Chapter 4 - The Scent of Betrayal
I handed Noah to Emily, the only person I currently trusted not to kill him.
"Keep him cold, and stay behind me," I instructed her.
I drew my own weapon and marched toward the grand foyer of the mansion.
The massive oak front doors were already hanging open, rain blowing violently into the marble entrance.
Victoria was standing in the center of the room, completely soaked and breathing heavily.
She was wearing a torn evening gown, and her expensive mascara was running down her face in dark streaks.
"Where is my baby?" Victoria screamed, her eyes wild with panic.
"How did you know he was hurt, Victoria?" I asked, aiming my gun at the floor near her feet.
She stared at the weapon, letting out a bitter, hysterical laugh.
"Because they told me they were going to kill him if I didn't give them the company shares," she cried.
She fell to her knees on the wet marble, burying her face in her hands.
"I tried to stop them, Michael, I swear I did," she sobbed.
I slowly lowered my gun, feeling a sudden wave of pity for the woman I used to love.
But as I stepped forward to help her up, Emily pushed past my guards and walked directly up to Victoria.
Emily did not offer a comforting hand.
Instead, she leaned down and inhaled deeply near Victoria's ruined silk collar.
"Emily, what are you doing?" I snapped.
Emily stood back up, her eyes turning as cold as the ice she had used to save my son.
"She smells like dimethyl sulfoxide," Emily stated clearly.
I frowned, not understanding the complex chemical term.
"It is a highly specialized industrial solvent used to synthesize thermal-toxins," Emily explained.
"It has a distinct garlic-like odor, and it is clinging to her skin."
Victoria stopped crying instantly, her face draining of all color as she stared at the young maid.
"Search her pockets," Emily ordered the armed guards.
One of my men roughly pulled Victoria to her feet and reached into the pocket of her soaked designer coat.
May you like
He pulled out a small, empty glass vial with a faint blue residue coating the inside.
It was the exact same poison that had almost stopped my son's heart.
