The Antidote

“Can you keep a secret?” I whisper, drawing her closer. “I poisoned him at breakfast.”

“You what?” Ayla blurts, before quickly glancing around us. Servants scurry around the mansion, but no one pays us, the drama queens, any mind. 

“Only a little to make him sick. Now he has to agree to let me into medical school. Otherwise he won’t get the antidote.” I casually pull the vile from my pocket and shake it for effect. 

“Oh, if you kill him Maggie...” 

“Don’t worry, I won’t. I’m not interested in any of this, as you already know.” I shove it back into my pocket as a maid walks by with fresh towels. 

“But if the old man does croak, I’ll give everything to you. That way you get what you want, and I get to leave and go to school. Win-win.” I give her an evil smile. Being the oldest has its perks, but I’ve never been interested in daddy’s stock market empire. Ayla, on the other hand, could hire advisors and do well for herself.

I see the gears grinding in her head as she starts to piece it together. But she still looks hesitant and flashes her big eyes at me.

“But won’t someone find out you tried to kill daddy?” She asks all innocent, taking a small step towards me. 

A loud crash of plates from the kitchen makes us both jump in the air. Men run in the front doors past us in the foyer to the direction of the noise. 

“Say that louder, why don’t you.” I grit my teeth. Honestly, sometimes my sister has no brains. 

“I’ll go see who has shown up early. There’s bound to be someone here already.” I sigh, and leave my sister who follows me to the threshold. 

I bound down the marble front steps, avoiding the next wave of men entering the main double doors. They carry daddy’s special 60th birthday bash banner above their heads towards the grand hall.

The yard looks beautiful, as it does every year for daddy’s birthday, but this year I want it to be special. It will be the last year I spend here after all. I lovingly run my hand along the rose bushes lining the front walk. The memory of pretending to be Alice and painting them different colours comes to mind, and I laugh despite myself. I ended having a paint war with Ayla before we both got scolded for ruining our white dresses. It was worth it.  

I continue my walk and soon several servants come up to ask me where they should set things up. I sigh, but direct them like I always have. When I get through explaining for the third time where the new fountain needs to be, I finally get some peace. 

I scoff and kick at some loose rocks. I’ve always been the one to lead. Ayla never helps with this stuff. She’s not a great planner. I guess she’d have to learn if she inherits this place.

I ponder this as I walk around the front drive. Or maybe I should hold onto it for her? Just so that she doesn’t run it into the ground the first year she has it.

I consider this when a plain black car pulls up the driveway, crunching the gravel as it approaches. I’m surprised to see the deputy’s son climb out and I carefully smooth down my hair that may have blown around in the afternoon breeze. 

“Hello,” I greet him with a smile as he walks closer to me. His green eyes glint in the sun and his mouth flashes his pearl white teeth in a quick smile. 

“Hello, Maggie. Is there something going on?” He asks, looking towards the mansion and full of concern. 

I study the furrow in his brow. I would have thought they’d send for a Doctor first, not a deputy’s son. But knowing daddy, I guess he would want answers right away. Still, I should send him away. 

“Oh, I don’t think...” I start, when a squeal interrupts us from the front steps. 

We both turn to see Ayla skipping towards us, the ribbon in her hair flowing behind her. 

“Hello, Daniel.” She greets him with a smile. 

“Hello, beautiful.” He smiles back. Beautiful? 

Before I can react, he is leaning down and kissing my sister right in front of me. My heart sinks to my stomach, making me nauseous. 

“Thank you for coming so quickly, Daniel.” She says when she pulls away. “I don’t mean to pull you from your hard work.” Ayla bats her eyelashes up at him.

I try not to gag. She’s always been the flirter in the family, chasing after every boy that she can.

“No worries. It’s always good to take a little break. Cases don’t just make themselves.” He chuckles and fondly touches her hair. 

“I see you met my sister.” She clears her throat and meets my eye.

“Oh yes, we’ve met before.” I roll my eyes. He was the one and only eye candy at the policeman’s ball last year. 

“Oh, then you should already know Daniel is going to be the youngest detective on the force? Right?” She smiles wickedly at me. I only focus on Daniels cute glowing blush as she says this. Why did he have to like her?

He chuckles at her forwardness and scratches the back of his neck, “Well I’m going to try my best, but I’ll pretty much need to solve a high-profile case all by myself before I can do that.” He explains. 

“Oh, shoot really?” She blinks up at him with big eyes. Ugh, such a suck up. 

“Why don’t you come inside and I’ll get you something to drink.” She takes his arm and steers him towards the main double doors. Something about her tone seems a little off.

“There should be something lying around from breakfast.” Her voice gets darker around the edges. 

I open my mouth to say something to stop them, when a high-pitched scream pierces the relaxed afternoon day. They have found a body.