Chapter 2

The night I should have spent keeping vigil over my father turned into a scene at the police station.

I leaned back in my chair, watching Vivian like she was the biggest joke I’d ever seen.

Maybe seeing the officers in uniform boosted her confidence. Her face, pale the whole way here, suddenly regained color. She thrust her poorly bandaged hand toward them and wailed:

“What did I do in my past life to deserve this? My own daughter stabbed me!”

The officer tapped the table, frowning at me.

“What happened?”

I hadn’t even spoken before Brandon Cooper rolled up his sleeves and barked,

“Pay up! We’re not letting this go unless she compensates us!”

Vivian’s injury was minor. As long as she agreed to drop the charges, we could settle this. I didn’t want to waste time—I just wanted to get back to my father’s vigil. So when the three of them huddled together and finally demanded $2,000, I didn’t hesitate.

Right in front of the officers, I took out my phone and transferred the money.

Once the payment went through, Vivian happily signed the waiver.

Watching her grin, I asked,

“Don’t you feel even a little sad?”

She blinked.

“Sad about what?”

I didn’t bother replying. I turned and walked out.

As I passed them, their whispers drifted toward me.

“Mom, she’s using the newest iPhone. It’s over a thousand bucks. You just got money—buy me one.”

“Mom, two thousand dollars! She agreed right away. Who knows how much her old man left her? We need to think of something.”

I was almost out the door when I heard Vivian loudly ask the officer:

“Do you handle inheritance disputes too?”