PART 7:

Maybe there was some explanation I wasn’t seeing. Rich people do strange things. Maybe it was just dark humor. Or maybe I was projecting my own trauma onto a situation that didn’t Aaron stopped, shook his head. I told myself a lot of things over those two days. All of them were lies. I knew what I heard. I just didn’t know if I had the courage to act on it. But you did act.

Park said, “You showed up at that funeral and stopped a murder in front of 300 witnesses. That took serious courage. It took desperation. I spent 2 days researching trying to figure out what drug could mimic death. I found references to compounds that slow metabolic functions, old Soviet experiments, rare toxins.

I tracked down a guy I used to work with, paramedic, who went into veterinary medicine. I asked him hypothetically what could counteract severe brady cardia and he told me about atropene. I bought some off him, no questions asked, and I showed up at that cemetery with no plan except to stop them from burying her alive.

You risked your job, possible assault charges, public humiliation, all based on a conversation you overheard two days earlier, Montgomery observed. I risked a minimum wage job and a life I was barely living anyway, Aaron corrected. The real risk was doing nothing again. Detective Park stood and walked to the window, staring out at the darkening city. Mr.

Cole, your testimony is going to be crucial to this case. Marcus Cross has already lawyered up. Three attorneys showed up at the station within an hour of his arrest. They’re going to argue that you’re unstable, that you have a history of trauma and paranoia, that you hallucinated or fabricated this conversation. They’re going to destroy your credibility.

Let them try, Aaron said simply. I know what I heard. It’s not just about what you heard. We need evidence. Dr. Webb is talking. He’s already given a preliminary statement, and he’s ready to flip completely in exchange for a reduced sentence. But a good defense attorney will argue he’s just trying to save himself by supporting your story.

We need physical evidence. The drug, the prescription records, financial trails showing motive. Then you better start digging, Aaron interrupted, standing to face her. because I did my part. I stopped the burial. I saved her life. Now you do yours. Prove what they did and make sure they never get the chance to do it again.

The two detectives looked at each other. Some unspoken communication passing between them. Finally, Park nodded. You’re free to go, Mr. Cole, but don’t leave the city. We’ll need you to testify when this goes to trial, and trust me, it’s going to trial. Marcus Cross won’t plea bargain. His ego won’t allow it. I’ll be here, Aaron said.

I’m not running from this. As he stood to leave, Montgomery called out, one more thing. Mrs. Cross asked about you at the hospital. Apparently told her lawyers to make sure you had legal representation if you needed it and to cover any expenses you incurred. She’s serious about helping you. Aaron paused at the door. I don’t want her money.

I just want her alive. Sometimes people need to say thank you, Mr. Cole. Sometimes letting them help you is actually helping them. Something to think about. The hospital corridor gleamed under fluorescent lights that never slept. Evelyn Cross lay in a private room on the eighth floor, surrounded by more security than most heads of state.

Two guards at her door, cameras covering every angle, strict visitor restrictions. After someone tries to bury you alive, trust becomes a luxury you can’t afford. Her lawyer, Margaret Chen, sat beside the bed, working through a stack of documents that seemed to multiply every time Evelyn looked at them.

Margaret was 56, fierce as a Wolverine, and had been Evelyn’s personal attorney for 15 years. She’d seen Evelyn build Helix Technologies from a garage startup to a global powerhouse. She’d negotiated billion-dollar deals and fought off hostile takeovers, but she’d never seen anything like this. The insurance company has frozen all death benefit payouts pending investigation, Margaret said, not looking up from her paperwork.

Smart move on their part. Marcus was set to receive 200 million from your life insurance policy alone. Evelyn stared at the ceiling, her body still feeling strange and disconnected. The doctors had said it would take days for all the drugs to fully clear her system, days for her heart rate to normalize, for her neurological functions to stabilize, for the nightmares to maybe possibly start to fade. “What about Helix?” Evelyn asked.

Her voice was stronger now, though still raspy. The board held an emergency meeting 3 hours ago. Marcus has been suspended from all duties pending the outcome of the criminal investigation. Your second in command, David Okonquo, has assumed acting CEO responsibilities. The stock took a hit, down 18%, but David gave a statement that steadied things.

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