Page 96 of Begin Again

“Without a doubt,” Dr. Carter confirms. “Given the concentration in the sample, whoever drank from the tumbler would have experienced symptoms of cyanide poisoning. Depending on the dose and how frequently it was consumed, it could have led to dizziness, vomiting, confusion… even death.”

Just like the others.

Morgan exhales slowly. “Alright. Thank you for the confirmation.”

“I’ll send the full report over by the morning.”

“Appreciate it.” Morgan hangs up, pressing her phone to her forehead for a moment before setting it down. The quiet in the room is deafening, thick with the weight of unspoken things. My chest feels tight, as if someone has reached in and squeezed the air right out of me. I try to swallow, but my throat is so dry, so tight, that it’s like trying to force a breath through a straw.

My hands are clammy, slick with sweat. The heat from the room presses down on me, but it’s as if I can’t escape the chill that’s crept under my skin. My mind whirls, unable to slow down. I can’t focus—every thought is a thousand miles away. A flash of memory strikes without warning. The cafe. Aubrey. A few weeks ago.

She made me a damn elderberry latte.The memory is so vivid it nearly knocks the air out of me. Why had I not connected the dots sooner? Why hadn’t I thought to question it?

I blink, trying to shake the intrusive thoughts, but they won’t leave me. They’re too loud.Aubrey stood there. Watching me drink it.

I try to focus and pull myself together. “I—” My voice is hoarse, the words scraping their way up my throat.Focus, Selene.I clear my throat and press my palms flat against the table, hoping the solid surface will ground me. But even then, my legs feel like jelly. I meet Morgan’s eyes, trying to anchor myself, though my mind is still reeling. “A few weeks ago… Aubrey made me an elderberry latte.”

“But she said she was experimenting with new flavors. She stood there while I drank it.” My mouth goes dry. “She wanted to see me drink it.”

Theo’s head snaps toward me so fast I almost wince. The speed of his reaction catches me off guard, but I don’t look away. I can’t. Not now.

The room seems to freeze. Theo’s eyes darken, his face drawn tight with disbelief. I can’t read him anymore. What did this mean?Was she really behind it all?My pulse picks up, racing in my ears, but I keep going, the words tumbling out before I can stop them. “She said she was experimenting. It didn’t feel right, but I—I didn’t think…”

Theo pushes back from the table abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. I can see his hand trembling as it runs through his hair. It’s as if everything inside him is snapping into place, just like it is for me.

Orion curses under his breath. “That’s it. That’s the connection. The cyanide, the elderberries, the pattern—it’s all her.”

Bennett mutters under his breath before looking at Morgan. “We don’t have enough for an arrest, do we?”

Morgan shakes her head, her expression dark. “No. Not yet.”

“But it’s more than enough to bring in outside help,” Orion says, reading her mind.

Morgan meets his gaze, steady and unflinching. “I was going to tell you eventually, but now seems as good a time as any—I’m bringing in the FBI.”

Orion beams at her, “That’s the best thing I’ve heard today, Firefly.”

I frown. “Won’t that tip her off?”

“She might already know we’re onto her,” Morgan says grimly. “We’ve never known this side of her, she could just be playing with us.”

Orion abruptly gets up from where he’s sitting at the table. “I’m calling my team.” And just like that, he strides out of the room.

A heavy silence settles over the group.

Bennett throws his cards down on the table with an exaggerated groan. “For the record, I was about to win that round.”

“Sure you were,” Celeste deadpans, earning a smirk from Theo.

A heavy silence settles over the room.

Morgan lets out a short laugh, shaking her head. Then, her expression steels again, and she stands abruptly. “I need to make some calls. The sooner, the better.” She grabs her phone and heads toward the door.

Theo raises an eyebrow. “Morgan.”

“Hmm?”

“You’re calling them now, aren’t you?”

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