Shattered Rose He Held On Tight novel Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Those with Dirty Hearts See Dirt Everywhere

+8 Pearls

The day shift officers had taken over. When they heard the person who’d called 911 was also the suspect, the officers did a double–take, wondering if they were still half–asleep.

Usually, someone who walks into a station on their own to clear their name is either a connected thug who thinks he’s untouchable–or actually innocent.

One look at the young woman’s steady face, and most of them were leaning toward the latter.

But with the “victim’s” family swearing up and down otherwise, they had to play it by the book.

Then they found out the victim and the suspect were from the same household. The cherished one was the adopted daughter; the one standing alone, insisting on clearing her name, was the biological daughter.

The female officer taking the statement practically got a headache untangling the family tree, her expression skewing. Good grief. Two Lancaster brothers–one icy, one barking—glaring at their own sister like she was a mortal enemy.

The supposed motive? The bio daughter had been “jealous” of her adopted sister for years and thought she stole her boyfriend.

The officer flicked a look across the room–at the boyfriend in question, who was hovering over pale, coughing Lydia, tucking a blanket around her, offering water and pills like he was auditioning for Florence Nightingale. The officer snorted silently. Give me a break. Who wouldn’t suspect something? Do they have to be caught in bed before anyone will admit it?

Her eyes slid back to Claudia, who stayed quiet and cooperative. The officer’s heart squeezed.

Claudia caught her eye and gave a light, easy smile.

It made the officer’s pulse skip. How could a girl like that be a would–be killer? Put next to that pampered “innocent,” this screamed rich–family mess, not cold–blooded crime.

Still, feelings don’t run cases. The officer drifted over with a paper cup of hot tea, a couple packets of snacks, and a chocolate bar, setting them within reach.

She’d noticed earlier–when a maid brought breakfast into the waiting area, there wasn’t even a portion for Claudia. The double standard was right there in the open.

Lydia’s injuries were minor, and she didn’t want to press charges, but arranging for a driver to mow someone down is not something you shrug off. The cops handled it carefully.

In the end, the fix was straightforward: question the driver. He admitted he took money.

9:34 Tue, Oct 7 M.

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Chapter 5 Those with Dirty Hearts See Dirt Everywhere

But not from Claudia. The payoff came from someone else–Julie Stone, a high school classmate of both Claudia and Lydia.

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Julie and Lydia danced in the same troupe and were rivals for the spotlight. Julie confessed she just wanted Lydia nicked up enough to lose the lead. She also knew Claudia and Lydia had a tense history–and Julie herself had been bullied by Claudia back in school–so she nursed a grudge and tried to kill two birds with one stone by framing Claudia.

She figured that even if suspicion fell on Claudia, Lydia wouldn’t push it out of “loyalty,” and it would end there.

She didn’t count on Claudia refusing to swallow a false charge.

In the end, Julie’s dance career went down the drain. But since Lydia wasn’t badly hurt, and she felt for the driver’s situation, she agreed to a private settlement. Neither Julie nor the driver took a heavy hit.

Julie didn’t flinch. Losing dance was a pity, but she came from a regular family. Dance was a paycheck, nothing more. This outcome, she could live with.

As she passed Claudia, she shot her a look that said everything.

Sure, you cleared your name. But did you really win?

After all these years, Lydia still held the high ground.

Julie let out a soft, mocking laugh. So what if you were born with a silver spoon? In the end, you’re no better off than a nobody like me.

When the truth came out, the Lancasters looked awkward.

Wilson thought of the slap he’d laid on Claudia that morning. Regret pricked him, but blame came out instead. “If you hadn’t been so domineering and bullied your classmate, nobody would’ve had a chance to use her against Lydia.”

Claudia almost laughed. “By your logic, if a strand, of her hair falls out, it’s my fault for walking by and stirring the air? If she’s that fragile, bubble–wrap her and stick her on a pedestal.”

“What garbage are you spewing? There you go, slandering Lydia again!” Wilson’s hand shot up for another swing.

“Hey! No hitting in the station!” the note–taking officer barked.

Lydia launched into a hacking cough that left her gasping. Lottie wrapped an arm around her and shot her husband and sons a glare. “Lydia’s health is already fragile, and now she’s dragged down here at dawn to suffer more. Claudia, when will you learn to be sensible?”

9:34 Tue, Oct 7 M.

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Chapter 5 Those with Dirty Hearts See Dirt Everywhere

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Clarence’s face was carved from stone. “You knew you didn’t do it. Why couldn’t you just say so? Did you have to haul us to the station and make a spectacle?”

Zane sneered. “Maybe she wanted the circus. She only feels good when she’s center stage.”

Under the barrage, Claudia’s face didn’t flicker, like she’d lived this exact scene a thousand times.

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah–I’m awful, I’m vicious. But at least I’m still human. Unlike you -nice human faces and nonstop lies, brains just for show, cyes just for decoration, and hearts rotten clear through.”

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