Brenda came running behind him, her expensive makeup smeared, my dress trailing dirt across the floor. “Christopher, don’t believe a word she says! She’s manipulating your son against you.”

Luke calmly pulled out his cell phone. “Brenda, do you want me to play the recording where you ask how to make a woman look sick until she dies? Or would you prefer I show the police the text messages about tonight’s broth?”

Christopher slowly turned his head toward her. “What is he talking about?”

For the very first time, I saw real, unadulterated fear in Brenda’s eyes. “I didn’t… that’s not what I meant…”

“Mrs. Higgins put the cup away safely,” Luke said. “The forensics lab has already been notified, and your private investigator gave his full statement to the police this afternoon.”

Brenda grabbed Christopher’s arm in a panic. “You have to save me from this, Christopher!”