n the kitchen with her arms fo

either of them had touched it. The cracked mug from last

ll c

d herself as Dr Patel, the private physician he'd booked

bag. "I understand there may have been an

ria n

nd send them for urgent screening. The

g?" Dani

what they find

him. He was watching

s. "I need to ask what you

ife prepared it. It tasted b

ngers dug int

ou ingest any?"

sip," Dan

breath. "I did

own. "And the bottle

ead bin," Victoria said.

aused. "Do you kno

N

ousekeeper

She collapsed soon afterwards, but we don'

"You didn't tell me sh

she found

in he

didn't know unti

ld answer. "Let's take the samples first. We ca

ies, with brown hair pulled into a tight bun and a small

o go first?"

Daniel

. Nadia fitted a tourniquet around his arm. Daniel w

other version of this day, she had found Daniel dead beside a bottle. She couldn't

the tube an

urn, Mr

a tightened the ba

l right?" N

m f

and's s

it into a fist.

cratch in the table's varnish. The technician filled two t

will we hear?

eports," Nadia said. "If anything critical

he pouch disappear

h you?" she aske

e sharpened.

t to ask about

an ask

mbarra

cto

se, D

nfirm the time he had taken the sip of coffee. Daniel followed th

d until the do

ay the report?

linked.

t call Daniel with the

how the pr

pay

ression har

table. "Please. I need to know wh

to discuss the result

n't und

to interfere with

you to giv

r case shut. "I

wrist. It was one Daniel had given her on thei

ke

bracelet, then at Vi

ser

on't try to

anic. She snatched the bracelet b

k your husband is in danger, tell the

be the

sult matters

answer, Daniel stepped

all right?

Victor

ase. "I'll take th

n as you know,"

wil

d the doctor and technician

id you

ng imp

ked frig

ied about

to know abou

know if w

oser. "Why did yo

ent cold.

bracelet in

it off. That's no

y to buy he

mouth wen

ng between them, the

oing t

e before the re

ere's a problem

calls while y

I'll a

l, sta

but you won't tell me why. You want to delay th

sca

sed, but only sli

ria thought he mean

e window. Every car that slowed outside made her stomach tig

, Dr Pat

as flagged a result

phone to her ear

out Daniel's consent. I've asked Nadia to

st tell me if h

ure he doesn't leave be

all e

r and threw open the lock. The d

ed him.

door. Nadia stood outside, her face pale

Daniel?"

wo

around the paper. "You n

does i

ll result. The doctor ne

a, te

ast Victoria into the h

le contains a