“This proves Elissa went in there to save someone.”
He continued, “There’s no need to say much more. Marcia and Hickey entered the emergency stairwell together, then Hickey let out a scream, and Marcia ran out through another floor’s stairs.”
“She took the elevator back up to the third floor, thinking if she destroyed the surveince footage, she could pin everything on you.”
“Well, look how that turned out. She’s reaping what she sowed.”
“Not necessarily.”
Elissa smiled, feelingfortable after eating her fill. While clearing the table, she said calmly, “With Frank involved, I doubt she’ll face any real consequences.”
Originally, thanks to Marcia’s insistence, the case was already moving toward awsuit.
Whoever was responsible for the injury would have to pay the price.
Cliff frowned, struggling to understand how someone could be so blinded by love. “You mean…”
Elissa said, “I’ll call the police and have theme copy the surveince footage.”
At the very least, she needed to clear her own name before dealing with anything else.
–
The police responded to the call almost immediately, sending two officers <i>to </i>Serenity Wellness Clinic.
The case itself wasn’t particrly serious, but with the Atwater family’s name attached, it was still a bit of a hot potato. The sooner it could be resolved, the better.
09:54
One of the officers was the same woman who had taken Elissa’s
statementst time.
When she and her partner arrived at Serenity Wellness, they got out of the car together and headed straight for the reception desk.
She shed her badge and asked politely, “Hello, I’m from the Vistapeak Police Department. Could you tell me what floor Mrs. Atwater is on?”
She made sure to be as courteous as her supervisor had instructed.
After all, in Vistapeak City, thest people you want <i>to </i>offend are the Murphys and the Atwaters.
“Mrs. Atwater?”
The nurse at the front desk blinked in confusion. “Which Mrs. Atwater do
you mean?”
The policewoman rified, “Mr. Frank Atwater’s wife.”
“Huh?”
The nurse froze for a moment, then realization dawned.
So Marcia really had married into the Atwater family! And she’d been so low–key about it, always telling them she and Frank were just dating.
She quickly brightened and replied, “She’s on the third floor, at Dr. William Garcia’s office. I’ll take you there.”
“Thank you.”
After the policewoman thanked her, the group headed up to the third floor.
Marcia was napping, and answered the door still groggy. The front desk nurse teased, “Marcia, the police are here to see Mrs. Atwater!”
The moment Marcia heard the title, she snapped awake.
She forced a smile, assuming the officers would give her some face, considering Frank always treated her differently. “Is there something I
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09.54
can help you with?”
“Sorry.”
Without missing a beat, the policewoman turned to the nurse and corrected her, “I’m looking for Mrs. Atwater, not Ms. Carson. Are you sure you have the right person?”
“Ms. Carson… isn’t she Mrs. Atwater?”
The nurse’s brain was practically short–circuiting. She looked lost. “Didn’t you just say you were looking for Mr. Atwater’s wife?”
Mr. Atwater and Marcia!
That was right, wasn’t it?
The policewoman nodded. “Yes, we’re looking for Mr. Atwater’s wife. But the Mrs. Atwater we have registered isn’t Ms. Carson.”
If it wasn’t Marcia, then who?
Before the nurse could process this, Elissa’s voice came from the hallway, “You must be the officers here to copy the security footage?”
The policewoman smiled at her. “Yes, Mrs. Atwater.”
“???”
The nurse was stunned.
A few doctors and nurses passing by on their way to start their shifts also stopped, equally bewildered.
What was going on?
If Elissa was Mr. Atwater’s wife, then… what about Marcia?