Page 40 of Mind Games

“That’s a lie,” she snapped at me before tucking her greying hair behind her ears.

“You knew he would sneak away at night. When he bought Daisy a laptop, how did that make you feel? It was such an expensive gift,” I said as I tapped my pen on the notebook.

“She was an ungrateful brat. She never deserved all those gifts he showered on her,” she said defensively as she placed her hands on the table.

“She was eight years old, Mrs Abbott. He had been grooming her for a long time before he raped her,” I said, trying not to clench my teeth, but I wanted to push her for a reaction.

I studied her as I waited for her response. Her hair and eye colour may have been similar to Daisy’s, but the dead, soulless look in her eyes was all Violet. Her arrest, trial and short time in prison had aged her.

“That didn't happen,” she said in a quieter voice, but she could not look at me as she kept her head facing down at the table.

Her reaction was gratifying because it made me realise that my mother’s would have been similar had she been given the chance.

“How did it make you feel that your husband didn't want to fuck you anymore?”

Her head snapped up at my direct hit.

“He must have missed her after she ran away,” I said with a tight smile, but my stomach churned at the thought of Tom.

My only consolation was that he died a painful death.

“Who are you? How do you know about Daisy? I haven't spoken about her for years.”

“It’s my job to know everything. You said that you had no motive to kill Tom, but there was the life insurance policy that you stood to benefit from, and he abused your daughter,” I said with a slight shrug.

“I told you before. I didn't kill Tom. Without him—”

“Ah, yes. He brought in the money from his business. So you betrayed the trust of a child for your comfort. Got it.”

“Dr Lewis, I never—”

“Mrs Abbott, I believe you. I believe that you didn't kill your husband,” I said, snapping my leather notebook shut. It was only there as a prop.

“Y-You do? Can you help me with an appeal? Testify about my mental—”

“No. I put you in here. Why on earth would I want to help you get out?” I said, watching her hope slowly morph into bewilderment as her brain tried to catch up with my words.

“The arsenic powder was easy to plant since Tom was the only coffee drinker in the house. I want you to sit and rot in your cell for the rest of your natural life. If you are released from your life sentence, I will be waiting for you, Violet,” I said in a low voice as I finally let my anger seep through.

She glanced towards the door in fear before nervously looking at me.

“But w-why did you do this to me?”

I stood up and straightened my jacket before I lifted my notebook.

“I hate paedophiles, but I hate the enablers just as much. I enjoyed watching Tom wither away to nothing. You were worse. Instead of protecting an innocent child, you ensured that the sexual abuse continued.”

She gulped before her back went rigid and sat upright in the cheap plastic chair.

“I will get my solicitor to—”

I began to laugh, cutting her off again.

“Who is going to believe you?” I said with a grin. “The receipt for the arsenic was found in your house. The poison was in your jar of coffee. Tom had been fucking one of your neighbours. No one will believe you, Violet.”

It took Daisy courage to confide in Violet. It was only fair that Violet felt a tiny fraction of what Daisy did. I leaned on the table until I was close enough for her to move back in her seat.

“Day after day. Week after week. Month after month. Year after year, you will be stuck in here for a murder that you didn't commit,” I said with a grim smile. “Try not to hang yourself, Violet.”

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