Too Late for Regret (Annalise and Roger) novel Chapter 139

Ana’s POV

Charlie had Colby make several copies of what happened. We knew the police would never believe our statements. Colby put one of the copies in our safe and one in the safe at Charlie’s company. Rodney obtained a copy, as he was going to be the one to prosecute Tiffany on our behalf. The police received the fourth copy. Colby made sure to hand–deliver each one and personally handed the USB to the police chief.

We were taken to the police station and were separated to be interrogated. Tiffany and Gretchen were rushed to the emergency room for treatment. Gretchen’s injuries were nowhere near as severe as the ones Tiffany sustained. Our stories were the same, and the higher–ups at the police station watched it play out in real time. They had all watched what was on the USB drives first, before calling the detectives in to view it along with them.

Something that seemed to take so long to play out was actually less than twenty–two minutes from beginning to end. When Eddie woke up, he was already in a cell and immediately demanding a lawyer. He had no idea that the jailer he knocked out had given his statement. He thought he was just dealing with a breaking and entering charge and wanted to be released. Bond was denied because he was considered a flight risk following an anonymous tip that indicated he had moved to a new location.

He didn’t even ask about what happened to Tiffany and Gretchen. He either assumed they had left him or had been caught themselves. He’s probably still mad at her for sending him upstairs and never checking on him. He should never have fallen for her stories. He’s going to have plenty of time to think about where he went wrong now.

Holden’s parents were with us at the jail. I could hear them from where we were seated, down the hall. They were thrilled to see Holden and were begging him to bail them out. They also asked him to keep the news about what Tiffany had done from getting out. They knew that once people heard about her attempt to kill both my brother and I was revealed, the company’s stocks would plummet. They were right, but it was too late.

They couldn’t understand why they were in custody. They bought plane tickets for two people to flee the country, but were confused as to why they were in an interview room. People were already talking, and the rumors spread like wildfire, as this had been a shocking event. There was no way it could be hidden. I suspected that my parents had something to do with how quickly it spread. Our lives had been threatened, and our parents weren’t going to allow what she had done to get buried.

Seth, Charlie, and I were further back in the interrogation area when we were finally told we could leave. Our story matched what they saw in the video. Tiffany had brought the acid with her, and we had a right to defend ourselves in our own home. We just didn’t get the chance to do it. It was clear in the video that she planned on tossing the acid on us, but was stopped. If she had just accepted the fact that she was caught and capped the bottle, she would never have been harmed.

Holden saw us passing, and his mother, Naomi, leapt up to confront me. I know she would have put her hands on me, except she was handcuffed to the table and couldn’t get very far.

“This is all your fault, Ana, you shameless b***h. You should be ashamed of what you’ve done to her. She will never recover from this. My daughter wouldn’t be suffering in the hospital if it weren’t for you,” Naomi cried out.

“I’m sorry, how did you come to that conclusion?” Charlie asked. We couldn’t believe she had the audacity to even say something like that.

“My daughter was perfect, and now her face is completely ruined. I can’t even go see her and make sure that she’s going to be okay. We’re being detained here like we’re some kind of common criminals. We didn’t do anything wrong, yet you’re permanently scarred my daughter and are about to walk free. It’s just not right. Being a Caldwell really has its perks,” Naomi replied with scorn.

“Wait, let me get this straight. Your daughter, who was supposed to go to prison. Managed to escape because you paid off a guard to set her free. Yet somehow that’s now Ana’s fault? You have to know that illegal. I can totally see exactly where Tiffany gets her delusion from. That’s a cute story you’re trying to spin. I hope I’m around to see what happens when you tell it to the police. They probably need a laugh. Your daughter Tiffany is a criminal, Mrs. Vaughn. She deserves to live out the rest of her life in prison. I don’t feel sorry for her at all. Tiffany is dangerous. You were at the same trial we were. Did you not see the pictures of what she did to Ana? Yet you’re standing behind her and supporting a criminal,” Charlie responded.

“You’re wrong about that. We’re not being interviewed at the moment. Naomi’s words hold no weight. We’re just having a conversation,” Hudson assured us.

“I’m afraid that’s incorrect, Mr. Vaughn. You’ve already been read your rights. You both had the right to remain silent, and your wife waived that right the second she started to attack my wife. You’re sitting in an interview room. So, the confession holds, your wife isn’t as smart as she thought she was, which is something she also shares in common with Tiffany. If you thought that you were going to be wiggling out of this unscathed, you’re both wrong. I happen to know for a fact that the police will be finding out about your new condo. I also heard that the IRS is interested in the large wire transfer from your company to the Maldives. The police are piecing this all together, and I’m happy to assist them. That, along with the evidence against Tiffany, should result in your getting to spend much more time with your daughter, and Gretchen, Mrs. Vaughn,” Charlie told them.

It’s clear from the expressions on their faces that neither of them had anticipated that their actions would ever be noted. Let alone have them end up in prison, too. They still didn’t believe that the police had anything to charge them with, so they hadn’t asked for an attorney yet. They believed that everything was circumstantial.

The police already had probable cause to search their luggage. But once the chief of police advised the judge from earlier today about what happened. She was happy to sign off on the warrant. They had already found the new passports and identification. They wouldn’t be able to get out of this. They were in too deep.

“Ana? Ana? Where is my daughter?” my mother’s voice cried out from the front of the station.

The moment she saw me, she headed towards me, with my father right behind her. She hugged me before checking me for injuries. When she was satisfied I was unharmed, she finally noticed the Vaughns in the interview room. The was not going to be pleasant.