Leland made no effort to conceal his purchase of medicine, and the driver, through his rearview mirror, observed the medication in his hands.
As they neared home, Leland felt the over nine hundred dollars in his pocket, but only handed three hundred to the driver, asking him to keep the rest for the night.
The driver was amiable, “Since the young lady gave you so much money, you’d better open a bank account to save it.”
Leland nodded and thanked him.
The car drove deeper into the streets, the houses on the sides becoming more dilapidated, the road steeper, and even the streetlights were busted.
“Uncle, you can drop me off here, it’s hard to turn around if you go further in.”
…
The driver was Winifred’s informer, and after dropping Leland off, he returned to the Dawson family and reported to her about Leland’s purchase of cephalosporin from the pharmacy.
Mr. Hamilton, following Winifred, clearly understood the driver’s report.
What else was there to understand? Winifred’s intentions were clear, hinting at Leland’s cold, then mentioning his past purchase of cephalosporin for a throat inflammation. It was a veiled reminder to Leland about the danger of mixing cephalosporin and alcohol, a deadly combination.
What did Winifred plan to achieve?
She intended to manipulate Leland into doing her dirty work, to make him kill his own father!
Could a nine-year-old girl devise such a scheme? Her thoughts were too deep.
Records indicated that Leland’s father was a chronic alcoholic, which combined with cephalosporin could lead to shock, fainting, even death if the dosages were high. There was even a rhyme online about cephalosporin and alcohol:
A gulp of cephalosporin, a gulp of wine,
With the devil, you’ll be just fine,
In the eighteen layers of hell’s design,
With monsters and fiends, for all time.
But could a child like Leland really consider and execute such a plan? It was hard to believe that anyone would, and besides, if Leland’s father were to die, the police investigation might be lenient considering Leland and his mother’s circumstances. This was the best outcome Mr. Hamilton could imagine.
Of course, whether cephalosporin and alcohol could actually kill remained uncertain. Most would realize their discomfort and seek medical attention promptly.
After the driver departed, Mr. Hamilton gazed at Winifred for a while before speaking, “Miss, why would you do this?”
“What did I do?” She feigned ignorance, smiling mischievously at the butler.
“By mentioning the dangers of cephalosporin and alcohol to Leland, you aimed to incite him to commit a crime, to kill his father.”
“Mixing cephalosporin and alcohol is dangerous by itself. I was merely reminding you, not him. What he buys and does is none of my concern.” Winifred stretched lazily, an ungraceful posture, but it brought her comfort. After a couple of hops, she turned around.
“Mr. Hamilton, how could I possibly incite someone to commit a crime when I’m such a good girl?”
Winifred’s innocent smile could deceive the uninitiated, but Mr. Hamilton had seen her grow up. If she were an angel, there would be no demons.
After dinner, Winifred took a leisurely stroll outside, her mood lifted by the day’s events. She had found a fitting toy, adding to her satisfaction. She hoped Leland wouldn’t disappoint her.
She enjoyed having “dogs” but not a troublesome one. It was better if they were all gone, so they wouldn’t dirty the doorstep of the Dawson family.
Even Leland’s mother incited jealousy in Winifred. Hearing about Leland’s mother, Winifred felt envy. Why did even this little trash have a mother who loved him, while she had none?