Chapter 4 - the drink no one ordered
Claire carried Harper toward the front hall.
Nolan walked beside them, watching the child closely.
“I’m going to check the car and call the station,” he said. “We should have her evaluated.”
Harper looked at him sleepily.
“Do I need a needle?”
“Not unless you insult my uniform.”
“It looks too big.”
Nolan placed a hand over his heart.
“That was cruel.”
She managed a faint smile.
Claire did not.
Harper’s face looked pale beneath the glitter painted on her cheeks.
Before they reached the front door, a server approached.
“Mrs. Morgan?”
“Claire.”
“I’m sorry. Someone moved your car behind the service vehicles. It may take several minutes.”
“Who moved it?”
“I don’t know.”
Claire looked toward Margaret.
Margaret was speaking with the photographer.
Mercer had disappeared.
Nolan took out his phone.
“I’ll request an ambulance.”
“No,” Harper murmured. “I don’t want everyone looking at me.”
Claire kissed her forehead.
“They’re looking because they care.”
A loud cheer rose from the birthday room.
Someone had started the cake ceremony despite Harper’s absence.
Sabrina called from the doorway.
“Harper, everyone is waiting for you.”
Claire turned slowly.
“My daughter isn’t feeling well.”
“It will only take a minute. She can blow out the candles, then you can leave.”
Nolan shook his head.
“Not happening.”
Margaret approached.
“If Harper leaves before the photographs, people will ask questions.”
Claire almost laughed.
“My child feels sick, and you’re worried about photographs?”
“I’m worried about the story you will tell afterward.”
Claire shifted Harper higher in her arms.
“The truth doesn’t need rehearsing.”
Harper raised her head.
“I want to blow out my candles.”
Claire looked at Nolan.
He hesitated.
“One minute,” he said. “No food or drinks.”
They returned to the birthday room.
The children gathered around the pink cake. Seven candles flickered beneath the silver unicorn.
A purple cup stood beside Harper’s plate again.
Claire stopped.
“That cup was missing.”
Sabrina followed her gaze.
“One of the servers must have found it.”
“Which server?”
“I don’t know.”
Claire picked up the cup and smelled the drink.
It had a sweet, artificial scent.
“I asked for plain apple juice.”
Sabrina shrugged.
“It is apple juice.”
Nolan took the cup from Claire.
“This isn’t plain.”
Margaret sighed.
“It’s a children’s party. The caterers probably added coloring.”
Claire looked toward the drink dispenser near the kitchen.
Three containers stood side by side.
Water.
Apple juice.
Purple fruit punch.
A printed warning card was placed in front of the purple punch.
Claire crossed the room and read it.
Contains tropical fruit concentrate.
Her stomach tightened.
“That cannot be served to Harper.”
The event manager hurried over.
“We were informed. Harper’s cup was supposed to come from the sealed apple juice bottles.”
“Then why is her cup filled from that dispenser?”
“It shouldn’t be.”
Sabrina folded her arms.
“You don’t know that it was.”
Nolan held up the cup.
“It smells exactly like the purple punch.”
Margaret looked at the guests.
“This is becoming unnecessarily dramatic.”
Claire placed Harper in a chair beside the cake.
“My daughter’s medical bracelet disappears, her cup disappears, and then the cup returns filled with something she was specifically not supposed to drink. That is not drama.”
Harper looked from face to face.
“Did someone make a mistake?”
Claire knelt in front of her.
“You haven’t drunk from this cup, have you?”
Harper hesitated.
“Only a little.”
“When?”
“Before the treasure hunt.”
Claire’s heartbeat pounded in her ears.
“How much?”
“I don’t know.”
Nolan crouched beside Harper.
“Did anyone give it to you?”
Harper looked toward Sabrina.
“She said Grandma made a special drink for me.”
Sabrina’s mouth opened.
“That is not what I said.”
“Yes, it is,” Harper whispered.
The room became silent again.
Margaret’s eyes narrowed at Sabrina.
A warning passed between them.
Claire saw it.
So did Nolan.
Then Harper lifted one hand toward her head.
“Mom, everything is spinning.”
Claire caught her as she slid sideways from the chair.
The cake candles continued burning.
Someone screamed.
May you like
The photographer’s camera flashed.
And while everyone rushed toward Harper, Daniel Mercer stood behind the kitchen door and quietly removed the security recorder from its cabinet.
