Chapter 8 - The Sirens in the Rain
Within ten minutes, the Dallas mansion was swarming with flashing red and blue lights. The rain continued to pour, washing the long driveway as a team of paramedics rushed through the front doors.
Two armed police officers entered the bedroom. Marissa instantly tried to play the victim one last time.
"Officers!" she cried, pointing a manicured finger at Grant. "My husband lost his mind! He tried to strangle me! Look at my neck!"
The lead officer looked at the red marks on her throat, then looked at Grant, who was sitting on the floor with Caleb in his lap, while a paramedic carefully sprayed a neutralizing saline solution over the boy's horrific chemical burns.
Grant didn't even look at the police. He simply pointed to the shattered cell phone he had brought in from the hallway.
"Check the messages to 'Dr. Evans'," Grant said in a dead, hollow voice. "Then look inside the cast on the floor. She placed caustic acid and Dermestid beetles inside my son's cast to mimic a psychiatric breakdown so she could take control of his trust fund."
The officer frowned, putting on a pair of blue latex gloves. He picked up the broken cast, flashing a heavy Maglite inside it. The officer gagged, dropping the cast back onto the floor in disgust.
He turned to Marissa. The neutrality in his eyes vanished, replaced by pure disgust.
"Marissa Whitmore, you are under arrest for child abuse, attempted murder, and fraud," the officer said, pulling his handcuffs from his belt.
"No! You can't!" Marissa screamed, thrashing wildly as the officers grabbed her arms. "I'm a Whitmore! You can't do this to me!"
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"You're nothing," Grant said softly, finally looking at her. "You are less than nothing."
They dragged her out of the room, her screams fading down the grand staircase until the heavy front door slammed shut.
