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.

poisoning to my attention. I believe she has a suspect,” he said, looking around and noticing Kinsley was

considered. “She went to the vending machine to get a snack,” Teegan said. “But now that I think about it, she has been for quite a while. I wonder what is keeping

with Kinsley,” Naya

out, she was gone. I assumed maybe she went to the cafeteria. She probably had a craving; you know how

the rest 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

told everyone. “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

***

She 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

***

one knew where she had gone. When Matthew returned without her, Naya had gone down to security and asked them to search for Kinsley, only to find out Dr. Horton had done the same hours earlier. She was concerned by the fact that they had been searching for hours and

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

was a nurse who was working on casting Kinsley’s right arm. Naya rushed to the

The nurse spoke. “Do you know this

fifth floor. She went for a walk a few hours ago and

stairs. She had no ID on her,

Good god.

The

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