Chapter 13 - THE DOSE
The lab found traces of the sedative in Ethan’s sippy cup from the previous night.
Not enough to kill him.
Enough to keep him quiet.
Victor had to leave the room when he heard that.
He walked into the dark kitchen and gripped the counter until his knuckles hurt.
Lily found him there.
“He’s okay,” she said.
“That is not good enough.”
“No. It isn’t.”
Victor’s voice broke for the first time. “I brought her into his life.”
Lily did not offer easy forgiveness.
“You did.”
He looked at her.
“And now you get to decide what kind of father you are after learning the truth.”
Victor breathed slowly.
Downstairs, detectives reconstructed Serena’s routine. She had ordered blank prescription bottles online under a false business account. She had searched dosage charts. She had looked up ‘toddler sleep medication detection window.’
Then Daniel uncovered a second phone hidden in a locked drawer of Serena’s dressing room.
It contained messages to a man saved only as N.
N: Wedding first. Authority second. Don’t improvise.
Serena: The child is making everything harder.
N: Then control the child.
Victor read the exchange twice.
“Who is N?”
Daniel shook his head. “Burner number.”
Claire studied the messages.
“This means Serena may not be acting alone.”
A new message arrived on the hidden phone while they were still looking at it.
N: Did you get the recorder?
Nobody moved.
Then a second message appeared.
N: If Blackwood knows about the trust, move to Plan B.
Victor looked at Daniel.
“What is Plan B?”
Daniel’s phone rang.
May you like
He answered, listened, then looked up sharply.
“Sir, someone just tried to access your private hangar.”
