Chapter 14 - The PoisonFor several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Thomas had poisoned my grandfather.
Karen had tried to save him.
Daniel had seen only the final minutes.
The story was becoming darker by the second.
“Mom,” I said, “where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because your father is looking for me.”
“Come to the house.”
“No.”
“Then tell me where to go.”
She hesitated.
“The old train station.”
“When?”
“Now.”
The call ended.
Daniel looked at me.
“You can't trust her.”
“I don't know who I can trust.”
Megan grabbed my arm.
“Emily.”
I looked at her.
“What if Mom is telling the truth?”
Daniel shook his head.
“What if she is?”
I had no answer.
We went.
The station was abandoned.
Broken windows.
Rusting benches.
Wind moving through the empty platform.
Karen stood beneath a dead lamp.
She looked smaller than I remembered.
Older.
Exhausted.
She held an envelope.
“I don't have much time.”
“What happened to Grandfather?”
She looked at Daniel.
Then me.
“Thomas poisoned him.”
“With what?”
“A drug he obtained through the company.”
“Why?”
“Because Richard was going to expose him.”
“And you?”
“I found Richard after the poisoning.”
She began crying.
“He was still alive.”
“Did you inject him?”
“Yes.”
“To save him?”
“Yes.”
“What was in the syringe?”
“An antidote.”
I looked at Daniel.
He lowered his eyes.
Karen continued.
“It didn't work.”
“Then why did you run?”
“Because Thomas arrived.”
The words hit me.
“What?”
“He found me.”
“And?”
“He threatened to kill you.”
My heart tightened.
“He knew you were trying to save Richard.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't you tell the police?”
Karen stared at me.
“Because he had already arranged everything.”
“What everything?”
“The records.”
“The medical records?”
“The police records.”
“The financial records.”
“Everything.”
She handed me the envelope.
“Your grandfather knew something was coming.”
Inside was a final letter.
Emily,
I no longer trust the people closest to me.
If you are reading this, Thomas has likely taken control of the company.
Do not fight him over money.
Fight him over the truth.
The treatment they used on you is the key.
It proves what they did.
And there was one more line.
Someone you love will betray you.
I looked at Karen.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
She didn't answer.
Then footsteps echoed from the far end of the station.
Karen froze.
Daniel reached into his jacket.
A voice called out.
“Karen.”
Thomas.
He walked into the station with two men.
Megan grabbed my hand.
My father looked at us.
His expression was calm.
Almost peaceful.
“You really should have left this alone.”
Karen stepped forward.
“Let them go.”
Thomas smiled.
“It's too late.”
He looked at me.
“You've been digging through things you don't understand.”
“I understand enough.”
“You think you won.”
“No.”
I held up the letter.
“I think you’re afraid.”
His smile disappeared.
“You have no idea what your grandfather left you.”
“Thirty million dollars.”
He laughed.
“That is pocket change.”
He pointed at me.
“The company is worth billions.”
I stared at him.
“Then why are you so desperate for my shares?”
“Because they control the patent.”
“What patent?”
His expression changed.
“The treatment.”
My heart stopped.
“You need me.”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
“To reproduce the trial.”
I felt sick.
“You've been trying to recreate the treatment.”
“Not trying.”
He stepped closer.
“We succeeded.”
Megan stared.
“Then why do you need Emily?”
Thomas smiled.
“Because the original patient is still alive.”
Silence.
He looked directly at me.
“You are the only person whose body proves the treatment worked.”
Then Karen whispered:
“No.”
Thomas turned.
“You never understood, Karen.”
He looked back at me.
May you like
“We don't want your inheritance.”
“We want you.”
