Chapter 2 - The ambulance arrived within minutes.Two paramedics rushed into the foyer with a stretcher.
Mrs. Howard moved aside.
Vanessa followed them anxiously.
“I was right there,” she said. “I saw everything.”
Detective Ruiz stopped her.
“Then you can tell me exactly what happened later.”
“But she fell because—”
“Later.”
Vanessa fell silent.
Ruiz crouched beside Elena.
“Mrs. Howard?”
Elena opened her eyes.
“Detective...”
Her voice was weak.
“You knew this was going to happen?”
Elena stared at him.
Her breathing was shallow.
“I knew someone was going to try.”
Ruiz looked toward the staircase.
“How long have you suspected Vanessa?”
Elena’s fingers tightened around the blanket.
“Three weeks.”
“Why didn't you tell your husband?”
Elena hesitated.
That question hurt more than the fall.
“Because my husband wouldn't have believed me.”
Ruiz studied her face.
“Why?”
“Because he already believes her.”
The words hung heavily in the room.
Vanessa immediately stepped forward.
“That isn't true.”
Elena turned her head.
Vanessa’s eyes met hers.
There was hatred behind the tears.
Pure hatred.
Then Vanessa noticed something taped beneath Elena’s wrist.
A tiny black device.
Her blood ran cold.
Ruiz noticed it too.
“What is that?”
Elena looked at him.
“A backup.”
Vanessa’s expression changed.
“What backup?”
Elena closed her eyes again.
Ruiz gently lifted her wrist.
The device was a miniature audio recorder.
Vanessa stumbled backward.
“No.”
Ruiz examined it.
“Was this running?”
Elena gave the smallest nod.
Vanessa’s face drained of color.
“I didn't say anything!”
Ruiz looked at her.
“You don't need to worry about what you did not say.”
The paramedic interrupted.
“Detective, we need to go.”
As Elena was lifted onto the stretcher, she reached for Ruiz.
He leaned closer.
“Don't trust anyone in this house.”
Ruiz looked toward Mrs. Howard.
Then the staff.
Then Vanessa.
Finally, the elegant double doors opened.
And a man stepped inside.
Elena’s husband.
Adrian Howard.
His face was pale.
He looked at his wife.
“What happened?”
Vanessa ran toward him.
“Adrian...”
She collapsed into his arms.
“I tried to stop her.”
Adrian held her.
“Stop who?”
“Elena.”
Adrian turned.
His eyes landed on his wife.
“She attacked Vanessa,” he whispered.
Elena looked at him from the stretcher.
There was pain in her eyes.
But not surprise.
She had already expected it.
Ruiz stepped between them.
“Mr. Howard, we need to talk.”
Adrian shook his head.
“Not now.”
“She nearly killed your wife.”
Adrian looked at Elena.
Then at Vanessa.
“I know.”
Ruiz’s expression darkened.
“What exactly do you know?”
Adrian said nothing.
Vanessa clung to his arm.
Ruiz noticed.
So did Elena.
As the paramedics wheeled her toward the door, Adrian suddenly shouted.
“Wait!”
Everyone stopped.
Adrian approached his wife.
“Elena...”
She opened her eyes.
“I didn't push her.”
Elena stared at him.
“I know.”
Those two words stunned him.
“You know?”
Elena nodded.
“Because you weren't supposed to be here.”
Adrian frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Elena’s lips curved slightly.
“It means someone wanted you to arrive after I was dead.”
Vanessa froze.
Ruiz looked at her.
Adrian stepped backward.
“What?”
Elena whispered the final words before the doors closed.
“Ask your mistress who paid the doctor.”
The doors slammed shut.
Vanessa’s face went white.
Ruiz slowly turned toward her.
“Which doctor?”
May you like
She couldn't answer.
And Adrian suddenly realized he had never told Elena about the doctor.
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