The Saturday before the wedding LT and Phire had a meeting with Cynthia and Roz to do a walk-through of the Observation Deck of City Hall where the reception would take place. They were dressed and ready to go, when Ms. Natalie walked out of her suite dressed.
“You have a date with Mr. Green today?” Phire asked.
“I do,” Ms. Natalie replied smiling. “Going to the Community Center festival. Look pretty sharp for a woman in my seventies, wouldn’t you say.”
“Yes, you do.” LT kissed her cheek. “Just don’t come home pregnant.”
Phire burst out laughing. “The expression on your face.”
“It’s only fair,” LT replied. “That’s what you tell us every time we go out.”
“I don’t have no issue with your comment, child.” Ms. Natalie walked to the door. “I still have all the equipment and so does Mr. Green. And he knows what to do with it.” She chuckled and walked out the door leaving LT with his mouth open.
“I don’t know why you always try to out mouth her.” Phire kissed his cheek. “She has the last word every time.”
“She does.” LT opened the door for Phire. “I often wondered why I fell in love with a mouthy woman just like her.”
“Glutton for punishment,” Phire replied then walked out the door.
An hour later, they were walking through the reception layout with Cynthia, Roz, Grant, Brian and Mr. Price, the Secret Service agent in charge of President Harrison’s detail.
“We are going to position snipers on those roof tops,” Mr. Price advised.
“Is that absolutely necessary?” Cynthia hissed.
“The surrounding windows of this area dictate the positioning,” Mr. Price responded then continued. “One of our men will be on each elevator throughout the night.”
“No, they will not,” Cynthia countered. “This elevator will be designated for the bride and groom. They will need their privacy.”
“What if we designate one elevator for the bride and groom and another for the President and the First Lady?” Brian suggested.
Price glanced around the area where the four elevators were located. “Very well.” He nodded. “We will place men at each of the entrances to the reception area.”
“Agreed.” Cynthia turned to LT and Phire. “Let’s cover the area where the food will be located.”
LT and Phire walked hand in hand to the west side of the Observation Deck. All of Richmond could be seen through the floor to ceiling windows on the 18th floor that encompassed the width of the entire building. Views of the entire city could be seen from the deck.
“This is what I wanted for you.” Phire beamed. “This view of the entire city that you love so much.”
LT brought her hand up to his mouth, then kissed her palm. “Your smile, just as it is now, is what I want to see every day for the rest of my life.”
They were about to embrace into a kiss when Cynthia called out, “Oh cut that out. You’ll have plenty of time for that after the wedding. Roz has a set up over here.”
LT and Phire laughed as they followed Cynthia to the far corner of the area.
“The cake cutting will be handled here,” she pointed. “The champagne fountain here, and the sweet tooth station here. Imagine all of this draped in black and white satin, covering the walls and windows, transforming this deck into an elegant world fit for a palace.”
“Take me away,” LT chuckled at the flourishing movements of Cynthia’s hand.
“Stop it,” Phire chastised. “She is setting the mood.”
“Yes, I am.” Cynthia gave LT an evil eye just as his cellphone chimed.
“Saved by the buzz,” Phire whispered as she followed Cynthia.
“Palmer,” he answered. “Wait, wait, slow down Mr. Green.”
Phire stopped then turned back to see the blood drain from his face.
“Where is she?” LT yelled into the phone.
Phire walked over to him as Cynthia, Roz and Brian stopped at the rise of his voice. LT grabbed Phire’s hand when she reached him. His grip tightened as he spoke.
“What hospital?” LT asked. “I’ll be right there. Just tell her I’m coming.” He disconnected the call then rushed towards the elevator. “Granny collapsed at the outdoor festival her and Mr. Green went to. They have rushed her to the hospital.”
“Oh no,” Cynthia gasped.
“Cynthia, go on with what you have planned,” Phire said as they rushed to the elevator. “We will catch up with you later.”
“What’s taking this elevator so long?” LT looked around. “We can take the steps.”
“No.” Phire held him still. “We are going to take the elevator then get to Ms. Natalie.” She pulled out her phone and pushed a button. “Did they take her to the Medical College?”
“Yes.” LT pounded his fist on the elevator door.
“MCV, Ms. Natalie Palmer,” Phire said into the phone, then disconnected the call. The elevator door opened. “I’m sorry, everyone, we have to go.”
“Go...go,” Roz said as they rushed off.
Agent Price and Brian jumped in the elevator with them. “It’ll be faster to walk over to the hospital from here,” Brian suggested.
“I need a car at the east entrance to City Hall and the fastest route cleared to MCV,” Agent Price spoke into his earwig. “I need an agent at MCV now to handle the care of a Ms. Natalie Palmer upon arrival.”
They all stared at him when he finished his orders.
“We are equipped to handle emergency situations,” he explained at their stare.
The elevator doors opened at the first floor. As ordered a car was waiting with the motor running and the back door opened. “Take them, we will follow on foot,” Brian ordered.
LT and Phire climbed into the back of the vehicle. Phire holding on to LT’s hand talking to him. “She is going to be fine, LT.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because there is no way Ms. Natalie is going anywhere until she sees her baby happily married. Clear your mind of any negativity. We are going to walk into this hospital and talk to Ms. Natalie. She is going to tell us what happened and how you are responsible for it, like she always does.”
A chuckle escaped LT’s throat. That made Phire exhale a little as the vehicle stopped in the very same spot she had when she brought Opal there.
LT jumped out of the vehicle and ran inside. Phire followed behind him. “Where is she?” LT asked.
“Ms. Natalie Palmer,” Phire explained to the confused receptionist.
“LT.” Mr. Green and another man were standing to the side.
“Agent Matlock, Mr. Mayor.” He shook LT’s hand, then directed him through the double doors. “This way, sir.”
Phire reached out. “Come with me, Mr. Green. Can you tell me what happened?”
They followed the agent and LT through the doors.
“We were sitting at a table at the festival when Nat said she wasn’t feeling well. She looked a little flushed so I gave her a glass of water. That didn’t seem to help so I tried to walk her over to some shade. You know to get her out of the sun. That’s when she bent over. Said she was cramping. She started throwing up. I yelled for someone to call an ambulance and they brought us here.” He looked at Phire with eyes filled with worry. “Nat don’t get sick, Sunshine.”
That was what he had called her from the day they met. He told her she brought nothing but sunshine into their lives, Phire remembered as she smiled at the man. “I know, Mr. Green.” Phire rubbed his shoulder as they joined LT. “Ms. Natalie is going to be just fine.”
“You can’t tell me anything?” LT’s voice was rising.
“She just arrived, Mr. Mayor,” the doctor explained. “So far we have eliminated a heart attack, or stroke. Her blood pressure is a little low. We are taking samples of blood to see if that will tell us anything. I need a little more time to examine her then I can tell you more.”
Phire looked into the open curtain at Ms. Natalie. She was still vomiting. The look on her face was the same discomfort she had seen on Opal. “Check for poison.”
The doctor and nurse looked up at her. “Poison?” the doctor questioned.
“Yes, Bromethalin to be specific,” Phire clarified.
The doctor nodded to the nurse. “Order a toxicology screen.” The nurse moved quickly from the area with the blood samples she had taken. He turned to another nurse. “Start liquids to begin the process of flushing her out. Add electrolytes to her IV.” He turned back to Phire. “Is there a reason why you think she could have ingested poison?”
Phire looked at LT. She did not want to set him off without being certain of her thoughts. “Mr. Green, was there anyone other than the regular crowd at the festival today?”
“You mean people not from the neighborhood? Sure, there was a few. Do you think someone did this to my Nat?”
“I don’t know, Mr. Green, but we are certainly going to find out.” Phire turned to look at LT.
“Sapphire, do you know something I don’t?”
Phire looked at LT and knew she had to tread lightly. “No, I’m just guessing, LT. That look on Ms. Natalie’s face reminded me of Opal. That’s all.”
“Opal was poisoned by Lauren Trent.” His eyes narrowed and his voice became deadly. “Do you think they had something to do with this?”
“We don’t know what this is yet,” she spoke calmly to him. “Let’s get Ms. Natalie settled first. Once the tests come back, the doctor will let us know his findings. Then and only then do we react.”
LT just stared at her. “I’m going to jail tonight.”
“I was afraid you were going to say that.”