Heartstrings on Fire

Laura reached out, gripping Beatrice’s hand tightly. “Bea, you’ve got to believe me. I’ve been framed. I didn’t kill your father. It was Agnes, that evil witch, she set me up.”

Beatrice’s face gradually paled. “But all the media outlets are reporting on it. And those pieces of evidence…

“Those were all fabricated by Agnes. Think about it, your father’s been gone for four years. If I was guilty, why didn’t Agnes accuse me four years ago? Why did she suddenly produce so much evidence after four years? She’s been plotting this all along, and all those so-called witnesses were bribed by her”

A look of uncertainty flashed across Beatrice’s face, but the evidence was overwhelming, and she could find no flaws in it.

Laura clung to Beatrice’s hand. “Sweetie, don’t tell me you trust Agnes more than me?”

“I never trusted her. She’s always been a snake.”

“Agnes came prepared this time, that’s clear. Look at all the chaos she’s caused since she came back. She’s out for revenge, Bea. You’ve got to believe me.”

Of course, Beatrice would trust Laura over Agnes.

But what do we do now? The verdict’s out. What should we

Beatrice was panicking.

leaned on

sentenced, she felt like she

someone urging them

still so much she hadn’t

held Beatrice’s hand, whispering in her ear, “Find Hammer. He must come see me. I have something to tell him. He’s the only one who can

was suddenly angry. “Mom, how can you still be involved with that butler? Isn’t all this his fault? And after the

me. Hammer is the only one we can trust. You have to find him at the Elysian Hotel. Tell him he must find a

four years, but if Laura insisted, she would

of any

the prison, Beatrice felt like the world was

a few days, everything had changed. And it