Chapter 10 - Flash of Blue Lights
The kitchen table splintered under their combined weight. Sterling kicked wildly, screaming obscenities as he struggled to claw at Warren’s eyes, but Warren pinned his shoulders firmly to the floorboards, twisting his right arm behind his back.
The mason jar had slipped from Sterling's hand, rolling across the floor without breaking, coming to rest against my shoe.
Suddenly, the front door was kicked off its hinges with a deafening boom.
"POLICE! NOBODY MOVE! HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM!"
Four armed officers in tactical vests swarmed through the narrow hallway into the kitchen, followed closely by Detective Ruiz with his weapon drawn.
"Clear! Subject on the floor is secured!" an officer yelled, rushing forward and kneeling on Sterling’s back. The loud, metallic click of handcuffs echoed through the room.
"Get off me! Get off me!" Sterling shrieked, his face pressed against the linoleum, spitting spit and venom. "This is private property! Elaine planted that! She framed me! She hates me because my mother burned her dress!"
Detective Ruiz walked over to where I was standing. He produced an evidence bag, carefully picked up the intact mason jar with gloved hands, and sealed it.
"We have the digital audio feed from your phone, Mr. Vance," Ruiz said, looking down at Sterling with profound disgust. "We heard every single word of your confession. You're under arrest for attempted murder, insurance fraud, and criminal possession of a controlled toxic substance."
Two paramedics rushed in through the back door carrying an emergency medical kit. "Where is the patient?"
"Here!" I cried, running to Bernice’s side.
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My mother was barely conscious. Her breathing had turned into a wet, rattling gasp, her pulse thumping erratically against her paper-thin skin. The psychological shock of Sterling’s betrayal, combined with the accumulated toxins in her system, had sent her fragile heart into acute ventricular tachycardia.
"Pulse is over one hundred and sixty, blood pressure eighty over forty," the lead paramedic announced, ripping open an IV kit. "She's in cardiogenic shock. Prep the Digibind and oxygen now! We need to move her immediately!"
