It means I was sloppy in the way I planned, I supposed, she said. And that Ill go jail. She snickered at this in a maniacal way, as if the world itself was unfair and she was the victimjust like shed said back in Cassie McNeils kitchen. Even though I was the one having things stolen, Im the villain here.

With all due respect, Jack said from beside Rachel, I think the three murders and an attempted fourth sort of make you the villain as well.

Claire furrowed her brow and scowled at them. Im done talking, she said. Id like to see my lawyer now.

Of course, Rachel said, getting to her feet and rather glad to be leaving the room. But she already knew that based on everything Claire had just said, there were very few lawyers that would be able to get her off. She assumed the knife that was currently in evidence would also serve as a huge nail in her coffin.

She and Jack left the interrogation room, and Rachel realized she hadnt even touched her tea yet. She finally sipped from it, grimaced, and wished it were coffee. But that was the absolute last thing she needed at the moment.

Hows the arm feeling? Jack asked. It was a genuine questionhis way of politely sweeping their tense exchange before entering the interrogation room under the rug.

She looked at the bandage, amazed that shed somehow nearly forgotten about it. Its fine, she said. She was not as quick as Jack to get over heated words, but she was already starting to understand that his little jabs had been out of nothing more than concern.

I dont know what got into you over the last day or so, Jack said. But you did great. Im trying to figure out how to write my report without making you sound like some sort of supernatural Supergirl.

She smiled, instantly thinking of her tumor. After all, didnt most superheroes have a fundamental flaw or weakness they kept hidden?

If that was indeed the case, she figured she could try wearing a cape until the tumor took her out.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

Because it was not too long of a drive, Rachel and Jack decided to drive home that night after the paperwork was done. The final thing they heard before they left was a bit from the forensics team. Not only was the car parked across the street from the McNeil house registered to Claire Allen, but there were several bloody fingerprints on the kitchen walls, as well as Cassie McNeils clothesall IDed as belonging to Claire Allen.

In other words, they without a doubt had their killer. Case closed.