Chapter 1: The Red Light Never Lied
Chapter 1: The Red Light Never Lied
A faint electronic chime echoed through the living room.
Daniel looked around frantically.
"What was that?"
Neither of them noticed the tiny indicator beneath the brass reading lamp turning from red to blue.
Miles away, inside the downtown police precinct, Detective Rebecca Lawson stared at the wall-sized monitor as the encrypted emergency stream automatically switched to full screen.
The timestamp flashed.
Priority Alert: Violent Crime in Progress.
Rebecca's stomach tightened.
The woman lying on the floor...
She recognized her immediately.
"Evelyn Carter."
For six years, Evelyn had been one of the toughest felony prosecutors in the state before quietly resigning after marrying Daniel Whitmore.
Rebecca grabbed her radio.
"All units, forced-entry authorization granted. Victim appears to be suffering anaphylaxis. Suspects remain on scene."
Back inside the house, Margaret rushed toward me with a kitchen towel.
"She's still alive."
Daniel stared at me.
"What do we do?"
Margaret's voice became terrifyingly calm.
"We finish what we started."
She wrapped the towel over my mouth and nose.
"If she suffocates," she whispered, "everyone will think the allergic reaction killed her."
Darkness crept into the corners of my vision.
Then—
BOOM!
The front door exploded inward.
"Police! Don't move!"
Margaret barely had time to remove the towel before armed officers flooded the room.
Daniel instinctively stepped backward.
Rebecca entered last.
Her eyes locked onto mine.
"Evelyn."
Without hesitation, she ripped the towel away and injected an EpiPen into my thigh before paramedics rushed beside her with oxygen.
Margaret immediately switched personalities.
"Oh thank God you're here! My poor daughter-in-law collapsed! We've been trying to save her!"
Rebecca slowly turned toward the reading lamp.
"I've already watched the entire recording."
Silence.
Complete.
Utter.
Silence.
Margaret's smile disappeared.
May you like
"So have Internal Affairs."
Daniel's knees nearly gave out.
