Chapter 56
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“According to our investigation, you have a connection with her. Ms. Prescott,” the police officer continued, his tone steady but probing
“She’s my cousin Jake’s wife–from the Jones family,” I said, still struggling to process this revelation,
Sophia turned to me, her expression mirroring my shock.
“Then our suspicions may be correct,” the officer continued. “She might hold a grudge against you and could be lying about
her alibi
Still trying to make sense of it all, I said, “I can’t think of anything I’ve done to offend her, Officer. May I speak with her?”
The man nodded. The timing couldn’t have been better; the questions with Tanya–Jake’s wife–had just wrapped up. When I entered the interrogation room, Tanya’s face clouded with confusion, her brows knitting together.
The officer addressed her directly. “Mrs. Jones, do you know her?”
Tanya nodded. “Of course. She’s a celebrity–and my husband’s cousin.”
The investigator and I exchanged meaningful looks. The tension in the room was thick as the officer continued. “Ms. Prescott is the target of the truck driver who was paid through an account traced back to you.”
Tanya’s eyes widened in disbelief. “W–what?”
I took a seat across from her, searching her face for answers. Despite our family ties, I couldn’t fathom any reason for her to act against me.
“Tanya, our families are connected, and this situation is hard to explain without naming someone specific. D–did I do something to you? Something that made you want to hurt me?”
She shook her head quickly, her denial almost frantic
“Tanya,” I said firmly, leaning forward, “the truck driver paid through your account is dead, along with the passenger of the car he collided with. This is serious–you’ll be in even deeper trouble if you don’t tell the truth.”
Tears welled in her eyes as she squeezed them shut. Her voice trembled as she pleaded, “Isabella, please… I have children. You can’t think I’d do something like this.”
She broke into sobs, the weight of the situation clearly sinking in as she likely pictured the devastating consequences of her
actions.
1 felt my throat tighten. “Then who put you up to it? Was it someone else in the Jones family? Did they ask you to use your account?”
She couldn’t respond. I had a sense of who Tanya was. She didn’t care about anything to do with my family except for her children and her husband.
“Is this about Grandmother’s inheritance?” I asked quietly. It was the only thing that made sense. When Tanya wouldn’t meet my eyes, I gripped her arm. “Was it Jake? Did he tell you to make the transfer?”
Through her tears, she nodded repeatedly.
The police and I exchanged glances. “We’ve already called her husband. He’s been summoned earlier when we invited her here, one of the officers said.
“Tanya,” I said, leaning closer. “Jake doesn’t deserve your protection! Think about what you’re doing!”
Chapter
“We have children together, they comed
“And if you end up in prison, do you think Jake will take care of your child her to “You saw what happened the engagement Charlotte and your husband have been having an ador for a long time about site tigh wheed Jake’s feelings for Chadotte are just a cod thing. He’s newing her and
casoul
ting
A thought truck me
“Is this Charlotte’s doing? That was the only explanation that made e Chuke would’t te gen herself to Jake
Unless Jake knew something about her?
Or was it simply raw desire between them
sense. Charlese have
“I’ve known about their affair for a long time even before jake and I got marned” Tatry wited “Yes, it was Charloner overheard her telling Jake to transfer the money to the truck driver’s account but I didn’t know there would be a victim Tabella. Please believe me.”
Her hands trembled as she reached for mine.
I
“I was only told that Jake needed to pay off a debt. It’s only now that I realize Charlotte was the one who gave the order” Tanya’s eyes widened as she suddenly remembered something “Th–that’s right I overheard Jake talking to Charlone on the phone once. He said you might know something–b–but I didn’t fully understand what they meant
My fist clenched.
Jake arrived, breathless, his expression twisted in anger as he fixed his gaze on Tanya, barely acknowledging my presence
“What kind of foolishness have you gotten yourself into this time? Haven’t you embarrassed me enough? Why are you even here?” he spat, as though he couldn’t understand why he had been called.
Tanya trembled, shrinking behind me. Only then did Jake finally notice me
“Isabella, what are you doing here?” he asked, then exclaimed, “Shit!” realizing the reason his wife and I were together inside a police station.
Moments later, the investigator interrogated Jake, and he quickly shifted all the blame onto Charlotte. 1 could feel his fury toward her, as though he couldn’t accept that she had terminated the pregnancy.
“It’s all Charlotte’s fault! She’s been jealous of Isabella ever since! Especially now that she found out that Isabella knows about the death of “Jake cut himself off.
“Whose death?” the police officer asked.
“The death of…” My cousin hesitated, clearly trying to cover his tracks. The death of Charlotte’s child. She had an abortion, and Isabella must have known about it! Charlotte is marrying into the Murphy family–of course, she doesn’t want anything to ruin that. That bitch!”
But I could read the lie in his face. There was something else–something worse.
What do I know? What death was he talking about?
I was still lost in thought when my phone rang, and Cassie’s name appeared on the screen.
“Hello, babe…” I answered, my voice wavering.
But Cassie’s voice trembled on the other end. “Isabella, I’m with Evan. Your husband you don’t know the man you married
Chapter 57
Chapter 57
