Clara was seething with frustration as she ranted about the unreliable gang she had hired. âThose goons have no sense of loyalty: they flip sides faster than pancakes at a Sunday brunch. Look at them now-not a dime to show for their treachery. Serves them right, itâs karma!â
Oblivious to the fact that she was on the verge of being arrested herself, Clara scorned the thugs with a sneer.
âSo, what exactly do you mean by âflipping sidesâ?â Asked the officer, a hint of curiosity in his voice..
Clara recounted the tale of the gang being duped by Ivy as if it were a joke. âI told them from the start that that woman doesnât have two nickels to rub together-just a con artist. But did they listen to me?
No!â
The officers could sense Claraâs underhanded nature from just this brief conversation.
In her eyes, Ivyâs misfortune was her only source of joy-a classic case of spiteful envy.
âShe plays the innocent, the damsel in distress, but behind the scenes, sheâs the lowest of the low!
Even that man was fooled by the act she puts on!â
Claraâs cheeks flushed at the mention of âthat man,â her expression a mix of longing and infatuation.
âWhich man are we talking about?â the officer probed further.
âThe oneâ¦â Claraâs face fell as she recalled the scene of Balfour embracing Ivy and walking away, âThe fool who was seduced by Ivy and came running to her rescue!â
The officers exchanged glances; they could all read the same disbelief in each otherâs eyes.
Was this woman completely lost in her own fantasy world? She was clearly jealous of Ivy, even scheming against her, yet she spoke as if she were the victim.
âMs. Dunhill, please stick to the facts. Weâre all adults here; we can make our own assessments, especially Mr. Howard. He knows Ivy far better than you ever could,â the officer said with a tone that mixed disbelief with pity.
They did not believe Clara at all, only treating her as a mad person.
Clara was livid. She slammed the table and attempted to stand up, forgetting that her hands were cuffed and could not move.
Thus, she could only yell, âIâm telling the truth! You guys will regret not listening to me like those three thugs! You have all been fooled by the facade Ivy put on!â
To the officers, Clara seemed as delusional as they come, and they simply continued to document her account without judgment. âThose thugs got caught because they got greedy. They broke the law, so we arrested them. And you, Ms. Dunhill, have been arrested for conspiracy to commit harm. In a way, youâre no better than those thugs you despise.â
âWhat?â It was only now that the gravity of her situation dawned on Clara. She panicked, her cuffed hands fumbling beneath the table. âWhat evidence do you have? On what grounds are you arresting me for conspiracy? I want my lawyer!â
Calling Tessa, Claraâs tone was icy, âIâm in a fix because of Ivy, stuck here at the station. Get me a lawyer, pronto.â
Tessa stood bolt upright from the sofa, startling Finn beside her.
Finn frowned, asking, âWhoâs that on the phone? You look like youâve seen a ghostâ¦â
Tessa, still in shock, repeated, âYouâre where? Why are you at the station? What in the world happened?â
Finn put down his newspaper, alarmed by the mention of the station.
âOh, who else would hate me this much but your darling daughter Ivy! Get over here with a lawyer, or theyâll really lock me up!â
Tessa nodded frantically, and once the call/ended, her face was a mask of confusion.
âWhoâs in jail now? Is it Ivy causing trouble again? Iâve always said sheâs trouble, insisting on moving out, and now look where sheâs landed-in jail⦠Iâm too old for this, too old to be chasing down to the station because she canât keep out of trouble!â
Tessa shook her head, cutting him off, Itâs not Ivy, itâs Clara. She says⦠Itâs Ivyâs fault sheâs in the station, waiting for us to bring a lawyer.â
Finnâs confusion only deepened, âWhat? Clara! What has Ivy done now to land her own sister in the station?â