Julian’s voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper, as he tried to speak. “Martha… she did this,” he managed to say, eyes flickering with a mix of fear and anger. The revelation was shocking. Martha, standing at the top of the stairs, looked on with an expression that was hard to read—a mix of resignation and defiance.
As paramedics tended to Julian, Chief Rivers escorted Martha to the living room, where she seemed to have anticipated this moment. “Why, Martha? What on earth happened?” he asked, his tone a blend of incredulity and professionalism.
Martha took a deep breath, her earlier facade of calmness slipping away to reveal the turmoil beneath. “Julian… he wanted to leave us,” she began, her voice wavering. “He was planning to take Anna and disappear. I couldn’t let that happen.”
