Chapter 7: The Morning They Came for Him
Preston was arrested at 6:48 a.m.
Madeline knew because Ruiz called her at 6:51, while the morning shift nurse was changing the IV bag and the first grey light was coming through the hospital window.
"Both of them?" Madeline asked.
"Both of them," Ruiz said.
"Preston at Serena's apartment.
Serena at the door when they knocked."
Madeline looked at the window.
"The lab results came back an hour ago," Ruiz continued.
"The bottle contained a sedative — prescription-grade, high concentration.
Enough to incapacitate an adult for several hours.
Enough that if you hadn't been found when you were, or if Poppy hadn't called out—" She stopped.
"It didn't go the way they planned."
"Because Poppy was supposed to be at a playdate," Madeline said.
A pause.
"How did you know that?"
"Preston arranged it two weeks ago.
The mother called yesterday to cancel because her son had a fever.
Preston didn't tell me.
He probably didn't think it mattered by then." She watched a pigeon land on the window ledge outside.
"He didn't account for Poppy being home."
"A four-year-old changed the outcome of this entire case," Ruiz said.
"She always tells the truth," Madeline said.
"I taught her that."
After the call ended, Madeline lay still for a while.
Then she asked the nurse to bring Poppy to her room.
Poppy arrived still warm from sleep, rabbit under one arm, hair tangled.
She climbed onto the bed without being asked and settled against Madeline's side.
"Are you better?" Poppy asked.
"Getting there."
"Is Daddy still in trouble?"
Madeline put her arm around her daughter.
"Yes.
But you don't need to worry about that.
That's for the grown-ups to handle."
Poppy considered this.
"I told the truth," she said again.
"I know you did."
"You're not mad?"
Madeline pressed her lips to the top of Poppy's head.
"I'm the opposite of mad."
Poppy seemed satisfied.
She tucked her rabbit more firmly under her arm and closed her eyes.
Carol arrived at eight with coffee she wasn't allowed to bring past the lobby and a look on her face that said she had not slept.
She stood in the doorway and looked at Madeline, then at Poppy asleep against her side.
"They got them," Madeline said quietly.
Carol sat down in the chair by the bed.
She didn't say anything for a moment.
Then she said, "I should have told you about the wine bar."
"Carol—"
"I know what you're going to say.
But I need to say it first." She looked at her hands.
"I saw something and I stayed quiet because I was afraid of how you'd react.
And you almost—" Her voice broke.
She pressed her lips together.
"I'm sorry, Maddie.
I'm really sorry."
"You came when I called," Madeline said.
"You went into that house in the dark and you found everything.
You got it to Ruiz in time."
"That doesn't cancel out the other part."
"No.
But it matters." Madeline looked at her sister — the set of her jaw, the shadows under her eyes, the coat she was still wearing because she hadn't thought to take it off.
"You're the reason I'm still here, Carol.
You and Poppy."
Carol looked at Poppy.
Something in her face shifted.
"She really just walked up to that detective and said it," Carol said.
"Like it was the most obvious thing in the world."
Carol made a sound that was almost a laugh.
She wiped her eye quickly with the back of her hand.
"Okay," she said.
"Okay."
They sat together while the morning came in through the window and Poppy slept between them, one hand still curled around her rabbit's ear.
At nine-fifteen, a hospital administrator came to discuss Madeline's discharge timeline.
At nine-forty, Ruiz called again to say that the DA's office had been briefed and that both Preston and Serena were being held without bail pending arraignment, given the evidence of premeditation and the involvement of a minor.
"What happens to the power of attorney?" Madeline asked.
"It's being challenged as fraudulently obtained.
Your signature under those circumstances — you were handed a document without proper disclosure while he was already planning this — a good attorney will have it voided." Ruiz paused.
"Do you have a lawyer?"
"Not yet."
"I can give you a name.
Someone who handles exactly this kind of case."
"Please."
After the call, Carol looked at her.
"You're already thinking three steps ahead."
"I have to." Madeline looked at Poppy.
"She needs me to."
May you like
Carol nodded.
She finally took off her coat.
