Chapter 5 - THE MEDICINE BESIDE HIS BED

Police collected every pill, bottle, and glass from Damien’s bedroom.

The blue sleep capsules contained two medications.

One caused deep sedation.

The other could produce confusion, dizziness, and memory gaps.

Neither had been prescribed to Damien.

Dr. Lucas Arden kept a false medical file.

It described early neurological decline.

The report included statements from Celeste.

Damien forgot agreements.

He became aggressive.

He accused people of stealing.

He drank alone.

Photographs showed him asleep on couches and stumbling near the staircase.

Damien remembered those nights.

He had consumed one drink.

Then Celeste gave him a capsule.

The next morning, she described conversations he could not remember.

He trusted her version.

Detective Ward placed the medical report beside the forged incapacity petition.

“If this had been filed, Celeste would become your temporary representative.”

“She would control my shares?”

“Yes.”

“Victor would control the company through her.”

The pension theft was not the final objective.

It was financing for a takeover.

Nora sat at the opposite end of the library with her injured hand in a brace.

She opened Alice’s notebook to another entry.

Graham says the board will accept Celeste if Damien appears unstable.

Graham knows about the pills.

Damien looked at the name.

His oldest friend had helped document his decline.

Police called Graham Cole.

He did not answer.

His apartment was empty.

His office computer had been wiped.

Airport records showed a ticket to Zurich.

The ticket had been purchased by Arden Cultural Development.

Graham was running.

Before federal agents could reach the airport, his name disappeared from the passenger list.

Security footage showed him entering a black Silverline vehicle.

The vehicle belonged to Victor’s private security company.

Graham was not escaping with the Ardens.

They had taken him.

A message arrived on Damien’s phone.

Withdraw the police complaint.

Say Nora attacked Celeste.

You get Graham back alive.

Damien showed the message to Detective Ward immediately.

Victor believed friendship would make Damien conceal evidence.

He had misunderstood what Damien was learning.

Love did not require silence.

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Friendship did not cancel crime.

And fear did not turn a lie into protection.