Her Silent Revenge novel Chapter 122

"Patton, no. Leave it to the police. You seemed so calm about this…" "I'm not," he snarls. "That lady was my mom's oldest friend and she deceived us all. She lied to us. She almost killed our son." His throat works as he stands, rushing back to the pasta meal simmering on the stove. "Don't worry. As much as I'd like to go after her and strangle her with my bare hands, that's not what'll help us the most right now. I know that."

And I know what he's saying without saying it. He's here, helping me because that's what will make the biggest difference.

He's also right, but it drains the good will I had. I thought he was here because he wanted to be, not because he felt like this was the place where he could do the most good. Not because he's obligated to be a messenger for bad news.

I can't bear to sit anymore, and I stand up, pacing around, carefully avoiding Arlo's toys. I don't even look at them.

This was partly my fault. I'm his mother. I'm supposed to be in charge, and somehow this money-grubbing witch poisoned him right in front of me.

The smell of seasoned ground beef simmering suddenly turns my stomach.

"Arlo will be fine," he tells me, but this time I wonder if he believes it.

"How did she do it?" I pinch the skin on my elbows until it hurts. "And how come nobody noticed?"

"She clearly planned it in advance. We were blindsided."

"That doesn't change the fact that I missed it. She was trying to hurt him and I didn't notice." Did she put it in his cake? Surely, she couldn't have if we all ate it. "He's only five! I should have been more aware. If I hadn't been so self-absorbed—"

"Salem, stop." He turns and grabs my arms, holding me in place. "Listen to me, this isn't your fault."

I want to believe him so desperately I'm shaking, but I'm his mom. I'm supposed to protect my little boy and I couldn't.

"I don't know. What if he just got into something when I wasn't looking? Foxgloves, they could be anywhere," I say absently.

"You know that's not true, especially this time of year," he rumbles. Yes, I know for a fact that's a weak little lie.

I know I'm falling apart.

"Dammit, woman. Stop beating yourself up and look reality in the face," he growls. "The whole world isn't out to get Salem Hopper."

"Easy for you to say," I flare. "This sort of stuff always follows me. And now my rotten flipping luck rubbed off on my kid."

"This has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with a greedy fucking snake. One sick, backstabbing monster who wasn't what she seems."

"But she chose me," I whisper. "Out of everyone she could hurt, she picked us. She picked Arlo."

He strides back into the kitchenette and starts dishing out dinner, this one pot pasta concoction with meat and tons of garlic, judging by the smell.

"Eat," he commands, sitting on the sofa with me after he grabs his own bowl.

We eat together in my tiny apartment where Arlo should be, forcing down a meal neither of us really wants.

Once I've eaten it, though, I start feeling better. It's amazing what stable blood sugar can do for your energy.

"She hasn't called," I say, checking my phone for the fiftieth time since we left the hospital.

"That means there's nothing new."

"Yeah, I guess." I rest the cold screen against my forehead. "I don't know what I'm going to do, Patton."

He touches my arm. Featherlight, almost like he's afraid to commit to touching me fully, worried it'll break me.

"You're going to rest. Then you're going back to that hospital to be there when Arlo wakes up. The first thing he'll want to see is his mama."

Tears nip my eyes.

"And you?" I let my lips part with my next breath.