A Tale of Two Sisters

A Set Up

 "Please turn to the right," Emma said as she took Mary Margaret's mugshot in the Sheriff's Station the next morning.

Mary Margaret turned, "Emma, this is a mistake. I didn't kill Kathryn."

"Of course you didn't, but while I am your friend, I am also the sheriff, and I have to go where the evidence leads."

"Which points to me? Emma, yesterday it was David. There's something not right here."

"We know," Reagan said, "but your fingerprints were on that box, and his are not . . . So now we have to deal with . . . This."

"Evidence that says I cut out Kathryn's heart and buried it in the woods? This is insane," Mary Margaret said.

"If I didn't book you, with all this evidence, it's gonna look like favoritism," Emma said. "And then Regina will find out and she will fire me, and then you know what she'll do? She'll bring in someone who will railroad you, so just try to be patient and trust me. We can't even move forward 'till we verify the heart belonged to Kathryn, and I am still waiting for the DNA test results. But in the meantime, you need to bear with me. I have to ask you a few questions."

"This is crazy. I would never hurt anyone," Mary Margaret said as Reagan and Emma brought her to the interrogation room where the mayor was sitting behind a desk.

"Hello Miss Blanchard," she said.

"What is she doing here?" Mary Margaret asked.

"She asked to be here as a third party to make sure what we say's impartial. I can only help you," Emma said as the three sat down.

"I have nothing to hide. Ask me anything."

Reagan pushed a button on the tape recorder on the table, beginning to record, "The heart was found buried near the old toll bridge. It had been cut out by what appears to be a hunting knife. Have you ever been to that bridge before?"
"Yes, many times. It's where David and I liked to meet."

"Mr. Nolan," Emma corrected.

"Yes."

"And, you met there . . . For what purpose?"
"We were having an affair. I'm not proud of what happened, and I'm sorry. But that doesn't change the fact that I did not kill Kathryn."

Emma took the box that the heart was found in and placed it in front of the suspect, "Have you ever seen this before?"

"Yes, it's my jewelry box."

"That's what I found the heart in," Reagan said.

"Don't you see what's happening here?" Mary Margaret asked. "Someone stole that box and put the heart in, I didn't have anything to do with it. I'm innocent!"

"Miss Blanchard, it's okay," Regina said. "I know what you're going through. I know what it's like to lose someone you love. To be publicly humiliated. It put me in a very dark place. It changed me. I can only imagine what losing David Nolan did to you."

"But I haven't changed. I'm still the same person I've always been–a good person. I did not do this."

"Can I speak to you in the hallway please?" Emma asked the mayor.

The two women stood and went out into the hall, leaving Reagan and Mary Margaret alone. Reagan stopped the recorder and lowered her voice, "Mary Margaret, I know you didn't do it. I've known you since I was in fourth grade and a little before. Believe me when I say I know you didn't do this."

"Then why are you acting like I did?"

"Because I work for the police. I can't disagree with anything Emma says," Reagan looked out into the hall as she heard Emma and Regina arguing. She turned back to Mary Margaret, "I'll be right back."