Chapter 6: The Bottle Without a Label
James stood up.
"What is that?" His voice was controlled in the way that means the opposite.
"We're having it analyzed tonight," Ruiz said.
"But based on the preliminary assessment from our medical officer, it's consistent with a compound used to induce premature labor." He set the evidence bag on the table.
"It was in the glove compartment.
Along with a disposable syringe still in its packaging."
The room was completely still.
Mrs.
Howard's hand went to her mouth.
"She was going to use that on Elena," James said.
It wasn't a question.
"We believe tonight was not her first attempt," Ruiz said.
"We'd like to know — Mrs.
Howard, have you experienced any unusual symptoms in the past few weeks?
Dizziness, nausea, fatigue beyond what's expected?"
Elena looked at him.
"You think she was dosing me gradually."
"It would explain the timing.
A slow build over several weeks, then a larger event tonight — the fall — designed to look like the cause." Ruiz kept his voice level.
"The push alone may not have been the plan.
It may have been the cover."
James turned away from the table.
He walked to the window.
Stood there with his back to the room, both hands pressed against the frame.
"James," Elena said.
He didn't turn around.
"James." Her voice was quieter this time.
He turned.
His face had gone through something while he was standing at the window and come out the other side of it.
"Has she been near your food?" he asked.
"Your drinks.
Anything in the kitchen."
"She had access to everything in this house," Elena said.
"But I've been careful.
For the last six weeks, I haven't eaten or drunk anything I didn't prepare myself or watch being prepared."
"Six weeks," he said.
"You've been living like that for six weeks."
"I didn't want to worry you until I had something concrete."
He looked at her for a long moment.
Then he looked at Ruiz.
"What do you need from us?"
"A full account of Ms.
Vanessa's movements over the past two months.
Access to the household records, the kitchen logs if you have them, and a medical examination for your wife tonight — not tomorrow, tonight." Ruiz looked at Elena directly.
"I know you feel all right.
But I'd like a doctor to confirm that."
"I'll arrange it," Mrs.
Howard said.
She was already on her feet, her voice back to its usual precision, the shock folded away somewhere private.
"I'll call Dr.
Mercer directly.
He can be here within the hour."
"Thank you." Ruiz picked up the evidence bag.
"There's one more thing." He looked at James.
"Vanessa is asking for her solicitor.
She's also asking to speak with you personally before she's taken to the station."
James's expression didn't change.
"No."
"She says she has information you'll want to hear before this goes any further.
Her words."
"She's been in this house for twelve years," James said.
"She's had twelve years to say anything she wanted to say to me." He looked at Ruiz steadily.
"Whatever she has to say, she can say it to you."
Ruiz nodded once.
"I'll let her know."
He left the room.
The three of them were alone again.
Mrs.
Howard moved to the drinks cabinet and poured two glasses — water, not anything stronger.
She set one in front of Elena and kept one for herself.
"Drink that," she said.
"You haven't had anything since before all of this."
Elena picked up the glass.
Drank.
James sat back down beside her.
He didn't take her hand this time — he put his arm around her, carefully, the way you hold something you are only now understanding the value of.
"I want to ask you something," he said.
"And I want an honest answer."
"All right," Elena said.
"Were you ever actually afraid?
During any of this?"
She thought about it.
Really thought about it, which was its own kind of answer.
"Yes," she said.
"Once.
When I found the bottle in her desk drawer three weeks ago."
James went very still.
"You found one before."
"A different bottle.
Smaller.
I photographed it and put it back.
I didn't take it because I needed her to think she still had it." Elena looked at her hands.
"That was the moment I was afraid.
Not for me.
For the baby."
He didn't say anything.
He just held on a little tighter.
Mrs.
Howard sat down across from them.
She looked at Elena with the particular expression of a woman who has spent a long time being wrong about something and is now deciding what to do with that.
"What do you need?" she asked.
"Right now.
Tonight.
What do you need from us?"
Elena looked at her.
Then at James.
Then back at the older woman who had never once, in two years, asked her that question.
"I need to know the baby is safe," Elena said.
"And then I need to sleep."
Mrs.
Howard nodded.
"Then that's what we'll do."
Outside, a second police vehicle pulled up the drive.
Its lights swept across the ceiling of the room — blue, then dark, then blue again.
Vanessa was still out there.
May you like
And she had asked to speak to James.
Which meant she still had something she believed was worth using.
