Chapter 13 - The Last Glass
Arthur stopped Mercer before he reached Gideon.
The syringe contained a concentrated medication capable of causing a dangerous cardiac event in Gideon's weakened condition.
Mercer broke.
Malcolm had paid him initially.
But when Norah exposed the interaction, Mercer realized discovery would destroy his career.
He altered records to hide his negligence.
Then he tried to make Gideon's decline irreversible before anyone could prove what had happened.
He had not merely joined the conspiracy.
He had tried to cover his own mistakes with murder.
Elias looked sick.
“You took an oath.”
Mercer laughed bitterly.
“An oath doesn't survive prison.”
Norah thought of all the people who believed poverty made desperation unique to the poor.
Mercer had money.
Prestige.
Education.
He had still chosen cowardice.
The authorities took him away.
For the first time, Gideon's medical team consisted only of physicians independently selected by Elias.
No secret orders.
No altered charts.
No mysterious drinks.
Gideon improved.
Slowly.
Weeks passed.
He walked farther each day.
Norah remained nearby.
Not because Gideon ordered it anymore.
Because she wanted to.
One afternoon he found her studying.
A pharmacology textbook.
“You're planning to replace Elias?”
“No.”
She closed it.
“I've been thinking about going back to school.”
“You should.”
“I can't afford—”
“Yes, you can.”
“No.”
Gideon frowned.
“You don't even know what I was going to say.”
“You were going to pay.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't want my life becoming another debt between our families.”
That silenced him.
Then he nodded.
“All right.”
Norah blinked.
“That easily?”
“I’m learning.”
He helped differently.
He arranged flexible hours.
Introduced her to a scholarship foundation with no Wolf name attached.
Made no call on her behalf.
Norah applied herself.
Weeks later, she received an interview.
The night before it, Gideon invited her to dinner.
No guards inside.
No doctors.
Two glasses sat on the table.
Water.
Norah laughed.
“You're never drinking juice again, are you?”
“Absolutely not.”
For the first time, Gideon laughed too.
Then Arthur entered.
The moment disappeared.
He carried an envelope.
No return address.
Inside was one final page from Elaine Blake’s records.
A page nobody had seen.
At the bottom was a handwritten message.
If anything happens to me, Gideon must know the person closest to him is involved.
Gideon looked at Arthur.
Arthur went still.
Norah turned the page.
May you like
A name was written on the back.
And it was Arthur Finch.
