The police officer picked up the small glass vial from the floor using a plastic evidence bag, inspecting the faded label closely under the bright room lights.
Officer: This is a prescription-grade paralyzing agent used in animal surgeries. Where did you get this, ma'am?
Evelyn: I... I don't know how that got in my bag! Someone planted it there!
Arthur: Nobody planted anything in your bag, Evelyn. You've been planning this for months!
Officer: Evelyn Vance, you are under arrest for attempted murder, grand larceny, and forgery.
Evelyn: Get your hands off me! Do you know who my lawyers are?!
The officer grabbed her wrists, pulling them behind her back and snapping the heavy metal handcuffs tightly around her wrists.
Evelyn: Arthur! Tell them to stop! You can't let them take me to jail like a common criminal!
Arthur: You belong in a cell, Evelyn. And I will make sure you spend the rest of your life behind bars.
Evelyn: You ungrateful fools! That entire estate should have been mine!
The officers dragged Evelyn out through the glass doors, her high heels scraping against the floor as she screamed obscenities at the gathering crowd of onlookers outside.
Arthur turned back toward the gurney, taking his mother's frail hand in his own as the paramedics prepared to wheel her out to the ambulance.
Arthur: Mom... can you hear me? You're going to be okay.
Margaret: The girl... bring the girl with us...
Arthur: Clara? Of course. Clara, please come with us in the ambulance.
Clara: I need to check in with my supervisor first, Mr. Vance.
Arthur: Forget your supervisor, Clara. You saved my mother's life today. I will handle whatever your job needs.
Clara nodded, wiping a tear from her cheek as she stepped alongside the stretcher, holding Margaret's other hand as they rolled out into the cool afternoon air.
The ambulance ride to St. Jude's Memorial Hospital was fast and tense. The heart monitor beeped steadily in the small space as the paramedics administered fluids to purge the paralyzing drug from Margaret's system.
Paramedic: Her vitals are stabilizing. She's a very tough lady.
Arthur: She survived my father's death, two recessions, and a hostile corporate takeover. She wasn't going to let Evelyn win today.
Margaret: I was... so scared in the dark, Arthur...
Arthur: I know, Mom. I'm so sorry I didn't see what Evelyn was doing. I was so blind.
Margaret: She put the paper... in front of me... said it was a tax form...
Arthur: Don't worry about the papers, Mom. The lawyers will tear every single document to pieces by tomorrow morning.