Chapter 4 - Midnight Blood
The next morning, Marcus left for his gym at 6:00 AM, right on schedule. Sylvia was still asleep in the upstairs master suite.
At 6:15 AM, a discreet black sedan pulled into my driveway. A woman in plain clothes carrying a medical bag stepped out. It was Sarah, a private forensic nurse contracted by Victor’s law firm. I ushered her through the side door.
We moved quickly to the guest room. Eleanor was ready. Sarah worked with absolute professional silence, tying the tourniquet and drawing three vials of blood.
“I’m rushing these to an independent, secure lab,” Sarah whispered, labeling the vials with a barcode instead of Eleanor’s name to prevent any leaks. “Victor ordered a full heavy metal and toxicology panel. We’ll have preliminary results in eight hours.”
“Thank you,” I said, handing her the plastic bottle containing the crushed pills Sylvia had mixed the night before. “Test this too. I want a chemical match.”
As Sarah slipped out the back door, I helped Eleanor sit up and fed her a high-protein shake I had smuggled in my laptop bag. Her color was already returning.
At 8:00 AM, Sylvia finally came downstairs, wearing a silk robe and yawning.
“Morning, Clara,” she said dismissively. “How is the burden today?”
“Still sleeping,” I lied smoothly, pouring myself a cup of coffee. “I have to head into the office for a few hours to deal with a server issue. Will you be okay watching her?”
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“Of course,” Sylvia smiled, a cold, reptilian stretch of her lips. “Take your time. Marcus and I have everything under control.”
I grabbed my briefcase and walked out the door. I didn't drive to my office. I drove straight to the glass-walled high-rise where Victor Sterling’s law firm occupied the top three floors. The real work was about to begin.
