Chapter 4 - The Web of Lies
The tension in the chamber was thick enough to slice with a knife.
The judge slowly turned his gaze from Victoria to Richard.
“Is there something you want to share with us, Richard?” the judge asked coldly.
Richard swallowed hard, violently tugging at his shirt collar.
“The boy is clearly confused,” Richard stammered, his voice cracking.
“My middle name is Arthur, yes, but that proves absolutely nothing.”
Victoria suddenly shot a venomous glare at Richard.
“Don’t you dare try to act innocent now!” she screamed at him.
The alliance between the two was rapidly crumbling under the pressure.
“You were the one who bought the poison!” Victoria yelled.
The prosecutor dropped his pen on the floor in absolute shock.
Maria pulled Leo closer to her, wrapping her arms around his small shoulders.
“I bought the poison?” Richard roared back, his face turning beet red.
“You were the one slipping it into his tea every single night!”
“You got greedy and gave him a fatal dose!”
Victoria covered her mouth with both hands, realizing she had just confessed.
The judge pressed a red button on his intercom system.
“I need three officers in my chambers right now,” the judge ordered calmly.
Leo watched the adults tear each other apart with wide, sad eyes.
“You killed my dad for his money,” Leo said softly.
Victoria fell back into her velvet chair, completely defeated.
“He was going to leave us with absolutely nothing,” she muttered bitterly.
“I gave him the best years of my life, and he wanted to throw me out.”
Richard pointed a shaking finger at the young maid.
“And it was so easy to blame the poor, immigrant maid,” Richard snarled.
“Nobody ever questions the help.”
Maria stood up tall, finding her courage for the very first time.
“I may be poor, but I am not a murderer,” she said with profound dignity.
“I loved Mr. Sterling like he was my own family.”
The heavy wooden door to the chambers swung open.
Three armed police officers marched into the room.
“Place Mr. Richard Sterling and Mrs. Victoria Sterling under arrest,” the judge commanded.
“The charges are conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder.”
Victoria did not even try to fight as they placed the heavy metal cuffs on her wrists.
Richard tried to pull away, but an officer slammed him against the wall.
“You can’t do this to me!” Richard shouted as they read him his rights.
They dragged the two wealthy conspirators out of the room in disgrace.
The heavy door clicked shut behind them.
The judge looked at Maria and offered her a small, apologetic smile.
“All charges against you are immediately dropped, Maria,” the judge announced.
“You are a free woman.”
Maria burst into joyful tears and hugged Leo tightly against her chest.
“We did it, Leo,” she whispered into his hair.
May you like
But Leo did not smile.
He stared blankly at the empty doorway.
