Cole

last thread holding me together. My mouth opened, but no sound came out. It

bent down. With an almost reverent tenderness, he lifted Daisy's body from the dock,

oice flat and devoid of all emotion. "Call t

e family's lead at

of furniture he no longer saw. Olivia clung to his side, her body tremblin

first. I thought, *good, the truth

The two officers who got out were immediately deferential, their demeanor changin

ps of flint. He bypassed the police and went straight to Ethan,

er" first. Olivia's performance was breathtaking. She didn't shriek accusations anymore. Instead, she wept so

ly a series of carefully curated "facts" that le

bbing her eyes. "I didn't know... I didn't know she would be so up

of poison, further tai

on her shoulder in a gesture of silent, unwavering supp

he accusation had left me hollow. "It wasn't me," I repeated, the words sou

a mixture of pity and suspicion. "Mrs. Cole, was

dercurrent of steel. "Officer, my client is pregnant and under extreme emotional

g me. He was shutting me down before I could say anything that mi

over before it had even begun. They mumbled something about it being a

an, her voice rising again. "Accid

shoulder, his face a

sy's body toward his car, Olivia foll

avel driveway, lost. Wh

he turned and finally, finally, looked at me. H

used for his employees, col

ther car. We'

et, the world til

rmth, and delivered the final blow, the

a word until