Chapter 5 - The Crystal Weight
The heavy crystal paperweight gleamed under the hallway chandelier, catching the harsh fluorescent light like a jagged diamond. Eleanor’s fingers curled tightly around its faceted edges, her knuckles turning chalk white. Officer Davis was already disappearing down the hallway toward the kitchen, leaving a brief window of unguarded space between the detective and the exit.
Detective Miller kept his eyes fixed on Eleanor, sensing the sudden shift in the room's atmospheric pressure. He stepped laterally to block her path to the front door, his hand hovering inches from his service weapon.
"Mrs. Vance, I advise you to keep your hands where I can see them," Detective Miller said, his voice dropping into a low, uncompromising register. "Interfering with an ongoing investigation—or attempting to destroy evidence—will only add felony charges to whatever is already waiting for you."
"You have no proof of anything!" Eleanor shrieked, the thin veneer of her polished composure finally shattering completely. With a guttural cry of pure rage, she swung her arm forward, hurling the heavy crystal paperweight directly at Detective Miller’s head.
The missile whistled through the air. Detective Miller ducked instinctively, the heavy glass grazing the shoulder of his tweed jacket and shattering into a thousand glittering shards against the front door panel. Before the echoes of the impact could fade, Eleanor bolted toward the open doorway, her black skirt flying behind her.
"Stop right there! Police!" Detective Miller shouted, stumbling slightly as he recovered his balance and gave chase.
Clara reacted instantly. Reaching down, she grabbed the handles of Arthur’s wheelchair and wheeled him backward out of the line of fire, shielding little Lily with her own body. Arthur watched in stunned silence as Eleanor reached the front porch steps, only to be tackled mid-stride by Officer Davis, who was returning from the kitchen holding a clear plastic evidence bag.
The bag contained a pair of pink latex medical gloves stained with a translucent, oily residue.
Eleanor thrashed violently beneath the officer, screaming obscenities that shattered the peaceful morning neighborhood. Officer Davis efficiently snapped the steel handcuffs around her wrists, hauling her up to her feet. As they dragged her back into the foyer, Eleanor locked her wild, bloodshot eyes onto Arthur.
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"You think this is the end?" Eleanor spat, a maniacal grin spreading across her flushed face as spit flew from her lips. "You fools have no idea what I signed before I married you. Check the safe in the basement. Your signature is on every single page."
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