Afterward, Morgan and Priya sat in the car without starting the engine.
“Do you think Julian wanted me dead?” Morgan whispered.
Priya turned toward her. “I don’t know what he intended. We know he lied, pressured you about the cottage, and gave you a necklace with a concealed compartment. We know you were warned and that the water changed. Let the evidence tell us what happened.”
Morgan nodded, grateful for the distinction. Fear had already filled in every blank with the worst possibility. She needed facts to build the next step.
That afternoon, the investigator called with a preliminary update: testing had identified an irritating chemical residue in the necklace’s compartment. Further analysis was underway. He warned her not to speculate about its exact effects or purpose until the laboratory work was complete.
Morgan sat very still.
It had not been ordinary jewelry.
Whatever Julian’s ultimate plan, he had put something hidden beside her skin and insisted she wear it.
