I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with sage-scented air. It smelled oddly pleasant. There was a teacup next to my elbow, which I reached for, downing the liquid before I could stop myself. Sugar and raspberries burst on my tongue. I wanted more—it was delicious!
The taste soon soured when a throb in my temple made memories cloud my mind. I winced, and my hand shook. This wasn’t real. This wasn’t my life. It belonged to someone else. The cup dropped and hit the edge of the table, then crashed to the floor.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“Shh, it’s okay.” Vivian grasped my other hand, slowly moving it to rest on top of the journal. They grew warm beneath my palm. “Relax, Ella. Take a moment and get your bearings. Do you know what we’re doing?”
“Yes. I forgot for a second. Waking up was disorienting.”
“We need to ask you some questions. Do you think you can handle that?”
I nodded. “You want to know about Helen? About what I saw the night I followed her?”
“We do. Take your time, I know this is difficult. What do you remember?”
A hollow feeling grew in my stomach. It expanded into the rest of my body, leaving me sick and shaky.
“I hoped I’d remember more, but so much is fuzzy.”
“Do the best you can.”
“When my father got sick, I thought Helen had poisoned him. I padlocked my room at night, terrified she’d poison me next. I started following her, recording her movements—I wanted proof. A few months after he died, she visited someone at a bar called the Laughing Raven. I went there and waited in the back until she arrived, then watched her sell a packet of berries to a man I’d never seen before. Something felt off, Helen seemed scared of him. They went around back, and I followed, but Helen wasn’t there. Another woman was.”
“Do you know who she was?” Detective Chambers asked.
“He called her Jane. They were arguing.”
“What were they arguing about?”
“The poison. Jane told him to get rid of it. She said his plan was worthless and they’d never accept him. He showed her something on his arm, a raised mark. It wasn’t a scar from an injury—it was too defined for that. She slapped him when she saw it. It startled me, and I must have made a sound because they stopped shouting and went inside.”
“Can you describe the man for us? Did he have any distinguishing features besides the mark on his arm?” the detective asked.
“He was fairly young, early twenties maybe. He wore a cap and a dark coat. There wasn’t anything that stood out. He had a soft voice even when he was angry. It wasn’t loud, but it was menacing, if you know what I mean?”
Vivian nodded. “Do you remember anything else about that night?”
“When I got home, I confronted Helen about everything. She denied trying to poison my father. She claimed she’d been trying to save him, but he was too far gone. I wanted to believe her. She had her vices, but in the end, I don’t think she was a killer.” Murkiness blurred the rest of my thoughts, and a whimper escaped my throat. “That’s all I remember. I’m sorry.”
“You did really good,” Vivian soothed.
“I feel dizzy.”
She placed a hand over mine. “I think it’s time.”
“No!” My gaze darted around the room, panic eliciting harsh gasps. “I’m scared to go back. Please, let me stay a little longer.”
“Don’t be scared. We can’t hold you here or leave the connection open for too long—it’s not safe for either of you.” Vivian’s voice grew quieter. She lifted the sage bundle and struck a match, filling the air with the scented smoke.
A weight settled in my body. The lights dimmed.
“Everything is going to be all right, Ella,” Vivian whispered.
I closed my eyes.
***
“Five more minutes,” I mumbled, burying my head under my arms.
