Chapter 7 - The Final Diagnosis
Hale raised the pistol slightly, shifting his aim from Daniel to me. The tension in the room snapped like a taut piano wire.
"It’s a shame," Hale muttered, his finger tightening slightly on the trigger guard. "You were such a cooperative patient, Grant. Five years of steady decline, perfectly managed. But curiosity killed more than just cats."
"You think you can shoot me in my own house and walk out, Vernon?" I asked, my voice unwavering.
"Who’s going to stop you?" Hale sneered. "Your housekeeper? She’s a single mother with no money and no protection. As for Daniel and me, we’ll simply report that the stress of your tragic past finally drove you to a violent psychotic break. A tragic end for a broken man."
Daniel recovered his composure quickly, stepping away from the desk and sneering at me. "He’s right, Grant. It’s over. You’re blind, outnumbered, and outgunned."
I stood tall behind the mahogany desk, feeling the cool air of the terrace against my neck. I didn't reach for a weapon. I didn't panic.
Instead, I whistled. Two sharp notes.
Instantly, the heavy oak windows behind me shattered inward.
Before Hale or Daniel could react, heavy combat boots hit the hardwood floor. Shadows moved with terrifying speed. Cold steel clicked against the back of Hale’s neck, and a heavy hand slammed Daniel face-first onto the mahogany desk, pinning him instantly.
"Clear!" a deep, gravelly voice barked across the room.
Daniel screamed as his arm was twisted behind his back. Hale dropped his pistol with a metallic clatter as a knee drove into his spine.
I calmly walked around the desk, stopping just inches from where Vernon Hale was pinned to the floor. I reached down, my fingers wrapping around the lapel of his expensive suit jacket, hauling him upward until his face was inches from mine.
"You spent five years telling me my vision was permanently destroyed, Vernon," I whispered into the terrified silence of the room.
May you like
I opened my eyes wide, letting the afternoon sunlight catch my face.
"Time for a second opinion."
