Chapter 11 - The Cup Was Never Meant to Kill Him
Marlo watched the drip chamber.
Too fast.
Pell identified the fluid from the label.
Potassium concentrate.
At that rate, Maria could die.
Nico traced the feed to the abandoned penthouse medical level.
They had minutes.
Cassian tried to stand.
Marlo pushed him back.
“You're bleeding.”
“She's alive because of my family.”
“She'll stay alive because we stop wasting time.”
Marlo went with Nico.
Pell remained with Cassian.
They found Maria strapped to a bed.
The IV was running.
Evan was gone.
Marlo clamped the tubing.
Maria was conscious.
Barely.
“Mom.”
Maria opened her eyes.
“He knows.”
“Knows what?”
“The cup.”
Marlo frowned.
Maria explained.
The original porcelain set had belonged to Cassian's father.
Maria scratched her initials into one saucer after discovering the altered pills.
It was not a signature.
It was a warning.
She had hidden evidence inside the cup itself.
Marlo picked it up.
The base sounded hollow.
Nico broke it carefully.
Inside was a tiny memory card sealed in wax.
Thirteen years earlier, Maria had recorded Evan's father discussing the medication scheme.
The recording also contained another voice.
Cassian's father.
Not participating.
Threatening to expose them.
That cleared a question Cassian had carried his entire adult life.
His father had been corrupt in many ways.
But he had died trying to stop this.
The memory card contained account numbers.
Names.
Dates.
Enough evidence to dismantle the network.
Maria squeezed Marlo's hand.
“One more thing.”
“What?”
“Evan isn't running.”
“Then where is he?”
“He's going downstairs.”
“The casino?”
Maria shook her head.
“The pharmacy.”
Nico understood.
The Black Lantern's private pharmacy contained medication records connecting Evan to every victim.
If he destroyed it, much of the case became harder to prove.
They rushed downstairs.
Smoke was already rising.
Fire alarms screamed.
Sprinklers activated.
Nico found the pharmacist unconscious.
Marlo found Evan's abandoned coat.
Inside was a syringe.
And a hotel key.
Room 3001.
Cassian's suite.
Marlo's stomach dropped.
Cassian was there.
She called Pell.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then Cassian answered.
But he did not speak.
A different voice came through.
Evan.
May you like
“Come upstairs, Marlo.”
The line went dead.
