Chapter 4 - The Return to Bennett Street
The house on Bennett Street was a charred shell, but the community had already turned against Sarah Monroe. News of the "accidental" fire had spread, and with the evidence David had presented to the authorities, the police were already building a case.
But Sarah Monroe was not one to go quietly. She was still in the neighborhood, trying to manipulate the narrative, her perfect white suit looking stark against the blackened ruins of her home.
Caitlyn and David pulled up in front of the house. The police were there, cordoning off the area. Sarah spotted them, her face contorting into a mask of pure, unadulterated hatred.
"You!" she screamed, rushing toward the car. "You stole her! You kidnapper!"
She didn't see the officers closing in behind her. She didn't see the digital recorder in the lead detective’s hand.
Caitlyn stepped out of the car. She wasn't the barefoot, crying child anymore. She stood tall, her hands firm. She walked up to her mother, who was being restrained by two officers.
"You walked away, Mommy," Caitlyn said, her voice clear and cutting through the chaotic afternoon. "I heard you. I saw you."
Sarah’s eyes went wide, the composure finally snapping. "You were nothing!" she hissed. "A mistake! A loose end!"
May you like
The detective stepped forward. "Sarah Monroe, you are under arrest for attempted murder, arson, and financial fraud."
As the handcuffs clicked into place, Sarah looked not at the police, but at Caitlyn. The look wasn't one of remorse; it was one of baffled frustration, as if she couldn't understand how a piece of property had managed to defy its owner.
