The Arrangement

39

The doorbell rang, breaking the stillness of the afternoon. Maya, still adjusting to the restrictions on her movement, called for Heather to answer it. When Heather opened the door, two uniformed police officers stood on the threshold, their faces serious but not unfriendly.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Deluca-Bishop," one of the officers said respectfully. "We'd like to speak with you about the accident."

Maya, her heart sinking slightly, nodded and gestured for them to come in. She led them to the living room, where she and Carina had been discussing their holiday plans. Carina, sensing the gravity of the situation, stood by Maya's side as the officers took a seat.

"We're very sorry to intrude on your holiday preparations," the second officer began, his tone sympathetic. "We wanted to update you on the case involving the young woman who caused your accident."

Maya's heart pounded as she braced herself for the news. "What's happened?" she asked, her voice steady but tinged with concern.

The officer continued, "We've been investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident, and we regret to inform you that the young woman, Cecil Furling, who was in custody, died from an overdose while in jail."

Carina's hand squeezed Maya's in a gesture of support. "I'm so sorry to hear that," she said softly. "But what does this mean for the case?"

The first officer looked at Maya with a reassuring expression. "We understand this is a difficult situation. Our investigation is ongoing. We're working to understand why this individual was in such a state and what led to her actions that day. The evidence still points to a targeted hit so we will not rest until we have all the facts surrounding your case. We're also examining if there were any lapses in the handling of his situation while she was in custody."

Maya nodded, trying to process the information. "I appreciate your efforts. I just want to understand what happened and ensure that something like this doesn't happen again."

The second officer replied, "We're committed to getting to the bottom of it. We're reviewing all aspects of the case, including the protocols followed while she was in custody. We'll keep you updated on any developments."

Carina's eyes were filled with concern, but she gave Maya a reassuring look. "Thank you for your work on this. We just want to know the truth."

The officers offered their condolences once more and assured Maya and Carina that they would be in touch with any new information. As they left, the weight of the conversation lingered in the room.

Maya turned to Carina, her eyes reflecting a mix of relief and lingering worry. "It's unsettling, but at least they're taking it seriously. I want to understand why this happened and how we can prevent it from happening again."

Carina pulled Maya into a gentle embrace. "We'll get through this together. The most important thing is that you're recovering and that we're making sure this never happens again. We'll stay in touch with the police and follow up on their progress."

— — —

The grand plans for Christmas Day were set in motion, with both of their families coming together for a festive dinner. However, Carina wanted to carve out a moment of tranquility before the whirlwind of family festivities commenced.

One evening, as they relaxed in their beautifully decorated penthouse, Carina turned to Maya with a thoughtful expression. The twinkling lights and the scent of pine created a cozy atmosphere, perfect for a heartfelt conversation.

"Maya," Carina began softly, her hand gently brushing Maya's arm, "I've been thinking about our holiday plans. We have Christmas Day dinner with both our families, but I was wondering if we could have a quiet Christmas Eve just for ourselves."