Chapter 9 - Under the Willows
With Eleanor in custody and her defense attorney scrambling to distance himself from the wreckage, Detective Miller obtained an emergency warrant to excavate the far edge of the estate grounds beneath the weeping willows where Salvatore claimed little Claire had been buried decades ago.
By mid-afternoon, a small team of forensic investigators and crime scene technicians had cordoned off the serene, tree-lined corner of the property. The gentle rustle of autumn leaves overhead contrasted sharply with the grim, methodical scraping of shovels against the damp earth.
David and I stood a few yards away, keeping a protective arm around each other, watching the earth yield up secrets that had been locked away before either of us was even born. Salvatore stood quietly nearby, his head bowed in silent penance for the decades of complicity he now sought to wash away.
After nearly two hours of careful digging, one of the technicians struck something solid beneath the soil. A low, muted murmur went through the team.
Detective Miller walked over to us, his face somber and respectful.
"Mr. Miller," the detective said quietly. "We found a small wooden casket. We'll need to transport it to the county coroner's office for formal identification and autopsy, but... based on the initial assessment, it matches the historical timeline."
David let out a long, shuddering breath, closing his eyes as a heavy tear slipped down his cheek. "Thank God," he whispered hoarsely. "We finally found her. We finally brought her home."
"Your mother is being transferred to the county detention center without bail," Detective Miller added, adjusting his jacket. "Given the new homicide charges and the evidence in that ledger, her lawyers won't even attempt bail. She'll spend the rest of her life behind bars."
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"Good," David said flatly, opening his eyes and looking out over the sprawling estate that had once felt like a palace, but now looked like a monument to a gilded nightmare. "Let her rot in a cell where she can't control anyone ever again."
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