“Yes. That’s me.”
“I’m Dr. Valentine, and this is Dr. Lead, the hospital’s head plastic surgeon. I’ve looked over your scans, and luckily, there was no internal bleeding, and you only have a concussion. I will have a nurse come in shortly to clean your head wound and knee, and then Dr. Lead will be back to stitch up your wound.”
“Juliette!” My mother comes barreling into the room and stops short when she sees the doctors. “Oh, pardon me. I’m Juliette’s mother.”
Dr. Valentine smiles in her direction. “I was just finishing telling your daughter. She has a mild concussion, and we will discharge her after stitching her up as long as she has someone to keep an eye on her overnight.”
“Dieu merci,” she cries, realizing quickly she spoke French, which makes me hyper-aware of how worried she was. “Sorry, thank goodness. I was so worried.”
“Two detectives are waiting for a statement. Should I send them in now?”
“No,” Harrison answers quickly.
I sigh, not wanting to do this at all. “It’s fine, we should get it over with.”
The detectives ask my mom and Rosa to leave, and neither is happy about it by the grumbles I hear as they walk out.
“Can you tell us everything that happened today from the second you arrived at the park?”
I went over every detail I could remember, from when Claud tied her shoe to the smirk on Amber’s face. They write it all down, and I think that would be the end, but the detective that gave me bad vibes from before takes a seat and turns his chair toward me.
“I have a few more questions.”
“About what?” Harrison snaps. “She gave her statement. She needs rest.”
He ignores him and continues. “Is it correct that Amber Allen is your first cousin?”
“Yes.”
“What?” Harrison’s voice raises. “Who is Amber? I thought it was Ashley who attempted this.”
“Who is Ashley?” I ask.
We’re looking at one another, confused, and then glance back at the detectives for clarification.
“Harrison, is it correct to say you dated Ashley Allen and then had a restraining order placed on her six years ago?”
“Correct.”
The detective writes some things down and then looks back at me. “Ms. Caldwell, did you conspire with your cousin to aid the attempted kidnapping of Claudina Davenport?”
“What?” I shout and instantly regret it when the pain radiates through my head. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“This is absolutely preposterous. What kind of question is that?” Harrison barks. I can see the anger steaming out of him.
The other detective shakes his head to signal that’s enough.
“Harrison, were you aware that Ashley’s birth name is Amber Allen, Ms. Caldwell’s cousin.”
We look at each other again with confusion.
Harrison sits there in shock, processing everything. This all makes sense now. Harrison mentioned his ex began acting strange, like a different person, even erratic at times.
That describes Amber to a tee.
And what the hell is this crap about her changing her name to Ashley.
“I have a question,” I say.
