Chapter 458 I'm the Murderer
Martin gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind Patricia's ear and spoke softly, "Patricia, how are you feeling? Does your head hurt?"
Confused, Patricia furrowed her brows and winced as a sharp pain shot through her forehead with even the slightest movement. "What happened to me?" she asked.
Instead of answering immediately, Martin asked, "Do you remember what happened before you passed out?"
"Um?" Patricia looked at him, befuddled, her mind momentarily blank.
With a tender touch on her pale cheek, Martin comforted her, "Don't worry if you can't remember right now. Take your time. You can think back once you're feeling better."
She nodded and was about to close her eyes to rest when the sound of a door opening punctuated the quiet. Riley and Sebastian came into view, followed by two men in police uniforms. "What's... what's going on?" Patricia murmured, her voice tinged with confusion.
Even in her groggy state, she could sense that something was amiss. Why else would the police be here?
"It's okay, just routine questioning," Martin reassured her gently. "Just tell them what you know, trust me, everything will be fine."
Patricia nodded slowly, still bewildered.
The officers pulled chairs up beside her bed, placed their notebooks on the cabinet, and began to inquire about Patricia's condition.
"Ms. Watson, could you please explain why you were in Shane's study during his birthday party?"
Patricia's expression was grave as she strained to remember, but her mind was a blank canvas. "I... I can't remember... What happened? Why are you all asking me this?"
The police officer's face was stern as he interrogated her. "You'd better think hard! Mr. Shane has been the victim of a deliberate attack and is currently in critical condition in the ICU. Someone witnessed you throughout the entire incident, and your fingerprints are the only ones on the kitchen knife. If you don't cooperate, we will have no choice but to charge you with attempted murder."
Upon hearing this, Patricia shot up from the hospital bed. "What? Grandpa's hurt!"
The officer nodded. "Yes, Mr. Shane suffered a serious attack; the knife went deep into his heart."
Patricia's already pale face turned even paler. With trembling hands, she lifted the blanket and tried to get out of bed. "No, I need to see Grandpa."
He had always been so kind to her. Now that he was in trouble, she felt she had to see him. But as she tried to rise, Martin pushed her back down.
"You're injured too. You need to recover first. Besides, Shane is in the ICU, and you wouldn't be able to see him even if you wanted to," he said, his hand on Patricia's shoulder pressing down gently but firmly.
Feeling his insistence, Patricia swallowed the words she was about to say and obediently sat back, leaning against the headboard.
Then Riley spoke up. "Patricia, think carefully. Why did you go to Shane's study? Why were you found unconscious and injured on the floor? Grace claims she saw you attack Grandpa. Then, when you tried to silence her, you tripped and hit your head on the corner of the table."
Deep down, Riley struggled with the possibility of Patricia's guilt. He found it hard to believe that she could be the perpetrator, yet he was equally unsettled by the idea of Grace lying. The potential motives behind such deception made his skin crawl, and goosebumps spread across his body.
Patricia drew her knees up, buried her face between them, and cradled her head in her hands, desperately trying to piece together her memories. Suddenly, fragmented scenes flashed before her eyes like a disjointed movie. She saw herself plunging a knife into her grandfather's heart, witnessed Grace standing at the doorway, and remembered charging at Grace with the knife in a desperate attempt to silence her.
Although these fragments were scattered and unclear, they felt disturbingly real, as if they had actually occurred.
The possibility that she might have really harmed her grandfather made her shudder violently. Yet, she couldn't understand why she would ever commit such an act. The reason for her visit to the study on the second floor and the events that transpired between her and her grandfather remained a mystery, further obscured by the question of how she came to possess the kitchen knife.
Despair grew the more she thought about it. Lifting her head slowly, she met Martin's concerned gaze and could no longer hold back. She lunged forward and clung to him tightly, breaking down. "Martin, I... I can't remember! My head hurts so much, I don't remember anything."
Riley and Sebastian exchanged glances, both looking troubled, especially Sebastian. As a seasoned lawyer, he had encountered numerous criminals, each claiming amnesia after their crimes in hopes of evading justice.
Grace's testimony, coupled with Patricia's behavior, could likely lead to a serious charge against her. The police seemed to be thinking along the same lines, having encountered similar reactions from numerous individuals in the past. Patricia's current demeanor appeared to them as indicative of guilt.
"Miss Watson, this is a serious matter," one of the officers began, but Martin interrupted him sternly before he could finish.
"She's been injured; let her rest for the night. Once she's mentally in a better state, you can return with your questions. Continuing now is unproductive and will only exacerbate her condition."
The officer furrowed his brows, his face showing discomfort. It was at this moment that Riley intervened, saying, "I agree with Mr. Langley. Let's conclude for today. We will contact you once she's ready."
One of the officers objected. "According to procedure, now that she's awake, she should come with us to the station."
Riley, understanding their concerns, assured them, "You have my word that she will not leave."
With a guarantee from a family member, the officers had no further objections and left.
After the police had departed, Riley gently patted Patricia on the shoulder, offering reassurance, "Don't worry, Patricia. It's common to experience memory loss after a head injury. Just rest for now, and we'll deal with this when you're feeling better."
He then exchanged a significant look with Sebastian, who nodded, and they both left the hospital room.
On their way out, Riley asked Sebastian, "Do you think Patricia could be the culprit?"
Sebastian gave a humorless smirk. "Based on my years of experience, her reaction makes her a prime suspect."
Riley fell silent.
Once they left, the room was silent with only Patricia and Martin remaining.
Once she was sure they were alone, Patricia released Martin and clutched his arm, her eyes wide with fear and panic. "What if I really did kill Shane? What am I supposed to do?"
Martin's expression showed a slight frown. "Why do you think you killed him?"
Patricia shook her head vehemently, unable to come to terms with the possibility of having nearly murdered Shane. "I... I can't remember! But there are fragments... I recall stabbing a kitchen knife into Grandpa's heart, and I remember going after Grace."
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