Chương 5 - The Patrol Car
The cool night air hit my face like a physical blow as I stepped out of the loading bay into the rear parking lot. The sudden drop in temperature made me shiver, goosebumps rising along my bare shoulders and arms. My white lace dress was smudged with black grease at the hem, and my updo was coming undone, stray blonde strands whipping across my eyes in the wind. In my right hand, wrapped securely inside a discarded cocktail napkin, I held the small glass vial.
Parked near the staff entrance, its amber light bar flashing slowly against the asphalt, was a local county sheriff's cruiser. A deputy was leaning against the driver's door, sipping coffee from a paper cup while filling out a routine paperwork log.
As I stumbled out of the shadows of the loading dock toward the vehicle, the deputy straightened up immediately, setting his coffee down on the roof of the car and placing a hand instinctively near his utility belt.
"Ma'am? Hey, are you alright? Do you need medical attention?" he called out, taking a few cautious steps forward. As he got closer, his eyes widened at the sight of the dirt-stained bridal gown, the wild hair, and the pale, terrified expression on my face. "What happened? Are you hurt?"
"I need to file a report," I said, my voice shaking uncontrollably as I stopped a few feet away from him. I held out my hand, peeling back the paper napkin to reveal the small glass vial resting in my palm. "My name is Claire Vance. I was poisoned ten minutes ago inside the ballroom. The woman who did it is still inside."
The deputy stared down at the vial, then looked back up into my eyes. The casual demeanor vanished, replaced instantly by professional alertness. He didn't touch the glass, but he stepped closer, his hand hovering near his radio.
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"Who gave you this?" he asked sharply, scanning the dark perimeter of the parking lot.
"Mama Eleanor," I whispered, the wind carrying my words away into the dark. "My husband's grandmother. And she's still up there waiting for me to die."
