Chapter 21 Caught Red–Handed
When Annabel was taken away, Lillian and Beatrice stood in front of the floor–to- ceiling window on the second floor, faces glowing with joy.
“Looks like that girl Stella really was killed by Annabel.” Though she said this aloud, Lillian discreetly glanced at Beatrice, who couldn’t hide the smug look on her face.
Lillian sneered inwardly. So easy to read. If someone else had been around, they’d probably figure out right away that this “Stella’s death” had everything to do with her foolish mother.
“Lillian, I promised you,” Beatrice said, unaware of her daughter’s thoughts. A flicker of malice flashed in her eyes. “I won’t let anyone bully us ever again. And your brother… there’s no way he died in vain!”
As the police car disappeared from view, she turned around. “You should rest. You haven’t been sleeping well lately.”
“Okay, Mom,” replied Lillian, then left the room.
Once Beatrice saw that everyone was downstairs, Beatrice returned to her room, locked the door, and made a phone call.
The other end picked up quickly. She turned on the same sultry charm she always used on Victor, her voice soft and seductive. “Sutton, the police took her away. Your friend…”
“Relax, my guy knows what he’s doing,” the man replied, his tone growing playful. “You coming over this afternoon?”
Beatrice let out a breathy, flirtatious sigh. “Victor’s dragging me to the office today. Not
convenient.”
They flirted back and forth a little longer before ending the call.
At the police station, Annabel had already been in the interrogation room for over an
hour.
A plain–looking officer with cold, narrow eyes had his hands on the table, glaring at her with barely contained irritation.
“I’ll ask you one more time–are you involved in the victim’s death?” he asked.
“No.” Annabel’s tone was flat, her face expressionless.
She looked calmly at him and added, “Officer, I’ll say it again–I didn’t leave the White residence last night. You’re welcome to chook the security footage.”
Successfully unlocked!
The officer, Gideon, wasn’t used to day ….. uspects like her–unshakable,
immune to pressure.
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Chapter 21 Caught Red–Handed
They’d already cycled through two teams to interrogate her. Her answers never changed.
Still, he had a job to do. “Maybe you didn’t leave. But that doesn’t mean you couldn’t have hired someone!”
He slammed a photo down. “If it wasn’t you, why would the victim leave a ‘White‘ word written in blood? You’re the only one with that surname who had a problem with her!”
Annabel raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised by how confidently he was treating her like the killer.
‘Is this how police are allowed to interrogate people?‘ she muttered to herself.
“Why aren’t you answering? Thinking up another excuse?” Gideon barked.
Annabel let out a cold laugh. “If I did hire a hitman, how would Stella even know it was
me?”
“She might’ve overheard-”
“You think so?” Annabel cut him off, picking up one of the crime scene photos. Stella lay in a pool of blood, her face contorted in pain. It was obvious she had suffered greatly.
Annabel studied the image, unfazed and unflinching. “The murder weapon was a Strider fixed–blade knife. Razor–sharp, heavy damage. Can slice through metal like butter.”
“Whoever used it is clearly used to handling wilderness knives,” she continued. “This kind’s imported–you’ll be lucky if you can even trace the purchase.”
She set the photo down and locked eyes with the now–shaken Gideon. “If you’re lucky, you might be able to find who bought it.”
But Annabel wasn’t counting on it. Stella had died from a single strike. This wasn’t the
killer’s first time.
Gideon snarled, “Still denying it?”
He looked at her like he’d just caught her red–handed. “How would you know so much about the weapon if you weren’t involved?”
“I have a wide range of interests,” Annabel replied coolly. Then her tone sharpened. ” And Officer, if you keep accusing me without any real evidence, I will sue you for defamation.”
“Oh, we’ve got evidence!” Gideon snapped, slapping down a photo of the bloodied ” White“.
“That’s a direct accusation from the victim,” he said. “And you were the one she had the biggest conflict with! Motive, check. Physical evidence, check. Still want to deny it?
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Chapter 21 Caught Red Handed
Annabel simply shrugged. “Has the coroner completed the autopsy?”
Gideon froze. “What?”
Annabel’s gaze turned icy. “If they had, they’d know Stella died within ten seconds of the knife piercing her chest. How could she possibly have the strength or time to write such a neat and tidy word in blood?”
She tapped the blood–written “White.” “You think that looks natural?”
Gideon was too stunned to speak. But Annabel leaned back in her chair, her voice laced with sarcasm. “You’re really this dumb? You can’t even tell you’re being set up?”
Any seasoned cop would’ve figured this out without needing an autopsy report. Gideon’s face flushed red, then pale. He’d just been humiliated by a girl–no, by a suspect.
“Annabel! You-” he roared.
The younger officer in the corner, who had been quietly taking notes, quickly cut in.” Mr. Lynn-”
Gideon’s face was stone–cold. He stared at Annabel for a few seconds before storming out, slamming the door behind him.
“I will find the evidence to convict you,” he said. “And when I do, I’ll make sure you rot in prison!”
Annabel looked unbothered. Her calm expression said clearly: I’ll be waiting.
By 12:18 PM, she had been in the interrogation room for nearly four hours.
Still, she wasn’t the least bit anxious–just eating the lunch the police had brought her, enjoying it even.
Then the ever–obnoxious Gideon burst in again.
“Miss White…” He threw something onto the table, nearly knocking over her lunch. “We found your fingerprints on the murder weapon. Now let’s see you talk your way out of that.”
Annabel smiled. “How did you even become a cop?”
Gideon’s jaw clenched. “What did you just say?”
Annabel raised her hand, revealing soft, delicate palms. “I told you–only someone used to field knives could’ve pulled that off. Do I look like someone who could kill with a single blow?”
Gideon scowled, his face contorted in fury. He shouted to a subordinate, “She left her prints on the murder weapon! That’s enough. Henry! Take her to 1018.”
The young officer, Henry, hesitated. “But 1018 is where we hold organized crime suspects…”
Chapter 21 Caught Red–Handed
“She’s a murder suspect!” Gideon barked.
Henry didn’t argue again. He led Annabel down to the temporary holding cells.
The whole way there, and even after being locked up, Annabel kept turning over the same question in her mind: ‘Why were my fingerprints on that knife?‘
She trusted Mason–he’d never betray her. So that left someone in the White family… especially those two women.
“Well, well, look what we’ve got here. A little princess!” A voice chimed in, cutting off
her thought.
Annabel lifted her gaze, expression icy, as a few inmates closed in.
The ringleader sneered. “What’s the matter, little missy? Think you’re better than the rest of us? I hate stuck–up brats like you!”
She reached out to grab Annabel’s chin—but her hand was slapped away before it
could land.
“Back off,” said Annabel.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.