When one of our on-site paramedics arrived “just to make sure,” I left Ruth in good hands and decided on the best approach to extricate my mom from Kap’s company.
Phil Cooper saw me walking rapidly across the lawn, and changed his trajectory to intercept me. “Is she okay?”
“I think she’ll be fine,” I said, slowing. “The medic is checking her out. And Joel’s there.”
Phil nodded. Francine joined us. “She seemed okay five minutes ago,” she said. “It’s like something came over her all of a sudden.”
I turned back to look at Ruth again. All of a sudden? Like… Carl Minkus?
Oh my God.
“What was she doing right before I came up?” I felt panic rise up in my chest. Ruth’s rantings about Cooper’s involvement in her husband’s death started to solidify. But I couldn’t stop myself from asking, “Did she eat anything?”
Cooper looked at me like I had bay leaves shooting out my ears. “We all ate,” he said, clearly confused. “And it was very good.”
“Did she complain about tingling in her lips?”
Phil had unscrewed the cap of his water bottle and drained what was left before he answered. “No, she didn’t complain about anyth-” In that instant I knew he understood the nature of my question. His face lost all expression and he stared at the area where the medics were now talking with Ruth. “You don’t think her food was tainted…”
My limited research on the toxin led me to understand that victims had tingling mouths and numb tongues, which quickly spread into paralysis of the diaphragm. Unless the victim was given immediate and constant CPR, the toxin led to death.
“She said she was feeling light-headed. That isn’t what Carl Minkus complained of, is it?”
Cooper touched his fingers to his lips. “No,” he said. “Carl was different. But… I can’t help thinking…” He scanned the crowd.
“What?” I asked.
From behind us, Kap appeared, deftly moving into the space between me and Cooper. “What’s happening?” he asked. Turning to the large pink bunny behind him, he said, “Get away from me. Go find some kids to entertain.”
Cooper was pale. “They might have struck again. Let’s get over there.”
Without a backward glance to me, Kap and Cooper headed toward Ruth Minkus, the pink bunny trotting faithfully behind. Ruth was seated on the grass now, surrounded by her son, a medic, and several volunteers. I heard her protesting that she was just fine and that she and Joel would like to leave.
“She sure sounds better,” I said.
Francine’s pretty face twisted with concern. “Ten minutes ago she was hurrying around-busy. In fact, I thought it was strange that a woman still grieving for her husband should be shuttling food and drinks for other people.”
That got my back up. Guests should not be working at this event. “You mean she fixed a plate for Joel,” I said for clarification.
“No,” Francine said. “Actually, it was kind of strange. Phil and I were getting ready to leave and she came over with a couple bottles of water. She said we looked thirsty.” Unscrewing the bottle in her hand, Francine took a swig, emphasizing her point.
Francine had used the word strange to describe Ruth, twice in the same conversation. The back of my neck and shoulders began to prickle again. Thoughts began to formulate. I excused myself and jogged toward the small group gathered around the woman on the grass. Francine followed me.
“No, really,” Ruth was saying in a voice much stronger than I expected. “I’m just fine.” Without another glance at those around her, she grabbed her son’s arm and stood up. “Joel-let’s go. Now. Please. Get the car.”
Joel took off like a shot. As soon as he was out of sight, Ruth boosted herself to leave. What prompted me to stop her, I don’t know. But I needed to. She had the answers, and there was no time to lose. “Ruth,” I said, “just a minute.”
She didn’t answer. She kept walking. Very fast.
I started to follow, but Cooper grabbed my arm. His empty water bottle dropped next to my feet. Sweaty and pale, he held fingers to his mouth. “My lips,” he said thickly. “I can’t feel them.” He looked around with wild eyes.
Cooper let go of me long enough to grab Kap’s arm. “Not China,” he said. Then his knees gave out and he collapsed to the ground. “It was her.”
In an instant, I understood.
I dropped to the grass next to Cooper and pointed to the direction Ruth had taken, “Stop her,” I said to Kap. Then to the medic, I shouted, “This man needs help!”
The medic responded at once, calling for assistance as she closed the distance between us. “What have we got?” she asked.
“Tetrodotoxin,” I said. “It’s what killed Carl Minkus.”
A second medic relayed that information into his radio as he knelt on the ground next to me. “He will go into respiratory failure quickly,” I said. “His diaphragm will be paralyzed. You have to keep him alive.”
I bolted to my feet and ran to catch up with Kap, looking back long enough to see Francine standing terrified next to the emergency response team. She sobbed as she watched them work on her husband. I wanted to be there for her, but I had to follow Kap. I could see him in the distance, looking both ways; it was obvious he had lost Ruth. Behind him, Fuzzy Guzy looked ready to pounce on his quarry. My mom was about halfway between the two, looking both ways as well.
For a moment I wondered where Nana was, but I didn’t have time. I ran, full out.
I didn’t get far.
“Ollie!”
I turned.
Ruth stood behind one of the abandoned balloon sculpture tents, the right half of her body hidden from view. She peered out around the corner, struggling with something I couldn’t see. “You need to get me out of here.”
I said the first thing that came to mind. “You killed your own husband? My God, why?”
“Get me out of here. I know you can do it.”
Whatever she had behind the white canvas made her recoil.
“Get me out of here now.” Her teeth gritted. “Before it’s too late.”
Several hundred yards away, Kap turned to look around. I started to call to him.
“Don’t,” she said.
And then she jerked her quarry into view.
I started to scream, but clapped my hands over my mouth. If I drew any attention to the three of us…
Nana fought her captor, but Ruth was twenty years younger and ten times stronger. She’d shoved fabric into Nana’s mouth, and had her wrapped in a bear hug from behind. “Shut up,” Ruth said, but her voice was ragged from exertion. Then to me: “Get me out of here or your grandmother gets dosed.”
My mind telescoped to the small vial in Ruth’s left hand. She held on to it so tightly, I could see the whites of her knuckles straining her skin. Nana kicked and tried to scream. Ruth rocked sideways, maintaining control of my grandmother’s writhing form.
“Don’t mess with me, I’m warning you. You have to get me out of here. You know how to do it.”
Secret Service agents were busy with Cooper and with Kap. No one took notice of three women by this vacant tent. I took a step closer. “Give it up, Ruth.”
“You want Grandma dead?”
Nana kicked, and although Ruth grimaced, she didn’t let go.
Working to tamp down the panic crawling up my throat, I pleaded. “Listen to me. Let her go-I’ll get you out. I will.”
“She comes with.” Ruth gave the area a quick glance. “No one is going to question us if we’re helping your grandmother. She stays with me until I’m out.”
My mouth was dry, and I couldn’t think-couldn’t begin to figure a way out of this one. “Nana,” I said.