Love For Hire

Dr. Horton sat in his office, reviewing Nicholas’ test results. He was having trouble figuring out what had caused his patient’s quick decline. He just had no ideas. All his symptoms were consistent with radiation therapy, but the speed and severity of the symptoms were concerning. It just did not make sense.

There was a knock on his door, and Dr. Horton looked up as the orderly came in and offered him a file with test results. The lab had sent them up because Dr. Horton had asked for a speedy delivery. He thanked the orderly and then opened the results as the orderly left the room. He’d had the lab test the teacup Kinsley had given him as well as the hair he had collected from Nicholas back at the palace. He opened the teacup findings first and read the results with surprise. It tested positive for arsenic. He put down the test results, and then he checked the results on the test done on Nicholas’ hair. His hair showed a high level of arsenic poisoning going back weeks.

Arsenic, that explained everything. The symptoms of arsenic poisoning were extremely similar to radiation. That was why it had gone unnoticed. Kinsley had been right to be suspicious. Someone was poisoning her fiancé. Only he did not know who, but he was certain Kinsley did. He had to tell the family.

Dr. Horton stood up and made his way up to Nicholas’ room. When he got there, he found the family sitting around, and they all perked up when he came in. “Doctor,” Samuel took a step in Dr. Horton’s direction. “Do you have news?”

Dr. Horton turned and closed the door. He looked over at Samuel and Naya. Over the years, he had gotten very close to the family. “I know what is wrong,” he said, and everyone looked anxious to hear the news. “I ran extensive tests. Nicholas is suffering from arsenic poisoning.”

“Arsenic poisoning?” Teegan gasped.

“He has high levels of arsenic in his system, and the testing we did on his hair suggests he has been steadily poisoned for weeks.”

“Oh god,” Naya said, taking her son’s hand. “That means someone has been….”

“Trying to kill Nicholas,” Dr. Horton finished for her.

“Do you know who?” Matthew asked.

to my attention. I believe she has a suspect,” he said, looking around and noticing Kinsley was not in the room. “Speaking

not considered. “She went to the vending machine to get a snack,” Teegan said. “But now that I think

went to the machine with

she was gone. I assumed maybe she went to the cafeteria. She probably had a craving; you know how pregnant women can be,” Matthew suggested. “If

of the family were shocked and horrified to learn someone was trying to kill Nicholas, Matthew seemed indifferent. He had never gotten a good feeling from Matthew, the man struck Dr. Horton as a weaselly entitled little shit, but of course, he could not say so. He would not put it past Matthew to be capable of murder if he felt

“I will pop back in later to see how Nicholas is doing,” in the meantime, Dr. Horton was going to have hospital security search the hospital to find Kinsley. He wished to talk to

***

could feel hands on her. She could feel as she was moved, and she could hear the faded voices of more than one person around her. She heard one person say her blood pressure was low. Another was yelling for a blood IV, saying she was hemorrhaging. Someone was ordering an x-ray suspecting broken bones. She was struggling to come to, but every time she had a moment of clarity, it was

***

search for Kinsley, only to find out Dr. Horton had done the

doctor’s office on the main floor to confront him and ask why he had sent out a search party some time ago without mentioning it. She had to walk through the ER unit to get to the administrative wing. As she passed by an open curtain, she spotted Kinsley in a bed unconscious with tubes and machines

Kinsley’s right arm. Naya rushed to the

The nurse spoke. “Do

Nicholas is up on the fifth floor. She went for a walk a few hours ago

had fallen down the stairs. She had no ID on her, so we have labelled her chart Jane Doe. I will see

the stairs. Good god. Is

is pregnant?” The

only a few weeks,” the look on the nurse’s face was not comforting.