Chapter 11 - The Hostage in Radiology
Preston had grabbed a radiology technician and locked himself inside a scan room.
He had a syringe against her neck.
"Back up!" he shouted through the glass.
Pike arrived with hospital security.
Emilio stood twenty feet away.
Preston saw him.
"You did this."
Emilio almost laughed.
"You poisoned my father."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"I have your voice."
Preston's eyes changed.
There it was.
Recognition.
Fear.
"What voice?"
"Ava recorded you."
Preston tightened his grip on the technician.
"Children misunderstand things."
"She recorded you saying my next panic attack needed to look like a stroke."
The technician began crying.
Preston's face collapsed.
"You weren't supposed to find that."
Pike spoke calmly.
"Samuel, put the syringe down."
"You think Calvin protects anyone?" Emilio said.
"Shut up."
"He'll give you up before he gives up his golf membership."
"Shut up!"
"He already ran."
That was a lie.
But it worked.
Preston looked toward the door.
Pike moved.
The technician ducked.
Security rushed in.
Preston hit the floor.
The syringe skittered across tile.
Within minutes, he was cuffed.
Pike crouched beside him.
"What did you give Rafael?"
Preston said nothing.
Mara entered holding the hospital toxicology request.
"You can help him, or you can explain to a jury why you let an old man die."
Preston looked at Emilio.
"I didn't want Lucia dead."
Emilio stopped breathing.
Pike said, "Keep talking."
"Calvin said he only wanted the phone."
"What did you do?"
"I gave Rowan medication."
"What medication?"
"A sedative."
Emilio stepped forward.
"You drugged my wife."
"I thought Rowan would scare her. Make her miss the board meeting."
"You gave him the drug."
"Yes."
"And then she died."
Preston began sobbing.
"I didn't know he was going to tamper with the car."
The corridor went silent.
Emilio's hands shook.
"Who told Rowan to do that?"
Preston looked away.
"Calvin?"
No answer.
"Tessa?"
Still nothing.
Pike grabbed Preston's shoulder.
"Who ordered Lucia killed?"
Preston swallowed.
"Neither of them."
Emilio felt the floor tilt.
"Then who?"
Preston looked toward Rafael's room.
The color drained from his face.
"He did."
Emilio followed his gaze.
"My father?"
Preston shook his head violently.
"No."
May you like
Then he whispered the name of the last person Emilio expected.
"Marcus."
