Chapter 3 - The Venomous Web
Two hours later, I was in a secure room at the University of Virginia Medical Center. A team of nurses worked quietly to tend to my lacerations while Dr. Evans performed an ultrasound.
When the rhythmic, thumping sound of my baby’s heartbeat echoed through the room, tears finally spilled down my cheeks.
"160 beats per minute," Dr. Evans said warmly, wiping gel from my abdomen. "Your baby is remarkably resilient, Clara. Strong heartbeat, normal fluid levels. You both are going to be okay."
Detective Miller stood by the door, his jaw clenched so tight the muscles twitched. He had seen the mud on my skin and the marks on my wrists.
"Mark told the county sheriff you ran off with an unknown lover," David said quietly, holding up a tablet. "Eleanor filed a missing person's report claiming you stole half a million dollars from the family business before fleeing."
"It's all a lie, David," I said, my voice hardening. "They tried to bury me alive. Eleanor forged the paternity test because I found out she's embezzling millions from Vance Enterprises to cover her gambling debts in Macao. Mark was too weak and prideful to question it."
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David pulled up a chair and sat down. "We can arrest them right now on attempted murder charges, Clara."
"No," I replied, looking him dead in the eye. "Not yet. A local arrest will be swept under the rug by their high-priced lawyers. Eleanor will post bail in an hour and destroy the financial evidence. If we strike, we hit them when they least expect it—and we burn their empire to the ground."
