Page 111 of Tasting Fire
“I texted Max and had him follow up with the anesthesiologist who was in Jesse’s surgery,” Emmy continued. “The surgeon who operated uses succinylcholine.”
“Sux can be a pretty tricky paralytic, right?” Cash asked.
“Yeah. Which is the reason Oliver always preferred to operate using rocuronium,” Emmy explained. “Roc metabolites were also present in Jesse Giddings’s lab work. I think it was administered postsurgically.”
“Jesus,” Cash said. “If that’s the case, that kid could’ve suffocated while he was wide awake.”
“I had a bad feeling about his death from the beginning,” Emmy said, looking away. “I just didn’t have any real proof until now.”
By this time, Maggie’s face had transformed into a tight red Halloween mask. “I should arrest you both for obstructing an investigation.” She held a hand to her head as if they’d slapped her with the biggest, baddest migraine ever recorded. “And I thought Jay was a pain in my ass sometimes.”
“In our defense, we didn’t totally realize several of these incidents were related,” Emmy said, pushing a plate of cheese and crackers closer to Maggie. Probably hoping she’d chew on those instead of their asses.
“Uh-uh,” Maggie shot back. “With every word in your own defense, you’re digging yourselves deeper.”
Emmy’s revelation about the paralytics made Cash wonder just how far Amory might go. Would he kill others to get to Emmy? He asked his sister, “Any final findings about the fire?”
“Funny you should want information when you haven’t been forthcoming.” She gave Emmy a long, considering look. “The fire was definitely arson. Incendiary device was a cigarette attached to a book of matches wrapped in paper and cotton. Light the cigarette. It burns down and ignites the matches. The paper and cotton do the rest of the work.”
“And Amory is still out there on the loose,” Cash bit out. “I don’t like anything about—”
“We don’t know if he’s behind the fire. Hypothetically, it’s possible, but I need to look more closely at this guy before I make contact with Charlotte PD.” Maggie pushed aside her beer and pulled out a handheld recorder. “Cash, go grill a steak or something while I finish questioning Emmy. After we eat, I’ll be the one grilling you.”
