Hidden Motive - A Hamilton Kane Mystery

Chapter 20

"How much time do I have left?" I asked Nick after I had regained consciousness. Despite being an invasion of privacy, my father had instructed that all rooms in the manor to be fitted with hidden cameras which was how the security team managed to reach my room on time to administer the 'zam-zam' water. I guess being king just kicks your paranoia into the next level of human decency.

"Anywhere between five to seven days from when you last collapse," he replied solemnly.

"So, I have to catch Elena AND deliver her to Death before my time is up, huh? Death really works you to death," I somehow managed to smile at my own morbid joke albeit feeling hollow inside.

Nick gazed at me. He seemed to want to say something but instead, wrapped my hand in his and closed his eyes, remaining silent for a while.

Is he...praying? In all our time together, I've not once knew of him prescribing to any particular faith. I guess even the devil believes in God.

"Li'l lamb...I need you to remain here and recuperate. The symptoms will only increase in frequency and severity so you need to have help and the 'zam-zam' within reach. I've sent word out that finding her is our main priority. Once she has been located, we will dispatch her to rendezvous with you at the meeting point," he replied softly as he avoided looking at me.

"And leave my life in other people's hand? Would you do that if our roles were reversed?" I questioned him.

Clearing his throat, he raised his eyes, catching me off guard. Aside from the tears that were threatening to fall, he wore a look of immense sorrow and agony that I have never seen before. "Please," was all he said but the tone and weight that it carried left me no choice but to nod.

In the silence that enveloped me in the wake of his departure, I sat motionlessly where he left me and simply stared out my window.

Is this how it will all end? Sitting in my room, helplessly waiting for my time to end? God damn it, I cannot let it end this way! There has to be more I can do. I'd love to go charging out there and flipping every stone over to find Elena but even I know I'd probably die looking for her if I push myself too much.

My eyes fell on to the stack of folders the Captain had left behind for me to work on.

I guess I can't do anything else but my own job now.

I was half way through reviewing the folders when Eliza knocked asking if I'd like lunch prepared. Within a few minutes, she wheeled in a cart filled with all sorts of gourmet cuisines. Eliza said the chef was worried that I wasn't getting enough nutrients living on my own so she pulled out all the stops and made everything I liked from grilled filet magnon to masala thosai accompanied with the very addictive milk chai.

"Oh my God, Eliza! Tell Chef Paulette it's not time for my last supper yet! This is a lot for one human to eat," I exclaimed at the amount of food that was brought in for me.

"Well, she says to tell you that this is your punishment for not coming back to visit often enough and make her worry about the kind of food you are eating out there," smiled Eliza as she expertly unfolded the flaps to extend the food cart into a proper table.

"Urgh it's like having a grandmother even though she is no older than I am," I chuckled as I took a bite of everything that was laid out.

"What are you working on there, Milly?" Eliza asked peering over my shoulder at the folders that littered my bed.

"It's the last case I was working on. There was an unsolved death at one of the hotels downtown. Circumstances were pretty suspicious but I was merely holding the fort until the detective in-charge got to the scene so I didn't have all the details after he took over. Elena killed off the whole team who were working on it so since I'm the only living person involved with the case, the Captain dumped it on my lap," I rabbled on as I stuffed my face even more with all the good food.