Chapter 5 - The Fall of the House of Warren
Jason spun around, his face twisting in panic. "What is this? This is a private family matter! Get these officers out of here!"
"Jason Warren, you are under arrest for attempted murder, conspiracy to commit grand larceny, and felony forgery," Kim said, her voice echoing with absolute authority. "Officers, cuff him."
"You can't prove anything!" Jason shouted, struggling as two burly officers grabbed his arms and forced them behind his back. "There’s no poison! There’s no evidence!"
"Actually, there is," Kim replied, holding up a clear plastic evidence bag. Inside was the small, amber glass bottle Jason had used at the restaurant. "Your server didn't throw this away like you told him to. Elias, the young man you tried to intimidate, retrieved it from the service station trash and handed it directly to my forensic team. It has your fingerprints all over it, along with trace amounts of Succinylcholine."
Jason’s eyes widened. He turned his head sharply to look at Sylvia, who was still weeping on the floor. "Sylvia! Tell them! Tell them it was your idea! You wanted the money! You told me she was getting old!"
Sylvia looked up, her face streaked with tears and mascara. "You told me it was just medicine, Jason! You tried to kill my mother!"
"You knew exactly what it was, you ungrateful parasite!" Jason screamed as the officers dragged him out into the hospital corridor. His curses echoed down the hallway until the heavy fire doors clicked shut.
The room became silent again. Only Sylvia’s pathetic whimpering broke the quiet.
Kim looked at me, an expression of deep respect in her eyes. "The state lab just confirmed the restaurant sample matches the bottle perfectly, Karina. It’s an airtight case. He’s going away for a very long time."
"And my daughter?" I asked quietly, looking down at Sylvia.
"That’s up to the District Attorney," Kim said softly. "But given her cooperation and her clear lack of knowledge regarding the lethal nature of the drug, she’ll likely face conspiracy and fraud charges rather than attempted murder. She’s still going to prison, Karina."
Kim signaled her officers to give us a moment alone. They stepped outside, leaving me with my daughter.
Sylvia crawled toward me, grabbing the hem of my trousers. "Mom... please... please don't let them take me. I was stupid. Jason manipulated me. He told me you were going to leave everything to a charity. I just wanted what was mine... I'm your daughter!"
I looked down at her. I felt a profound sense of sadness, but no pity. The little girl I had raised had died a long time ago, replaced by this bitter, entitled stranger.
"You wanted what was yours, Sylvia?" I asked, my voice dropping to a whisper. "You wanted my house? My money? My life?"
I gently but firmly pulled my clothing from her grasp, stepping back out of her reach.
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"You will get exactly what you earned tonight. Nothing."
I turned my back on her and walked out of the room, leaving her alone with the consequences of her choices.
