The color drained from Andrew's face the instant the words left my mouth.
"You— what are you talking about?!"
His voice shook. "Elena is barely hanging on. What do you mean, come back from the dead?"
Just then, the village medic came running over, drenched in sweat.
"It's too late! It's too late!"
"Chester's gone! No pulse, no breath. He's dead!"
"Elena still has a faint heartbeat, but her pulse is barely there. She won't last much longer. We need to get her to the hospital in town, now!"
The courtyard erupted into chaos.
"Murderer! She needs to pay!"
"Grab her! Don't let her get away!"
Several villagers surged forward with rope in their hands.
Old Mr. Finch raised his cane and swung it straight at my head. "I'll kill you myself, you vicious woman! You owe my son his life!"
Andrew didn't stop him this time.
He stood off to the side, watching me with cold, calculating eyes, as if waiting for me to break down and beg.
I sidestepped the cane.
And then—
"Police! The police are here!"
Someone shouted from the edge of the crowd.
Several officers pushed through the throng and into the courtyard.
"Officers, arrest this woman!" Mrs. Finch threw herself at them like they were her salvation, clutching at an officer's arm. "This monster poisoned my son and daughter-in-law!"
Andrew stepped forward to meet them too, his face a mask of grief, his words halting and broken.
"Officers, I'm her husband."
"I don't want to believe it, but... it was my wife who cooked the meal."
"She was in a bad mood today. She might have acted on impulse..."
"I never cooked."
My voice cut through his performance like a blade.
The officers hadn't expected a counter-narrative. They began taking statements from both sides, gathering preliminary evidence.
I laid out everything I had done that day, clearly and precisely, leaving nothing out.
"Based on the evidence we have so far, the murder accusation against Catherine Gilbert cannot be substantiated." Captain Seth Chavez's expression was grave.
Andrew and his parents went pale. The villagers erupted again.
"How can you protect a killer?"
"Do you even know how to do your jobs?"
The officers looked uncomfortable under the barrage of accusations.
I knew it was time for me to speak up.
"From the very beginning, all of you have taken the Finch family's word as gospel." I spoke slowly, letting every syllable land. "Has anyone stopped to consider whether their story even makes sense?"
I turned to Andrew. "You just told the officers that only my fingerprints were in the kitchen, correct? And your mother swore that no one set foot in there after I left?"
Andrew's brow furrowed. A flicker of unease crossed his face.
"Obviously! We can all vouch for each other. We were sitting right here in the courtyard the whole time, talking. Why would anyone go into the kitchen?"
He clung to that story like a lifeline.
I stared at him, unblinking. "Then this should be very simple."
I turned to Captain Chavez. "Since he's so certain no one else went in, I'd ask that you seal the kitchen immediately and collect fingerprint and footprint samples right now."
The moment those words left my mouth, Andrew's composure shattered.
Just as I'd suspected.
If I hadn't cooked, and people were still dead, then someone else had gone into that kitchen after me.
I wanted to see just how airtight their little setup really was.
"No!"
Andrew threw his arms wide, blocking my path.
"Catherine, stop fighting this. If you really let the police dig into it, the consequences will be more than you can handle."
"Think about Mom and Dad. Think about this family. Just admit you did it."
"We promise we won't press charges. You have our word."
Every word dripped with false sincerity, like a man begging his wife to sacrifice herself for the greater good.
But I saw him clearly now. Even at this point, he still thought I was a fool.
"Are you done?"
I shot him a look. "Then get lost."
A flash of irritation crossed Andrew's eyes, but he composed himself almost instantly.
He turned and found Captain Chavez.
"I'll admit we don't have evidence, but you can understand how emotions run high in a situation like this." His tone shifted, measured and reasonable. "This could just be food poisoning. And my sister-in-law's condition is getting worse by the minute. I really think we should get her to a hospital first."
Perhaps because a life hung in the balance, Captain Chavez agreed.
But I caught the look in Andrew's eyes. The faintest glint of triumph.
My stomach dropped.
No. I couldn't let this opportunity slip away.
If I didn't pin them down now, they'd destroy the scene. I was sure of it.
My gaze swept the yard, searching, desperate.
Then it landed on something, and everything clicked.
How could I have forgotten?
