Chapter 10 - The False Collapse
Arthur raised his hands.
Vanessa moved between him and Julian.
“The plan changed.”
Julian kept the gun aimed.
“No, it didn’t.”
“He knows about Eleanor.”
One of the men in hospital uniforms placed a medical bag on the table.
Julian smiled without humor.
“Then he knows too much.”
Arthur looked at Vanessa.
“You said I was supposed to survive.”
“She doesn’t make that decision,” Julian said.
The fake paramedic removed a syringe from the bag.
Arthur backed toward the window.
Julian cocked the pistol.
“Don’t make this difficult.”
Vanessa grabbed her brother’s arm.
“You said the drug would only make him unconscious.”
“That was before he found the ledger.”
“You can’t kill him yet. The trust requires a medical incapacity declaration.”
“We have Samuel’s signature.”
“It’s forged.”
“Once Arthur is dead, no one will care.”
Arthur watched the argument carefully.
Vanessa wanted his wealth.
Julian wanted the ledger.
Eleanor wanted something neither sibling fully understood.
The two fake paramedics moved closer.
Arthur pressed a button on his watch.
Nothing happened.
The security system remained disabled.
One man seized his arm.
Arthur drove an elbow into the man’s throat and shoved him into the dining table.
The second lunged with the syringe.
Arthur grabbed a chair and struck his wrist.
The syringe flew across the floor.
Julian fired.
The bullet shattered a mirror beside Arthur’s head.
Vanessa screamed.
Arthur tackled Julian as the first man recovered.
They crashed against the wall.
Julian struck Arthur in the ribs with the pistol.
Pain exploded through his side.
The second fake paramedic retrieved the syringe.
Vanessa picked up the poisoned wineglass and threw its contents into the man’s face.
He screamed and clawed at his eyes.
“Run!” she shouted.
Arthur stared at her.
“Go!”
Julian shoved Vanessa to the floor.
“You stupid bitch.”
Arthur grabbed the pistol, twisted Julian’s wrist, and fired into the ceiling.
The sprinkler system erupted.
Water poured over the room.
The first fake paramedic struck Arthur from behind.
Arthur fell.
A boot slammed into his stomach.
Then another.
Through blurred vision, he saw Vanessa crawling toward the syringe.
Julian saw her too.
He kicked it away.
“You ruined everything,” he told her.
Vanessa rose and slapped him.
Julian hit her with the back of his hand.
She fell against the table.
Arthur forced himself to stand.
The penthouse doors burst open.
Margaret entered with two private security officers.
Behind them came Detective Cruz.
“Drop the weapon!”
Julian fired toward the doorway.
Cruz returned fire.
The bullet struck Julian’s shoulder.
He collapsed.
The fake paramedics ran toward the kitchen, but security officers intercepted them.
Arthur leaned against the wall.
Vanessa sat on the floor, blood running from her lip.
Cruz approached her with handcuffs.
Vanessa looked at Arthur.
“You called them.”
“The watch was a silent alarm.”
“But the cameras were disabled.”
“The watch uses a separate network.”
Cruz pulled Vanessa’s hands behind her back.
Arthur stopped her.
“Wait.”
Cruz glared at him.
“She tried to poison you.”
“She also prevented them from injecting me.”
“That doesn’t make her innocent.”
“No.”
Arthur looked at Vanessa.
“But she can lead us to Eleanor.”
Vanessa laughed weakly.
“You still think Eleanor can be found?”
Arthur crouched in front of her.
“Tell me where she is.”
“I’ve never seen her.”
“How does she contact you?”
“Burner phones. Encrypted messages. Payments through shell companies.”
“Then give Cruz everything.”
Vanessa’s eyes filled with hatred.
“And what do I get?”
Arthur stood.
“The chance to spend less than the rest of your life in prison.”
She looked away.
Paramedics arrived.
Real ones this time.
As they examined Arthur, Cruz searched Julian’s phone.
Most of the data had been remotely erased.
One message remained.
It had arrived thirty seconds before the police entered.
If Arthur survives, initiate hospital protocol.
Cruz showed him the screen.
“What is hospital protocol?”
Arthur looked at the men dressed as paramedics.
Then at the syringe on the floor.
“I believe,” he said, “we’re going to find out.”
His knees buckled.
The room tilted.
The empty water glass had not contained the full dose.
May you like
But Vanessa’s ring had delivered enough.
Arthur collapsed as the lights disappeared.
