“It’s the best news,” her dad added.
Two days earlier, Providence had confided in her dad that Randy had poisoned her mom, but the doctor expected her to make a full recovery. She’d never seen her dad so angry. But that information helped him stay vigilant against his stepson.
Then, last night, Providence had stopped by the house to pick up her dad’s laptop, but she’d really gone there to check on Randy. He and Lizzie were enjoying a filet mignon dinner, compliments of the money he’d stolen from her.
Per her plan, she told Randy their mom was dying. The flash of glee in his eyes had sickened her to her soul.
Providence sat on the bed, beside her mom. She’d been lying to her parents for years, but that was all about to change. “I need to talk to you guys about my work.”
“Now?” Her dad glanced at her mom.
“I’m not really a marketing consultant. I’ve been working as an undercover agent in the FBI’s Violent Crimes Division.” While she wasn’t coming clean about being an ALPHA operative, she was telling them more than she’d ever planned to say.
Her parents stared at her for several beats.
“Wow,” said her mom. “That’s a lot more suited to your personality, and it explains the vague answers I’ve been getting all these years.”
“I’m so proud of you, Providence,” said her dad. “That’s prestigious, but it’s so dangerous.”
Providence smiled. Their reactions didn’t surprise her. “I love my job. I’ve been working on a case that led me to believe you were poisoned with liquid nicotine.”
Her mother gasped. “What? Who would poison me?”
“Randy.”
“No, dear, that can’t be right,” her mom protested.
“Heather,” her father began. “I know this sounds far-fetched, but you were healthy until Randy came back. I think we should listen to what Providence has to say.” Her dad clasped her mom’s hand as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“During the four days when Randy and Lizzie went sailing, you started feeling better because he wasn’t around to poison you. As soon as he returned, he upped the dosage. You had a seizure and almost died. Your blood test showed a life-threatening level of nicotine.”
Providence explained that Randy had been in prison for seven years, without disclosing his career as an ALPHA operative.
“Why did he go to prison?” her mom asked.
“Extortion and bribery. He went to prison because he’s a criminal. He tried to kill you because he’s a psychopath.”
“I can’t wrap my brain around this,” her mom said.
“I know it’s shocking,” Providence said. “Our hunch about him was right. He’s not a licensed realtor.”
“We’d figured that out weeks ago,” her dad grumbled.
“I think Dad was his next target.”
“Oh, God,” her mom blurted.
Providence confided how he’d hacked into her bank account and stolen her money. “I need your help if we’re going to arrest him.”
“My heart is broken,” her mom said, “but you have it.”
“Whatever it takes,” her dad agreed.
* * *
Dakota pulled around to the rear of the hospital and parked outside an unmarked fire door. Providence’s parents were being escorted out through the morgue in the middle of the night in order to ensure their protection. As he got out, a doctor wheeled her mom over to his truck, and Providence’s dad helped her mom out of the chair.
“Good luck,” the doctor said.
