vy and suffocating, like a physica

oud, heaving sound-too sharp,

ng up. "I tried to help her! I bought her expensive

ere pleading. Not for forgiveness

calm. "You are upset. You are not thinking clearly. The to

to arsenic?" I asked

tling with her indignation. "How dare you accuse this p

Gardner. I kept my e

l answer?" I asked

e looked at Kayla, sobbing in his arms, then at his pare

ds tasting like ash. "If it was anything, it w

se her

se her; he aligned

," I

plastic hospital pen, not the s

atch of the ink sounded like

hem. It didn't

. It hit him with a dull thud,

lood money. I hope it buys

on them. "Get o

ey retreated. I heard Kayla whisper, "She is

ne with m

ned, but now it w

ushing a stray hair from her fo

ked my

s until the deadline.

atever patience I had left had j

d Alex.

ight, Garris

al hallways were dim, bathed in

e doorway. He

t," h

er's few personal items into a bag-her comb

have to understand. Kayla... she has had a hard life. She didn't mean

the scarf with precision. "You are standing over my dying

dered, Janet! S

of the

izing where he was, he lowered his voice. "Look. I deposited money into your account. Enough for

bout?" I asked, finally

y," he said. "I

ure," I c

turned to

son. Go to your me

straightening his tie, assuming he had

said. "T

r the first time in years. There was a flicker of some

Janet," he said.

d. "That is the

ootsteps faded

. I needed the air t

ocked his number. I blocked hi

. Every smile, every vacati

out of

the nurse

t," I told the night nurse. "

Gardner," she s

Meyers," I

to the

he wall in the waiting area. The volume was

live br

a ring. Not my ring. A bigger one-a roc

th her hands, feigning shock, h

dner Heir Proposes at C

hospital and gon

poisoned my mother, on the

he tears were g

tor and pressed the butt

ked down, I felt l

evator

oors

e lobby. He held a pla

?" he

y," I

e hospital, into t

't loo

. Now, I just ha