Chapter 3 - The Innocent Witness
At the Northbridge Police Station, five-year-old Sophie Carter sat on a soft green sofa in a private family consultation room. She held her stuffed rabbit, Barnaby, tightly against her chest.
Beside her sat Mr. Ellis, holding a juice box with a straw inserted, and Officer Bellamy, who had replaced his harsh duty rig with a soft hoodie to avoid scaring the child.
Detective Sarah Miller knocked softly and entered the room carrying a box of colored pencils and a drawing pad.
"Hi, Sophie," Sarah said warmly, kneeling on the floor so she was at eye level with the child. "My name is Sarah. I’m a friend of Mrs. Dalton, your teacher."
Sophie looked up, her dark eyes still puffy from crying. "Is my mommy awake?"
"The doctors are taking very good care of her, sweetie," Sarah said gently, placing the drawing pad on the coffee table. "And do you know what else? Your baby brother was born today."
Sophie’s eyes widened slightly. "He came? But... it’s not Halloween."
Sarah smiled warmly. "He decided he couldn't wait to meet his brave big sister. He’s sleeping in a tiny warm bed at the hospital right now."
Sophie let out a small, quiet breath, clutching her rabbit tighter. "Daddy put white candy in Mommy’s milk."
Detective Miller’s expression remained calm and encouraging, though her pulse quickened. "Can you tell me about the white candy, Sophie?"
"Daddy had a big shiny bottle," Sophie explained, drawing a circle in the air with her little finger. "He crushed the white candy with a spoon. He told me it was special sugar to help Mommy sleep because she was tired."
"Did Daddy say where he was going after he made the milk?"
"He packed his big black bag," Sophie whispered, looking down at her sockless foot. "He said he had to go on a long airplane trip for work. But... he took my piggy bank."
"He took your piggy bank?"
"Yes," Sophie nodded sadly. "And he told me if I woke Mommy up before lunch, he would be very mad at me."
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Detective Miller looked up at Officer Bellamy, who nodded subtly and stepped outside to call dispatch.
David Carter hadn't just gone to work. He had systematically poisoned his eight-month-pregnant wife, robbed his own daughter, locked the house, and fled toward the airport to escape the country before his family’s bodies were even discovered.
