Chapter 13 - The Garden Jar
Lily led them to the greenhouse.
Claire had loved roses.
At the base of an old ceramic planter, Lily pointed.
"Mommy said worms keep secrets."
Grant almost laughed despite everything.
They moved the pot.
Beneath it was a sealed plastic tube.
Inside sat a tiny sample jar.
Ruiz did not touch it.
Forensics collected it immediately.
Lily watched in silence.
Emma crouched beside her.
"You did good."
Lily looked worried.
"Mom was scared."
"I know."
"I didn't help."
Emma's heart broke.
"You were five. Your job was never to save your mom."
Lily looked at her.
"Really?"
"Really."
Grant heard from behind them.
His face crumpled.
Later, the lab confirmed the tea sample contained the same sedative.
But there was something else.
A second substance.
A heart medication Claire had never been prescribed.
Ruiz said, "Combined with the sedative, it could have caused dizziness and slowed reaction time."
Grant stared at the report.
Claire had driven that night.
Not knowing what was in her system.
"Who had access to that medication?"
Ruiz checked the pharmacy trace.
"Dr. Vale's clinic stocked it."
Vale was brought in again.
He broke before the first question.
"I gave Renata a bottle."
Grant stood.
"Why?"
"She said it was for her mother."
"You believed her?"
"I wanted to believe her."
Grant laughed with no humor.
"Everybody wanted to believe the easy thing."
Vale lowered his head.
Then Ruiz's phone rang.
She listened.
"Where?"
Her expression changed.
"We're coming."
Grant stood.
"What happened?"
"Simon Hale just walked into a police station."
Emma exhaled.
Ruiz did not.
"He brought Claire's missing red folder."
Grant stared.
May you like
Ruiz added:
"And he says he can prove Renata wasn't the one who ordered Claire's death."
