The Bad Daughter

The atmosphere at the station was thick with tension. Sarah, though visibly weakened, was back in her element or so it seemed. Her pale face betrayed the inner turmoil, but her sharp eyes refused to lose focus. It wasn't her body failing her; it was the gaping wound in her heart, raw and relentless, that drained her strength. Maya, efficient and unrelenting, had taken the lead in managing the chaos.

John Blake's body had already been sent to forensics. The station was under a strict lockdown. No one was allowed to enter or leave without clearance, and surveillance footage from every angle was being scrutinized. Food samples from the last meal John consumed were collected for testing. The city itself seemed to bend under the weight of the investigation, with Laura Smith as its focal point. Every resource available was deployed to track her down. She was no longer just a suspect but a symbol of everything unraveling in Sarah's life.

Sarah watched Maya dart from desk to desk, giving orders with precision. Her gaze, however, was vacant, her mind elsewhere, until something snapped within her. She stood abruptly, startling Maya, who was stacking files nearby.

"Where are you going?" Maya asked cautiously, her voice laced with concern.

Sarah's tone was unusually casual, almost detached. "I need to change my clothes and calm my nerves. I'm going home."

Maya hesitated, not entirely convinced. "What about the lockdown?"

Sarah shot her a steely look. "Maya, I'll be back in an hour. No one leaves until I've reviewed every second of the footage."

Before Maya could argue, Sarah walked out, leaving behind a silence that felt heavier than her words.

The drive to Vivian Donovan's apartment was quiet. The city outside seemed distant, blurred by the rain streaking against the windows of Sarah's black Jeep. When she arrived, she found herself hesitating at the door, her hand hovering over the bell. The sharp chime broke the silence of the hallway.

The door opened slightly, revealing a disheveled Vivian wrapped in a loose shrug, her hair tangled, her eyes half-shut. Without looking up, she muttered, "Come in, Stillenski."

Sarah's voice cut through. "Ms. Donovan?"

Vivian squinted, leaning closer. "Detective?"

Sarah offered a tight, almost apologetic smile as she stepped inside.

Vivian's apartment was dimly lit, the faint smell of coffee lingering in the air. "Oh, wow. What did I do this time to deserve Detective Sarah Blake's visit at my humble abode?" Vivian's voice was dry, tinged with sarcasm as she gestured for Sarah to sit on the couch while her attempts at humor fell flat. Sarah sat quietly, observing her. Vivian leaned in, her face inches away, her messy hair falling over her shoulders. Her eyes were questioning, her lips curled into a faint, mocking smile.

"Yes?" Sarah asked, her tone neutral.

"Coffee?" Vivian offered, straightening up.

"No, sit, please… Do I Insist!" Sarah replied. "You don't look much better."

Vivian smirked. "You yourself look dead, Detective."

Ignoring the comment, Sarah watched as Vivian disappeared into the small kitchen, returning moments later with a tray of mismatched cups and plates filled with cookies and cupcakes.

Vivian set the tray down with exaggerated care. "Eat something. You look like you haven't had a proper meal in days."

At first Sarah resisted staring at her untouched mug she didn't feel like eating anything but Vivian was hell bent on her to have something... it was just clear to her that Sarah was troubled and it was the first time she was so calm and silent with Vivian. Also Vivian surprisingly ravenous, devouring the cookies looked herself pretty hungry as if she was waiting for someone to eat it together... this sincerity in Vivian's insistence was disarming. that pretty much reduced the reluctance of Sarah. 

Slowly, she reached for a cookie. The two women, bound by mutual disdain, found themselves sharing a quiet moment over sweets. It was oddly surreal—nemeses sitting together, finding solace and backing their spirits in sweets and each others presence.

While sipping the coffee Vivian pretty much regained her color and valor ... she rested her head in her flexed hand over the couch arm... and other holding the cup her black hair covering her shoulders giving a ready to fight look... yes Sarah go on ... you seem much better now ... where are you cuffs? let's go back to station after coffee shall we?

Vivian leaned back, her black hair falling loosely over her shoulders, she had pretty much regained her color and valor. Her piercing gaze softened as she continued to sip her coffee. "So, Detective, you seem much better now … where are your cuffs? Shall we get this over with after coffee and go back to station?"

What?

Aren't you here to recapture me? Vivian took another sip

"By myself?" Sarah chuckled, the sound bitter. "You underestimate yourself, Ms. Donovan."

Vivian raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Then?"

Sarah set her cup down, her hands trembling slightly. "My husband died this morning."

The room fell silent. Vivian's mocking demeanor faded. "Your husband?"

"John Blake," Sarah clarified.

You were married?

That's prejudices, Ms. Donovan, said Sarah with a slight wry smile on her face

Oh no, no! please accept my great apologies and sorrows, but yeah surely you don't really look like a family person detective Vivian said

at this Sarah let out a sigh

Vivian looked genuinely shocked.

"if you don't mind me asking What happened?"

no I won't... Sarah shook her head

Before Sarah could continue, the doorbell rang. Vivian stood abruptly, her sharpness returning. Opening the door, she found Max standing there, his expression unreadable.

"Well, well, well" Vivian said with feigned cheer, turning back to Sarah. "Look who's here." Vivian taunted; haughtily looking back at Sarah

I thought you are never going to come here again especially since you said it yourself!

Vivian said while returning her attention to max still blocking his way at the door to enter the house.

I called him Ms. Donovan if you don't mind... "ahhh, no no why I will mind", and Vivian cleared the way came back to her place holding back her mug

Max stepped inside, his presence heavy with tension. Without a word, he sat on the couch, keeping a careful distance from Vivian. He looked at Sarah, his voice low. "Detective, I heard about your husband."

Sarah nodded, her gaze fixed on her empty coffee cup. "John was in custody because of weak alibis. We suspected him of leaking confidential information related to this case."

"And who was he leaking it to?" Max asked.

"that someone seems to be" ... here Sarah took a long breath and looked at Vivian ... and then max ... as Sarah's eyes met his, and they both said in unison, "Laura Smith."

Vivian's face twisted in disbelief. "Laura? My Laura?"

Sarah's tone was sharp. "Yes, exactly that Laura.

Vivian's voice rose, her composure crumbling as she put down her cup down. "Sarah aren't you going too far?!!! you are involving everyone around me in this case?!!!"

First me, then my brother, and now Laura? Her eyes were teary an old wound retouched.

What more do you want from me tell me all at once but please I beg you don't involve my innocent people into your mess?"

Sarah also got hot... "Ms. Laura had an affair with my husband!"

"YES! now don't look at me like that!"

Sarah stood, her voice cutting through Vivian's outburst.

"Your innocent Laura Smith is a prime suspect in this whole mess that you are calling. Especially her random sudden presence at the station and my husband's death the very time today! And then she ran away with 2 of our confidential case files one with her chemical accident case from past year and other one this recent murder case file!!"

Sarah continued…

"And for your reference my Donovan do you even know that YOUR SO called own PEOPLE, Ms. Laura Smith had transitioned between biochemistry and business???

Do you know she was also the chief suspect in a chemical accident at her university?

Do you know that the recent murder case is also related to chemicals?

And do you know that according to our investigation the killer is presumably an ace in biochemistry and toxicology!!!

And most of all do you even know who reported you to the police for this murder case? And called us to catch you in her parking lot saying you were going to run away and was after her!

Snap out of it Ms. Donovan! she might be the murderer of all those people! your brother and my husband! and right now we can't even find her!!!

Vivian sat frozen, her face pale. "She wouldn't… she couldn't…"

Without another word, Sarah turned and walked out, leaving Vivian alone with her spiraling thoughts and Max struggling to console her.