Chapter 5 - The Little Girl in the Service Wing
Later that afternoon, while Vanessa was out meeting with the wedding caterers in downtown Chicago, I buzzed for Elena.
She entered the bedroom five minutes later, moving with quiet caution. She had changed into a clean dark-grey uniform, her hair tied back neatly, but the exhaustion in her eyes was unmistakable. She looked around the expansive suite as if expecting guards to jump out from behind the antique tapestries.
“Mr. Vance?” she asked softly, keeping her distance from the bed.
“Close the door, Elena,” I ordered.
She hurried to lock the heavy oak door, then turned back, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. “Did I do something wrong? Miss Vale said—”
“I don’t give a damn what Vanessa said,” I interrupted, motioning toward the velvet armchair near the fireplace. “Sit down.”
Elena blinked in surprise, hesitating for a moment before slowly walking over and sitting on the edge of the chair, looking entirely out of place among the luxury of the master suite.
“Where is Lily?” I asked.
“She’s... she’s in the service kitchen coloring,” Elena answered nervously. “The head housekeeper agreed to keep an eye on her as long as she stays out of sight.”
“She doesn't need to stay out of sight,” I said, leaning forward slightly, wincing as a phantom pain shot through my ribs. “Listen to me carefully, Elena. You and Lily are not safe in this house.”
Elena went completely rigid. “What are you talking about?”
“Vanessa knows who Lily is. Or at least, she suspects enough to see her as a threat to her future,” I said, my voice dropping into a harsh, conspiratorial whisper. “Vanessa is ruthless, Elena. She’s not just a socialite playing mafia wife; she’s calculating, cold, and right now, she’s trying to kill me.”
Elena gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “Kill you? But—the doctors said you had a rare infection—”
“The doctors are looking at symptoms while I’m looking at the executioner,” I said grimly. “I am being poisoned. Slowly, every single night, right under my own roof. And Vanessa is the one pulling the trigger.”
The blood drained entirely from Elena’s face. She looked around the enormous, sunlit room as if the walls themselves were closing in. “Dear God... if she’s doing that to you, what would she do to a little girl who shares your face?”
“Exactly,” I said. “That’s why you need to listen to my instructions to the letter.”
Before Elena could answer, a soft knock echoed at the door.
We both froze.
“Christian?” Dr. Harris’s voice drifted through the wood. “Are you awake?”
“Come in, Doc,” I called out.
The door opened, and Dr. Harris stepped inside, locking it immediately behind him. He looked agitated, carrying a small, unmarked glass vial in his hand.
“I checked the fresh IV saline bags delivered by the pharmacy this morning,” Dr. Harris said, walking quickly toward the bed. “The batch Vanessa personally signed for. Look at this.”
He held up the vial under the light. A faint, milky residue clung to the inside glass.
“It’s pre-contaminated,” Dr. Harris breathed, his voice shaking slightly. “The seal was melted and resealed with industrial heat. Someone is injecting the tetra-ethyl compound directly into your daily intravenous line before it even reaches your room.”
“And Vanessa signed for the delivery?” I asked, my voice dangerously calm.
“Personally,” Dr. Harris nodded. “Her signature is right on the manifest.”
I leaned back against the pillows, a cold, hard smile touching my lips. The puzzle was complete. The method, the motive, and the murderer were all locked into place.
May you like
“Mr. Vance,” Elena whispered, her eyes shining with sudden terror as she looked at me. “What are we going to do?”
“We’re going to play her game,” I said, my eyes gleaming with syndicate steel. “She wants me dead by midnight? Fine. Tonight at 2:17 a.m., I’m going to give her exactly what she’s been waiting for.”
