Chapter 4 - THE TOXICOLOGY REPORT
By two o'clock in the morning, the private laboratory at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital was bathed in harsh fluorescent light. Federal forensic technicians worked behind glass partitions, analyzing the chemical residue extracted from the fine porcelain plate. Arthur sat in a leather armchair inside the chief director's office, drinking black coffee while Agent Miller reviewed the preliminary findings on her tablet.
"The lab confirmed it, Mr. Montgomery," Agent Miller reported, turning the screen toward the silver-haired billionaire. "The substance was a rare, odorless nerve agent derived from a synthetic botanical toxin."
Arthur took a slow sip of his coffee, his sharp jawline setting like concrete as he stared at the red chemical structure on the display. "That specific compound is restricted under national security protocols; it cannot be purchased on the open market."
"It can't," Agent Miller agreed gravely. "Which means your wife didn't buy this from a street dealer; she obtained it from a military-grade defense contractor with high-level clearance."
A soft knock interrupted their conversation as a young doctor stepped into the office, carrying a sealed yellow envelope stamped with the seal of the Chief Medical Examiner. He handed the document directly to Arthur, his face pale with professional anxiety.
"We ran a full diagnostic panel on your personal medical records from last month's annual checkup, Mr. Montgomery," the doctor explained quietly. "We found micro-doses of the exact same toxin already present in your bloodstream."
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Arthur’s eyes narrowed into slits of pure rage as the horrifying truth settled into his mind. Victoria hadn't just tried to poison him tonight at the restaurant; she had been slowly killing him over the last six months.
"She was poisoning my morning tea," Arthur realized aloud, his voice dropping into a deadly whisper. "She wanted me to suffer a fatal heart attack before the annual shareholder vote next month."
