Rose scowled at the officer. “Do you even hear yourself?” she shot back. “Of course I did. Who was going to believe me if I said Kimberly Woods murdered Vivian Hawthorne?”

  Daphne pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing. I knew this was going to be an uphill battle. Rose should have just said something about what she saw back then. We could avoided so much of this mess if she had.

  “Who’s going to believe you now?” The officer snapped back at Rose. “All of the evidence has long since been destroyed. It’s not like I can arrest someone on eyewitness testimony alone for a crime that happened over four years ago. Especially if t’s a murder case.”

  Daphne felt Rose’s elbow jamming into her ribs and digging in, hard. Daphne winced. What the fuck am I supposed to say? It’s not like I was there to witness the crime like she was. And if I had been, I would have said something back there in the first place.

  Nonetheless, Daphne cleared her throat, and the officer turned to look at her, raising his eyebrows. “I believe her,” Daphne said, her voice a bit shaky.

  “And why is that, Ms. Woods?” the officer asked. “Do you have any evidence or reason to believe that your mother would murder someone?”

  The officer’s eyes were still incredulous. It was the same expression Daphne had seen on so many other faces of those who she had tried to convince that her mother was not treating her kids as well as she claimed, and that her appearance to the outside world was little more than a beautiful fa?ade with rotting guts underneath.

  I’m so tired of this expression. I’m so tired of having to convince people to believe me. Why is it so hard to believe that the person people see on the screen is little more than a persona?

  Daphne bit down a touch on her bottom lip. “Recently, my mother told me that Vivian Hawthorne stole everything from her, so my mother…Kimberly Woods…tried to steal it back.”

  The officer’s eyebrows raised up high beneath his bangs hanging down on his forehead. Is he coming around a bit? Her heart started warming a little to the situation.

  “That would at least give Mrs. Woods some more of a motive than just killing her gardening rival.” He paused, tapping a pen against his lips. “Do you have anything else for me?”

  “I have a bit more,” Daphne admitted. “In that letter it says that Kimberly had a child with Ethan Hawthorne. We have confirmed that my youngest sister, Viola, is Ethan’s biological daughter.”

  Daphne pulled out the DNA test that she had gotten a copy of from Asher to give to Maggie. I can just get her another copy if it means helping Rose and getting to keep my life.

  The officer’s eyes scanned through the document in front of him. “Interesting,” he mused.

  “My mother recently told me that she and Vivian went to the same college and were friends back then. My mother has always been obsessed with Vivian Hawthorne. That’s even why my family moved to this suburb while I was growing up.”

  The officer looked intrigued, studying Daphne closely. “That is very interesting indeed,” he said, putting the DNA test on top of Vivian’s “suicide” note. “We seem to be getting somewhere now,” he said with a small nod to Rose. “What Ms. Woods is saying is making your story far more credible, Ms. Hawthorne.”

  Rose scoffed, scowling deeply at the police officer. “My story should have been credible on its own,” she grumbled.

  “It would have been, if you had said something four years ago,” the officer shot back. He turned to look at Daphne again. “Do you have any cold, hard evidence that would make it more likely that your mother could have been at the scene of the crime that day?” the officer asked.

  Daphne's heart sunk into her chest. I should have known it wouldn't be that easy.

  “I don't…” she murmured, looking down at her hands in her lap.

  She could still feel where the rope had burned and dug into her wrists. Is that still in my future? Will I really not be able to make it out of this without Rose killing me?

  “I hear you all are talking about Vivian Hawthorne’s suicide,” another officer said, coming up to the desk where Rose and Daphne were sitting. “I mentioned it to Detective Rhodes, who investigated that case, and she asked if you'd both be willing to come back and talk to her in her office.”

  Daphne's heart skipped a beat as she carefully pulled the sleeves down on her coat a bit. Will I be able to deceive a detective?

  “Of course,” Rose said, snatching the papers from underneath the police officer's arms. She scowled at him as she stood. Daphne stood next to Rose. “Please lead the way.”

  The officer took them down a long hallway, and they passed by many detectives’ private offices. “Detective Rhodes suspected for a long time that there might have been foul play involved in Vivian's death but was never able to show beyond reasonable doubt that it was,” the officer explained as they walked. “I'm sure she'll be thrilled to hear your testimony,” he said, gesturing to Rose. “It might be the final nail in the coffin.”

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Rose let out a heavy sigh. “I'm so glad there is someone who will believe me,” she murmured.

  Finally, they made it to one of the final officers in the hallway. Rose and Daphne stepped into the room. Detective Rhodes was a willowy, dark red-haired woman. She had a bit of a gummy smile as she stood to shake both Daphne and Rose's hands.

  “Caryn Rhodes,” she said. “So lovely to meet you both.”

  Detective Rhodes sat down behind her desk, and Daphne and Rose sat across from her. “So my officer friend there told me that you both had some interesting stories to tell about Vivian’s Hawthorne suicide. I'd love to hear them, if you're willing to share.”

  “Of course,” Rose said, she launched into her story, sharing the gruesome details of what she had seen that day. Detective Rhodes took a few notes while Rose was talking. Eventually, it was Daphne's turn, and she summarized all that she had recently learned from her mother once more.

  “Interesting,” Detective Rhodes said, tapping her pen on the desk as Daphne finished. She turned, swiftly opening her desk drawer and pulling out a manila folder before plopping it onto her desk. “Thank you for both for confirming my suspicions,” she began, opening the file and pulling out two different autopsy reports. “I was the detective in charge of this case four years ago, and we ended up performing two autopsies because I couldn't shake the feeling that the damage to Vivian's body seemed to suggest that she had struggled to get out of the noose, rather than just resigning herself because she was committing suicide. If it truly wasn't suicide, then it would make sense that she struggled to get the loop off from around her neck.” Detective Rhodes paused and pointed out the two conclusions on the two separate reports. “Ultimately, one autopsy suggested suicide and the other murder. We just never had enough information to go on, to draw up suspects or begin to solve a murder case.”

  Detective Rhodes then turned to her computer on her desk, typing some information into it. “You ladies finally gave me a conclusion to this horrific story.”

  The room fell silent as Rhodes continued to type. Daphne looked over at Rose, who looked giddy and relieved, all wrapped in one. I wonder if Rose will finally be able to move on.

  “So, then will my mother be arrested?” Daphne asked, raising her eyebrows.

  “Most likely,” Rhodes said, with a half-smile, still looking at her computer. “I'm already working on the warrant.”

  “That's good to hear,” Rose murmured.

  “If you two ladies would like to get going, I just need you both to fill out your contact information onto this sheet,” Rhodes said, slapping down a blank sheet of paper and a pen in front of the two women.

  “Sure thing,” Daphne said, scribbling her name and phone number on the page before passing the sheet to Rose.

  “Thanks so much for your help. Just follow the really long hallway to get out and there should be someone there to point you in the right direction. Otherwise, have a great day.” Rhodes still didn't look away from her computer.

  “You too,” Daphne murmured as she and Rose stood to leave.

  The pair filed out into the hallway. It was at this moment that Daphne heard Rose sniffling and Daphne looked over to see tears streaming down her face.

  “Finally, there will be justice,” Rose murmured to herself, before looking up at Daphne. “Thank you, Daphne,” Rose said, her features softer than Daphne had ever seen them. “And I'm sorry.”

  Daphne nearly stopped walking, her eyes widening as Rose said those words. Daphne pursed her lips. All of this could have been avoided if Rose had just been honest from the beginning. Daphne’s jaw tightened.

  “I'm sorry, Rose,” Daphne replied sharply. “But I can't accept the apology of someone who was torturing me over something that wasn't my fault.”

  Rose stopped ahead of Daphne and turned her face, sneering at Daphne once again. “Fine, then,” Rose replied, snottily. She turned on her heel and then continued on her journey down the hall.

  Just like you'll never forgive me for “stealing” Landon, I'll never forgive you for what you've done to me. Even if this second chance and the happiness I found here is the silver lining of the pain you gave me.

  Daphne continued down the hallway and asked for directions to the waiting room. Asher was sitting in a chair looking up at the door and bouncing his legs up and down. As soon as he saw Daphne, surprise and relief flooded his features.

  “Daphne,” he murmured, reaching for her hand as soon as she was close. “You gave me such a scare when you didn't show up for work.”

  “Let's go talk about that in your car,” Daphne murmured.

  I know what I have to do.

  Daphne and Asher walked out to his car. Right as Asher was going to start it, Daphne put her hand on his. “Wait,” she said. “Let's talk first.”

  “Alright,” Asher said, before pausing. “What happened? …your hair is short.”

  Daphne heaved out a heavy breath. “You know how you told me that Rose hasn't been the same since she found out found your mother's body?” Daphne asked.

  “Yeah,” Asher replied, narrowing his eyes.

  “It wasn't because Rose found your mother's body, it was because she saw Kimberly Woods killing Vivian and framing it as a suicide.”

  Asher's eyes widened. “What?” he whispered.

  “Rose kidnapped me this morning and was threatening to kill me.” Daphne peeled back the sleeves on her coat, showing him her dried, bloody wrists.

  Asher took a sharp breath. “What..?” he asked again, his voice shrill. “Is that why your hair is short too?”

  Daphne nodded. “She told me she was willing to make a deal with me and let me live if I helped her turn my mother in for the crime. That's why we were here together.” Daphne paused, studying Asher's face. “If it's all right with you, I would like to go back in and press charges against Rose for my kidnapping.”

  Rose never made the stipulation that I can't. I don't know why she thought I wouldn't go after her.

  “She needs help, and she has for years, Asher,” Daphne murmured, pressing him. “Your father isn't going to do anything to help her. Maybe she will finally get the help she needs, while I protect myself from her in the process.”

  Asher's face was serious. He nodded slowly, wordlessly. “I don't know what to say,” he murmured.

  “Don't worry about it,” Daphne said. “As long as you have my back.”

  “Of course I do,” Asher whispered.

  Daphne let out a heavy breath. “Okay,” she said, before opening the door to Asher's vehicle. She walked back into the police station.

  I'm too strong to let Rose walk all over me this time. Daphne stepped back into the building. I have too much happiness to protect.

  “Hello again,” she said to the woman at the front desk. Daphne pulled down the sleeve of her coat, and the woman went bug eyed. “I actually need to report an instance of kidnapping as well.”