No Such Thing as Evil

Chapter 13

Chelsea lay in bed with pillows pushed up around her stomach. The bulge pulled her skin so severely she had to support it at all times. The baby's kicks didn't help, either, causing sharp pain across her spine. Holding her stomach, she tried to fall back to sleep.

Evan, Ingrid, and Dr. Cornelius barged into the bedroom.

"Oh, I'm not asleep; just come right in," Chelsea said cynically.

"Chels, Dr. Cornelius thinks bed rest isn't enough," said Evan. "You're going to need more. Around-the-clock care. Ingrid can only do so much. We're all going to Thessaloniki so my family can help. It'll be safer too. You'll have the baby there."

"What? No! Evan! Everything is fine here."

"No. You could have the baby anytime now. I've made the decision. We're going home to Greece."

"You've made the decision? That's not the way we do things, Evan. You don't just—"

"No!" he said. "No, you're right, that's not the way we do things. You made the decision to stay here without taking my opinion into account. You never consider anything but what you want. You are judge and jury when it comes to the baby. There's never been any question in your mind. Now it's my turn. We have to think of your proper care and security now. It's Brandon's—it's Dr. Cornelius's recommendation that—"

"So you're on a first-name basis now, is that it? Well, I don't care what Dr. Frankenstein says!"

Cornelius gave Ingrid a furtive glance, but she didn't even budge. Ingrid was amazingly calm for the situation. Unbelievably calm.

"Chels, you're becoming irrational," said Evan. "Ingrid is going to pack your belongings. We leave in the morning."

They turned and walked out of the room.

"No!" Chelsea yelled after them. "You've wanted to control me and my baby from the beginning!" She was yelling at a closed door. Enraged, she allowed her head to rest back on the pillow. I have to tell someone. Who can help me? She reached for her percomm and made a connection to Selby Hancock. Please, please, please pick up.

"London Social Registry. How can I help you?"

"I need to speak with Selby Hancock."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Hancock is no longer employed by the Registry."

"What? Why? I need to reach her. It's desperately important."

"I'm sorry. I have no forwarding information. Can someone else assist you?"

Chelsea ended the comm. What's happening? She looked down at the mass, propped up by pillows. What are you?

Ingrid came in with a glass of water and pills.

Chelsea stared at her. "What is that?"

"Your vitamins, of course."

"No. Really. What are those? What's in it? What's in the small pill?"

"Folic acid," said Ingrid.

Play it cool. Chelsea accepted the glass and the two pills and then paused and looked into Ingrid's eyes. "Maybe I'll just drop this down the heat vent." Chelsea moved her hand over the edge of the bed and watched for Ingrid's body to tense or a widening of the eyes. Nothing. Ingrid was strangely calm. Yet somehow, Chelsea sensed a woman-to-woman connection that confirmed an alertness behind the steel facade.

Chelsea threw the pills and the water glass across the room. "Evan! Evan! You have to listen to me!" Rolling back, she tried to get one foot on the floor.

Ingrid's hands moved in a flash, burying a hypodermic needle in Chelsea's arm, plunging the contents into her bloodstream. The world went black.