Chapter 2 - The Poison Was MineThe Secret Hidden Under My Mother's SkinI didn't understand what Arthur meant.
If the poison belonged to him, then surely he was the person who had hurt my mother.
I stepped backward.
“You did this?”
Arthur's eyes hardened.
“No.”
“You said it was yours.”
“It was stolen from me.”
My little brothers began crying.
Arthur turned immediately.
The sound of their weak voices seemed to pull something protective out of him.
His men rushed forward.
One picked up Noah.
Another took Owen.
For the first time that day, I saw someone handle my brothers gently.
“Get them warm.”
Arthur pointed toward the kitchen.
“Check every window.”
His men scattered.
I stood beside my mother.
“Can you save her?”
Arthur didn't answer immediately.
That frightened me more than anything.
“I know a doctor.”
“Will she wake up?”
“She might.”
“Might isn't enough.”
His gaze met mine.
For a second, I forgot he was a criminal.
He looked like a tired man who had suddenly found a responsibility he hadn't asked for.
“She'll get the best doctor in Chicago.”
A black SUV arrived less than seven minutes later.
Dr. Elias Mercer entered with a medical bag.
He was old, silver-haired, and furious.
“You've been involved in poison again, Arthur?”
Arthur ignored him.
“Save her.”
The doctor examined Mom.
He opened her eyelids.
Checked her pulse.
Smelled the bottle.
Then froze.
“Where did you get this?”
Arthur held up the glass vial.
“Warehouse shipment.”
Mercer looked disturbed.
“This compound isn't supposed to exist outside a laboratory.”
“What is it?”
“A neurotoxin.”
I grabbed his sleeve.
“Will she die?”
He looked at me.
“We can still stop it.”
“Then do it.”
He stared at me for a moment.
Then began working.
An hour later, our broken house was filled with people I had never seen before.
Doctors.
Security men.
People carrying boxes of medicine.
Arthur stood in the middle of all of them, strangely silent.
I sat on the floor beside the twins.
Arthur finally approached.
“What's your father's name?”
I looked down.
“Daniel Sterling.”
“Where is he?”
“He died.”
“When?”
“Before the twins were born.”
Arthur's expression tightened.
“How?”
“Car accident.”
He stared at me.
“Who told you that?”
“My mother.”
Arthur glanced toward the bedroom.
Something about the question bothered me.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You don't look like nothing.”
He almost smiled.
“You notice too much.”
“I have to.”
That erased the smile.
He crouched.
“Do you remember anyone coming to the house recently?”
I thought.
“There was a man.”
“What man?”
“He came three nights ago.”
Arthur became completely still.
“What did he look like?”
“Brown coat.”
“Anything else?”
“He had a silver ring.”
Arthur's jaw tightened.
“What kind of ring?”
I held up my hand.
“Like this.”
I twisted my finger into a circle.
“He had a snake on it.”
Arthur stood so quickly I flinched.
One of his men walked over.
Arthur spoke quietly.
“Lock the block down.”
The man nodded and left.
I didn't understand.
“What's wrong?”
Arthur looked at me.
“That ring belongs to Victor Vale.”
“Who is he?”
“A man who has been trying to kill me for eleven years.”
My stomach twisted.
“Why would he come here?”
Arthur glanced toward the bedroom.
Then he looked at the twins.
Then at me.
“I don't know.”
The doctor finally emerged.
He removed his gloves.
“We've stabilized her.”
I jumped up.
“She'll wake up?”
“With treatment, yes.”
I ran into the room.
Mom looked tiny beneath the blankets.
Her eyes fluttered.
“Mom?”
Her lips moved.
I leaned closer.
“What?”
She whispered one word.
“Run.”
“Mom?”
Her hand suddenly grabbed mine with surprising strength.
“Don't let them find the boys.”
Arthur entered.
The moment Mom saw him, her face changed.
She didn't look surprised.
She looked terrified.
“Arthur.”
Arthur stopped.
“Where is he?”
Mom's voice was barely audible.
“Who?”
“The man who killed Daniel.”
Arthur stepped closer.
“Your husband didn't die in a car accident.”
My heart stopped.
I looked at my mother.
She closed her eyes.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“Because Daniel is still alive.”
Related Stories
