Chapter 2 - THE PILL THAT DIDN’T BELONG THERE
Irene had filled Bernard’s pill organizer at 6:10 that evening.
She knew every tablet by color, shape, and dose.
She could have done it blindfolded.
The small white pill inside the Thursday-night compartment had not been there when she left his room.
Julian drove.
Irene called Bernard.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then Gareth called.
She ignored him.
At 11:31 p.m., a housekeeper named Celia finally answered the estate landline.
“Celia, where is Bernard?”
“Mrs. Langston?”
“Where is he?”
A pause.
“Mr. Gareth told us you resigned.”
Irene almost laughed.
“I walked out of a dinner party, not my nursing license.”
“Mrs. Langston, he said nobody should disturb Mr. Bernard.”
“Why?”
“He took his medication and became very sleepy.”
Irene’s stomach dropped.
“How sleepy?”
“More than usual.”
“Call an ambulance.”
“Mr. Gareth said—”
“I don’t care what Gareth said. Call emergency services now.”
Julian glanced at her.
“Do we go there?”
“No. Hospital.”
She knew better than to insert herself into a scene Gareth could later describe as hysterical interference.
By midnight, Bernard was in the emergency department.
Irene arrived after the ambulance.
Gareth was already there.
So was Tessa.
That told Irene everything.
Tessa wore the same champagne-colored dress from the dinner party beneath an expensive coat.
Gareth stepped toward Irene.
“Where the hell have you been?”
Irene looked past him toward Bernard’s room.
“How is he?”
“Sleeping.”
“What did he take?”
His face tightened.
“You’re not his nurse anymore.”
“I didn’t resign.”
“You abandoned the house.”
“I left my husband.”
Tessa shifted slightly.
Irene looked at her.
“You appear to have stayed.”
“Irene,” Gareth warned.
There was that tone again.
The one designed to make her shrink before she decided whether she disagreed.
It no longer worked.
A physician came out.
“Mrs. Langston?”
Both Irene and Tessa turned.
The doctor looked confused.
Irene almost smiled.
“I’m Irene.”
Gareth’s jaw tightened.
The physician explained that Bernard was stable, but preliminary screening suggested he had received medication inconsistent with his current prescribed list.
Not enough information yet to say why.
Not enough to accuse anyone.
But enough to make Irene’s skin crawl.
“Can I see the medication container?” the doctor asked.
Irene handed over Bernard’s silver case.
Gareth stared.
“Why do you have that?”
“Bernard gave it to his attorney.”
“Why?”
“That’s what I’m trying to find out.”
Tessa spoke smoothly.
“Gareth, perhaps this isn’t the time.”
Irene turned toward her.
“No. This is exactly the time.”
Then hospital security approached.
A pharmacy technician had called with a question.
A new prescription had been filled in Bernard’s name that morning.
The medication was not written by his regular cardiologist.
It came from a private physician Irene had never met.
Prescriber:
DR. MALCOLM VEY.
Picked up by:
IRENE LANGSTON.
Irene stared at the electronic signature.
“I never picked this up.”
Gareth’s face changed.
Tessa looked down.
Too quickly.
Irene saw it.
“So who did?”
Hospital staff requested pharmacy security footage.
At 12:47 a.m., it arrived.
The woman at the counter wore dark glasses, a scarf, and a coat.
But Irene recognized the handbag.
She had seen it twelve feet away at the dinner table.
Tessa’s.
Then the woman turned slightly toward the camera.
Her face became visible.
May you like
Tessa Ward had picked up Bernard’s prescription using Irene’s name.
And she had done it eleven hours before laughing that Irene would never leave Gareth.
