THE FORGOTTEN HEIRESS-Chapter 51: A Condition Worse Than Death
"What do we do now?" asked Dr Sullivan.
"We need to get him to tell us the reason why he wanted to take your life and who sent him."
Kathleen looked away from Spider and moved towards the window by the bedside. It was tightly secured with burglary proof. Even if anyone wanted to escape from there, they would surely not have a good end as it was on the sixth floor.
She turned back to face Dr Sullivan. "Apart from hearing loss, he is doing fine. He appears like a tough one though and would not easily divulge any information, so we have to figure out a way to get him to talk."
"What do you suggest, Goddess?"
Her eyeballs turned heavenward while continuously tapping on her chin. "I need a notepad," she demanded all of a sudden.
Dr Sullivan was confused for a brief moment but soon figured out what she needed the notepad for.
Turning to the nurse, he instructed, "Get us a notepad and a pen. And please make it snappy," he urged.
"Right away." The nurse left to get the writing materials from the receptionist.
She returned a few minutes later with the materials.
"Thanks," said Dr Sullivan as he received them from her.
He handed them over to Kathleen then turned back to the nurse. "Nurse, please excuse us for a while. I will call you when you are needed."
"I’ll be outside Chief." The nurse bowed respectfully and closed the door behind her as she left the room.
Kathleen walked towards Spider’s bed, wrote on the pad, tore out the sheet she had written on and passed it to Spider.
"Can you read?"
’Do I look illiterate to you,’ Spider roared within himself. He felt spited by such a dumb question and crumpled the sheet of paper in his hand. He was too irked to speak and after some time, forced himself to nod.
Kathleen wrote on the next paper and handed it over to Spider.
"I’m going to be communicating with you by writing and all you have to do is to answer as sincerely as you can."
After reading it, he tossed it aside.
The next paper Kathleen handed to him read:
"I’m sure you must have figured out by now that you cannot hear, this has been confirmed by the result of the last test conducted on you. It may interest you to know that nothing is wrong with your vocal cord, which means you can speak."
Spider looked up, signifying he had finished reading the words.
"I want to give you a chance to save yourself but it all depends on you," wrote Kathleen next.
’A chance indeed,’ sneered Spider inwardly, when he read that. ’Who are you trying to fool? I know you will eventually kill me.’
"How am I sure you will keep to your word?" He finally spoke for the first time since they entered the room. His voice was parched and hoarse.
Kathleen caught sight of a bottle of water on the cupboard beside his bed and poured him a glass of water. It was not because she was too kind but she did it so she could hear him clearly.
Spider raised an eyebrow at Kathleen’s action and took the glass of water after a brief hesitation. He
"May I remind you that you don’t have any right to negotiate," Kathleen wrote. "But I will answer you this once. Your cooperation and sincerity will be the deciding factor."
She watched him take a sip from the cup before writing again.
"You must also understand that it is just one chance, so think about it carefully before making any decision."
"I don’t care," Spider uttered in a voice thick with spite.
Kathleen ignored him and wrote, "If you cooperate with me, you will regain your hearing and walk out a free man but if you don’t, not only will you never hear again but you will..."
She left it hanging and handed him the paper to read, a creepy smile playing around her lips.
Spider who believed he had seen and known all there was to being evil couldn’t help but cringe at the creepy smile on that enchanting face.
"... you will revert to a condition that is worse than death for the rest of your life. I’m sure by now you know I have the ability, in case you are entertaining any doubt."
"Coincidentally I happen to be a doctor and I also specialize in brain mutations," Kathleen finished off after successfully instilling the right amount of fear into the writeup.
Sure enough, as Spider kept reading the words, an appalling expression settled on his previously stubborn face, and it kept getting scarier the more he read.
She knew her aim had been achieved as the next minute, Spider reluctantly asked in a croaky voice.
"What... What do you want to know?"
"Good," muttered Kathleen. She glanced over at Dr sullivan, shared an understanding look with him, then drew out one of the chairs in the room and sat down close to the bed, staring straight at Spider.
"I know someone contracted you to kill me because we have never met before. What I want to know is, who was it that asked you to kill me?"
Spider had been expecting this question from the start. He knew he couldn’t hold out for long and was not ready to sacrifice his life for a heartless person like Mrs Beazell, after all, the lady in front of him was not a normal human being.
He has experienced it first hand during the chase and knew what she was capable of. Even though he wasn’t sure if she was a doctor or not, finding out with his life was a risk he was not willing to take.
He took a deep breath, glanced at Kathleen whose strange eyes were boring into him like laser beams.
Her feet gave a rhythmic tap on the floor as she waited silently as if she didn’t have any other business for the day. She was in full control and had the aura of an empress.
