laugh. "Are you serious?"
"Very."
Madeline watched the man she'd been married to for seven years become someone else by inches. His shoulders tightened. His jaw shifted. His eyes flicked toward the door as if calculating distance.
Then he reached into the pocket.
He pulled out his phone, a folded receipt, two keys, and a silver pen.
No bottle.
Poppy frowned. "You had it."
"Sweetheart," Preston said softly, "you saw my vitamins."
"No."
"Poppy."
The warning in his voice made Madeline's stomach clench.
"Don't talk to her like that," she said.
Preston looked at her for the first time. "Maddie, you nearly died. You're drugged. You don't know what's happening."
"I know Serena was in our kitchen."
He hesitated half a second.
Ruiz caught it.
"You told me she wasn't," the detective said.
"I misunderstood the question."
"It was six words."
Preston's face hardened.
A nurse entered, breaking the tension. She checked Madeline's monitor, then glanced at Ruiz.
"The toxicology screen came back. The doctor will explain it, but there was a heavy sedative in her system. More than a normal dose."
Madeline stared at Preston.
He stared at Poppy.
That frightened her most.
Later, after Ruiz finally left, Preston leaned over the bed.
"Listen to me," he whispered. "Serena has been unstable for months. She was jealous of us. She asked me for money. I think she did this to hurt you."
"Then why lie about her being there?"
"Because I panicked."
"And the bottle?"
"There was no bottle."
Poppy made a small sound from the chair.
Preston turned.
"Stop," Madeline said.
He looked back at her.
For one cold second, there was no worry in his face. No love. No fear for his wife.
Only anger.
Then Poppy reached into the pocket of her rabbit's tiny pink dress.
"I took this," she whispered.
In her palm was a white plastic cap.
May you like
And on the inside, written in black marker, were two letters.
P.V.
