Chapter 7 - Lily Comforts Claire While Twenty Shocked Guests Flee
The twenty high-society guests standing around the dining room began whispering frantically among themselves.
Realizing the evening had devolved into a full-scale criminal investigation, they quickly grabbed their designer coats and bags.
“We should probably take our leave now... this is entirely unprecedented,” one nervous guest muttered toward the exit.
Within minutes, the elegant dining room emptied completely, leaving only Claire, Lily, the paramedics, and the deputies.
The silence that followed was heavy, filled only with the distant hum of the estate’s multi-zone air conditioning system.
“Do you need an escort to the precinct to file formal statements tonight, Ms. Sterling?” Officer Vance asked politely.
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“I have my deposition and the digital backup drive ready to hand over right now,” Claire confirmed, holding up the black USB.
“That drive will make our case airtight for the district attorney’s morning docket,” Vance nodded with professional approval.
