Chapter 680
“Don’t panic. I’d like to examine your mother myself. I carry a medical kit with me.”
“Yes, yes, please check her quickly.”
693
Caitlin gave Delilah a thorough examination and soon realized her condition was not cartilage disease at all.
“This isn’t chondropathy. In adults, soft bone disease usually comes from vitamin D deficiency or gastrointestinal problems that interfere with calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Symptoms include back and leg pain, deformities, or fractures in severe cases. But your mother’s condition doesn’t match that diagnosis.”
“My mother doesn’t have cartilage disease? But for years our family doctor has insisted she does! Every regular check–up gave the same result. Could it be a misdiagnosis?”
For Fallon, that possibility was a glimmer of hope.
And the fact that it was the Jonathan family’s own doctor who gave the diagnosis only made Caitlin more suspicious.
“Don’t worry. I’ll need to draw a blood sample for analysis. And I’ll also take some of this medicine and supplement to test.”
“Yes, please. If you can re–diagnose her, maybe my mom still has a chance to stand again.”
“I’ll do my best. But you mustn’t spread this around yet. If the family doctor hears of it, it could get complicated.”
“I understand. We won’t say a word.”
For reasons she couldn’t explain, Fallon instinctively trusted Caitlin and wanted to follow her lead.
Caitlin picked up the cup and poured its contents into a nearby flowerpot. “From now on, don’t let her drink this. Wait until I’ve confirmed the ingredients. Assign a loyal servant to handle this task. Whoever used to deliver the medicine, reassign them somewhere else under another excuse.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
Until now Fallon had never considered her mother might be deliberately harmed. Caitlin’s words shook her deeply.
After chatting with the mother and daughter a little longer, Caitlin left. Outside, she handed the blood and medicine samples to Tyler, instructing him to run tests.
That evening, family members trickled back to the estate. Fletcher brought the doctor’s report.
Nicoletta skimmed it and frowned. “This says nothing abnormal was found? Even the bloodwork shows no signs of poison?”
10:00 Sun, Oct 5
“Correct. Nothing detectable.”
“Then why does Hector suddenly collapse, convulse, and scream in pain like he’s possessed?”
Her words made Fletcher’s eyes gleam. “Maybe that’s it. Maybe he’s been cursed. That girl Caitlin must have cast some kind of sorcery on him.”
“Cursed?”
The thought made Nicoletta’s scalp prickle. It was true Hector’s condition looked like witchcraft. “Then waste no time. Get someone to contact South America and hire the most famous shaman. We need to find out if this is Caitlin’s doing.”
“Understood.”
At dinner, Caitlin entered the hall with Zinnia. Hector was absent; only the others were present.
Nicoletta barely ate, then left with her daughter. The rest also dispersed quickly.
Tyler returned around nine. He told Caitlin the samples had been sent out and results would come back the next day.
“Good. Rest up. Tomorrow we’ll have a good show to watch.”
Zinnia and Tyler knew exactly what she meant.
Late that night, a shadow slipped into Moonstone Court. Moving silently, the intruder crouched beside the air conditioner outside Caitlin’s room, releasing smoke into the intake vent. The fumes drifted through the ducts.
Half an hour later, he unlocked the door with a key and slid inside without a sound.
A flashlight beam swept over two women on the bed, seemingly unconscious. Satisfied, the intruder began searching through the room.
He rifled through all their luggage, but the codex was nowhere to be found. Finally, he crept to Caitlin’s side, lifting her pillow to check beneath it. Still nothing. Could it be she hadn’t brought the codex at all?
Frustrated at coming up empty, his eyes lingered on Caitlin’s sleeping form. Desire flared. He reached under the blanket.
Suddenly Caitlin’s eyes snapped open. Her hand clamped around his wrist, and her leg shot out, kicking him hard.
The man flew back, crashing into a wooden shelf. Objects clattered to the floor in a noisy heap.
He scrambled to flee, but Caitlin lunged again. Zinnia leapt up too, blocking the exit. Together they closed in, striking from both sides.
The intruder stumbled under their assault, fell hard near the door, then yanked it open to escape.
But outside, Tyler’s fist came down like thunder, smashing into his face.
The man collapsed unconscious in a single blow.
“Are you two alright?” Tyler asked, stepping inside. He had heard the noise and rushed over just in time.
“We’re fine, thanks to you.” Caitlin switched on the light. Tyler entered, sniffing the air. “There’s a strange smell in here.”
“Don’t inhale it!” Caitlin warned.
“What-” He didn’t finish. Tyler’s body swayed, then he fainted.
“I told you not to breathe it,” Zinnia sighed.
Luckily, Caitlin had been cautious enough to take an antidote capsule before bed. She had given one to Zinnia too. The smoke hadn’t affected them at all.
“Let’s see who this is.”
Zinnia crouched, pulling off the black mask. The man’s face was revealed.
“It’s Fletcher’s aide!”
They had seen him before.
“So he was sent to find the codex. Tie him up.”
“Right.”
Zinnia bound him tightly with rope. Then she carried Tyler back to his room. The drug wouldn’t last long- he would wake after a few hours‘ sleep.
They opened the windows to air the room, then finally lay back down to rest.
The next morning, Fletcher met Nicoletta in the main hall. Nicoletta asked quietly, “Well? Did he succeed?”
Before Fletcher could answer, Devin rushed in from outside. “Madam, bad news. You need to come see this right away!”
“What happened?”