‘1 didn’t poison her Elspeth’s denial was as futile as a turkey iming it wasn’t Thanksgiving.
Amold ignored her protests<b>, </b>his voice a low and chitting timbre. “At the time, you panicked and fled the scene of the crime, but you forgot to take this vial with you. The victim’s death was ruled a suicide, which made youcent, and you never returned to check the scene. The Abernathys, superstitious after a death in the room, sealed it off, inadvertently preserving the crime scene for the police. This vial, it reced the antidepressants on her nightstand. And the residue inside, upon testing, wasn’t Fentanyl, but cyanide.
Cyanide?
The room erupted in shock, that was the king of poisons! Ingesting or even touching it could be fatal!
<b>This </b>woman was sheer malevolence!
Elspeth’s mind was in shambles!
As someone used of murder, she knew the feeling of being wronged all too well and began to hysterically defend herself<b>, </b>“I didn’t! I didn’t poison Cynthia with that stuff! You’re framing me!”
“Framing you? Then exin why your fingerprints are on the vial?”
Arnold’s gaze was as sharp as a de, closing in, “Let’s reconstruct the events. You entered the room, concocted a <b>story</b>, and tricked Cynthia into taking the poison, leading to her demise. Fearing exposure, you threw her b*dy <b>off </b><b>the </b>balcony, crafting a suicide farce!”
Elspeth shook her head in frenzied denial, on the verge of copse, “No, it wasn’t like that!”
Arnold’s expression shifted, and he stood abruptly, “Elspeth, let me tell you, Cynthia’s b*dy is buried in the East End Cemetery. If her family consents, we can exhume the b*dy for autopsy! Even if all that’s left is a skeleton, modern forensics can still detect whether she died from a fall or was poisoned!”
<b>“</b>No! I didn’t poison her!”
Elspeth’s gaunt hands clutched at the bars, her bloodshot eyes wildly shaking the iron cage, “We got into <b>a </b>scuffle! I identally pushed her over! I didn’t poison her!”
The truth spilled out.
usations were true; the relentless pursuit was a tactic.
But if she were innocent, no amount of deceit should have made her confess to acts she nevermitted.
Elspeth realized toote, stiffening as her blood ran cold, covering her mouth!
But it was toote.
Every word she had uttered was heard clearly by everyone in the courtroom.
The silence was sepulchral.
Every shocked and angry gaze pierced Elspeth, as if to y her alive!
Frederic, pale as a ghost, clenched his trembling fists, feeling every vein freeze, torment spreading from his convulsing heart to every limb.
He remembered Thaddeus’s words at the cemetery, haunting him: “My mother never sought release in death. It was Elspeth.”
<b>It </b>was Elspeth who had pushed Cynthia to her death.
This deceitful, cunning, venomous woman had killed the love of his life, and he, unknowingly, had cherished the murderer <b>for </b>twenty long years<b>! </b>
Elspeth deserved death, but wasn’t heplicit?
Frederic bit down hard, his gaze filled with hatred as Cynthia’s image haunted him like a relentless nightmare.
A tear escaped him<b>, </b>though he hadn’t wept <b>at </b>Cynthia’s funeral. Now, he felt the urge to cry <b>for </b>her.
But bted love was worthless. And bted <b>tears</b>, meaningless.
Cedric staggered backward <b>in </b>utter shock<b>, </b>his world upended at Elspeth’s admission.
<b>He </b>finally understood-
<b>From </b>the start<b>, </b>Arnold’s <b>“</b><b>evidence</b><b>” </b><b>was </b><b>non</b><b>–</b>existent<b>; </b>his “crime <b>scene </b>reconstruction” was <b>a </b>farce, <b>a </b>pressure tactic to break
<b>1/2 </b>
17-38
Elspeth
The trap was set from his first word, cornering Elspeth into a confession
Cedric closed his eyes against the torment, his ns futile.
Elspeth’s confession, pushing Thaddeus’s mother to her death<b>, </b>sealed <b>her </b>fate beyond salvation.
The Ashbournes wept with relief, Aviana almost cried out, silenced <b>just </b><b>in </b>time <b>by </b>Suri.
Cassius, beside himself with emotion, nced at Aaron, <b>“</b>You guys orchestrated <b>one </b><b>hell </b>of a <b>show</b><b>.</b><b>” </b>
It was ali Thaddeus, Aaron said, nodding toward Thad’s resolute figure. “He found the witness, invented courtroom evidence <b>to </b>panic Elspeth into confessing. Clever and cunning!”
Cassius shivered, “Risky<b>, </b>though. Even with Arnold risking his career for this drama<b>, </b><b>what </b><b>if </b>Elspeth had refused <b>to crack</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>The courtroom drama had reached its climax, and as the gavel was poised <b>to </b><b>fall</b><b>, </b>justice, howeverte, was to be served. Aaron paused, a wry smile of resignation spreading across his face. “But, Cassius, we’re fresh out of options. It’s do or die <b>now</b>. After all, if we don’t take this gamble, we won’t have a chance at all. Maybe we won this one because Thaddeus’s mom was watching over us from beyond, you know?”
Hearing this, Cassius felt a lump form in his throat, too moved <b>to </b>speak.
In that moment, seated <b>in </b>the front row, Evadne clutched Thaddeus’s warm, broad hand, her emotions spilling over as tears streaked down her face.
“We’ve finally won.”
“Yes, we’ve finally won.”
Thaddeus, his fingertips roughened by life’s work, gently wiped away the glistening tears at the corner of Evadne eyes. As <b>he </b><b>spoke</b>, his voice was hoarse with deep emotion, “Evadne, thank you. And thank <b>you </b>to Arnold, Jason, Aaron, thank all of you. You’ve given my mother a second chance at life<b>.</b><b>” </b>