“If you don’t believe me, I have a recording.” Dewitt handed the police a small device he’d come prepared with.
He was a forensic examiner, after all, and always had a voice recorder on him.
The recording played. Letty’s voice, clear as day, could be heard offering him money. The words echoed in the room, impossible to ignore.
“We…”
Fedelia and Mahoney just stood there, completely stunned. Their minds seemed to have gone blank. Fedelia tried desperately to defend herself, forcing out, “It’s fake. That recording isn’t real.”
“Stella has a criminal record. Five years ago, she pushed me down the stairs…” Fedelia pointed at Stella, her hand shaking. “She’s just jealous that Letty took her father. She wants revenge.”
“She’s the real murderer!”
The last word was barely out of Fedelia’s mouth when a cold laugh broke the tension.
Charlotte was standing nearby, her smile icy. “Since we’re talking about the past, let’s settle everything right now.”
As soon as Charlotte finished, the hospital room door opened. Three middle-aged women walked in.
One was the Adams family’s former maid. The other two were the doctors who had operated on Fedelia all those years ago.
The moment Fedelia saw them, her face went pale. She glanced nervously at Mahoney, panic in her eyes.
How did Stella find them? Why bring them here?
A police officer leaned in, speaking quietly. “Stella already reported the attempted murder from five years ago. These are the witnesses. Please, go ahead.”
Now he was being told it was all a lie.
“Mahoney, it’s not what you think…”
Before she could finish, Mahoney slapped her hard, his voice cold. “Idiot.”
Never mind what happened five years ago. Just what Letty did today could land all three of them in serious trouble if Stella pressed charges.
“Stella,” Mahoney said, realizing how bad things were about to get. He turned to her, desperate. “This is all a misunderstanding. I—”
“Call a lawyer.”
Stella never even looked at him. Her face was completely blank as she said, slowly and clearly, “I’m pressing charges. I want all of them in jail.”

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