“I don’t want her to suffer,” he said.
“If you want to save her, you can’t sympathize with her,” said Lisa’s father. “She knew what she was signing up for. It’s only one more day.”
“When you’re in pain, that’s an eternity,” said Arthur.
“No, death is an eternity,” said Lisa’s father. He hadn’t expected Arthur to oppose him, and Graham’s threats filled him with panic. “Look, I don’t want to put her through this any more than you do, but I’m just trying to honor her wishes.”
“And I’m trying to do what’s best for her,” said Arthur. “If honoring her wishes means subjecting her to pointless suffering, I don’t know if that’s the right thing to do. I’m sorry for questioning you about all this stuff, but I talked to Josh yesterday evening, and he made me reconsider our approach.”
“He’s a teenage boy,” said Lisa’s father.
“I know, but he loves his mom dearly,” said Arthur. “She was in agony last night. It might be different if I could comfort her, but I don’t think she even knows I’m here. It’s time to face the truth: she isn’t getting better, Andrew.”
“What are you saying?” said Lisa’s father.
“I don’t want her final days to be miserable,” said Arthur. “If the drug were going to work, we would have seen evidence by now. I don’t want you sticking her with needles or injecting her with poison anymore. We’re done.”
Richard turned around.
“You can’t do that,” he said.
“Actually, I can,” said Arthur. “I don’t have to explain myself to you.”
“No, but your kids are going to ask you a lot of awkward questions when their mom dies and Peterson comes after them,” said Richard.
Arthur released Sabrina’s hand and stood up.
“Not now,” he said. “Can you please just let me focus on my wife?”
“Arthur, I’m not trying to contribute to your grief, but you need to listen to me,” said Richard. “There are so many things you don’t know. The details aren’t important, but I was right about everything. Graham is Peterson’s stooge. He’s operating out of Hamilton Estate. He’s got a rich sponsor bankrolling him and a whole crew of accomplices. In the few short months since his arrival, he’s incinerated a building and orchestrated a murder, and if that doesn’t disturb you, he’s been manipulating Andrew to get information about Sabrina and passing it along to his boss.”
“I think you’re certifiably insane,” said Arthur.
“Andrew, tell him the truth,” said Richard. “It’s time.”
Lisa’s father felt trapped, but he knew he had to say something.
“Before I started treating Sabrina, Graham told me he was putting together a team to research the drug,” he said. “He tried to recruit me, but I turned him down. When Sabrina started deteriorating, I asked him for advice because I thought he might know something useful. Ever since then, he’s been demanding more and more details about her.”
“Andrew, I don’t have a problem with that,” said Arthur. “Doctors consult with each other all the time.”
“Graham’s not a doctor,” said Richard in a dull monotone. “He’s a slimy, two-faced, back-stabbing criminal. If he had any redeeming qualities, Peterson wouldn’t have chosen him to be his eyes and ears. The information he’s getting from Sabrina is priceless. He’s not going to let her go until Peterson is finished with her.”
“Would you shut up about Peterson?” said Arthur.
“I’m sorry, I wish I could,” said Richard. “You don’t know how much my heart is breaking for you right now, but this is an excellent opportunity for us to finally get some answers. We have something Graham wants. We need to use that leverage to learn as much as we can about Peterson.”
Arthur looked at Lisa’s father.
“Do you agree with him?” he said.
“In principle,” said Lisa’s father. “It doesn’t mean we need to give Sabrina the third dose if that’s not what you want. We can keep up appearances easily enough, at least for a while. Graham won’t know the difference.”
Arthur took out his cell phone.
“What are you doing?” said Richard.
“I’m calling an ambulance and getting Sabrina out of this house and away from the two of you,” said Arthur. “You’re both crazy.”
Lisa’s father expected Richard to do something, but he didn’t move. Agnes got up from where she had been sitting and checked Sabrina’s vital signs. The concern on her face deepened. She pulled back the covers and gently turned Sabrina onto her side.
“She’s bleeding,” she said.
Lisa’s father turned his attention to Sabrina. Her face was a sickly white color, and a dark red pool lay beneath her. He stared down at it stupidly, forgetting he was Sabrina’s doctor, until Agnes nudged him with her elbow.
“Transfuse two units,” he said. “Run them wide open.”
Agnes was already adjusting Sabrina’s intravenous fluids.
“Andrew, what’s our plan?” she said under her breath. “We’re way out of our depth. This is just a temporary solution.”
Sabrina opened her eyes and looked around.
“Arthur?” she said in a faint whisper. “What’s happening?”
“Nothing,” he said, kissing her forehead. “Everything is going to be okay. I promise. Just go back to sleep, Sabrina. I’ll be right here. I love you so much.”
Agnes was holding a bag of blood over her head and squeezing it with both hands to make it flow into Sabrina’s veins as quickly as possible. Richard hovered in the background. Lisa’s father watched helplessly as Sabrina’s expression changed from confusion to terror. She clung to Arthur’s hand.
“Is this the end?” she said.
“No,” said Arthur. “Not yet.”
Sabrina’s eyes filled with tears.
“You’re lying,” she said. “I’m too tired. Just let me go.”
Agnes lowered her arms, and the flow in the tube stopped.
“What are you doing?” said Lisa’s father. “We can’t just give up.”
“This is Sabrina’s decision, not ours,” said Agnes. “I know you want to save her, but I’m not going to go against her wishes.”
“Agnes, she’s disoriented,” said Lisa’s father, pulling up a sedative in a syringe.
“You can’t give her that,” said Agnes. “Her blood pressure is too low.”
“Don’t,” sobbed Sabrina. “Whatever
