Two hours later, the private room at Saint Jude Hospital was quiet except for the steady, rhythmic beep of the heart monitor.
Ethan was sitting up in bed, color restored to his cheeks, eating a small bowl of warm soup.
Ethan: Daddy, is Lily still outside?
David: She's in the waiting room with my corporate lawyer, buddy. How are you feeling?
Ethan: My chest hurts a little bit, but I feel okay. Lily saved me, didn't she?
David: Yes, she did. She's a real hero.
The heavy door opened, and a senior cardiologist walked into the room holding a digital clipboard, accompanied by two police officers.
Doctor: Mr. Vance, we just completed Ethan's blood panel results from the ER toxicology screen.
David: Toxicology? Why did you run a poison screen on a seven-year-old?
Doctor: Because sudden cardiac arrest in a healthy child is extremely rare. And we found high levels of a prescription beta-blocker in his system.
David: What?! Beta-blockers?! Ethan doesn't take any heart medication!
Police Officer: Mr. Vance, someone has been secretly administering cardiac medication to your son over the last few weeks.
David felt the room spin around him as cold fury washed over his entire body.
David: Grace... she gives him his daily gummy vitamins every single morning!
Police Officer: We found three crushed pills in the juice bottle inside her purse at the airport security check.
David: That sick monster... she was trying to trigger a cardiac event so she could inherit the entire trust estate!
Doctor: If Lily hadn't performed continuous CPR to keep oxygen flowing to his brain, the overdose would have caused permanent organ failure or death within five minutes.
David: She tried to murder my son for money!
The door swung open, and Grace entered flanked by two estate lawyers in dark suits.
Grace: David, we need to sign the insurance release forms for the charter flight immediately.
Police Officer: Grace Vance, you are under arrest for attempted capital murder and felony child endangerment.
Grace: What?! This is absurd! Get your hands off me!
Police Officer: You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
The officers grabbed Grace's arms, slapping cold steel handcuffs onto her wrists in front of the hospital staff.
Grace: David! Tell them this is a mistake! I did everything for this family!
David: You tried to kill my son, Grace. You are going to spend the rest of your miserable life in a state prison cell.
Grace: You can't prove anything! My defense lawyer will destroy this case!
David: The toxicology report is sitting right here. Get her out of my sight before I kill her myself!
The officers dragged Grace out into the hallway as she screamed threats and curses that echoed off the white hospital walls.
David sat on the edge of the bed, putting his head in his hands as tears streamed down his face.
Ethan: Daddy, don't cry. We're safe now.
David: I know, buddy. I promise I will never let anyone hurt you ever again.