Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Most of the people at the dinner party had never been through this kind of screening before, and you could see the curiosity in their eyes as the process unfolded.

Except for Bridget. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she started sniffling quietly.

"Officer, please, can't you cut her some slack? Sylvia's so young-if this gets out, her reputation will be ruined!"

The cop's face was all business. "The law's the law. No one gets special treatment."

At that, a few of the designers who'd been standing near Sylvia quickly stepped back, obviously worried about getting caught up in the mess.

Sylvia lifted her head and looked straight at Bridget, her voice calm but icy. "Ms. Simpson, the results aren't even out yet. Why are you so sure I'm in trouble? Got a crystal ball or something?"

Bridget froze for a second, then wiped her eyes and stammered, "I just care about you, that's all. I was worried. Maybe I overreacted."

People glanced at Sylvia, and you could feel the judgment in the room-like she was being ungrateful.

Sylvia ignored them. She just kept her eyes on the little test kit in the cup.

Right then, the officer stepped forward and pulled the test strip out of the glass.

One line. Two lines...

shock-except for Bridget, whose eyes

way! That's impossible! It can't be negative,

Negative? But wasn't two

her voice sharp. "None of us have seen these tests before, so how do you know two lines means negative, Ms. Simpson? Seems like

too late

lips together and hurried to explain. "Uh, back at my college, the local police did some workshops, so I... I know

Sylvia replied with a

known something was off ever since she drank the glass of wine Mark handed her. The instant that strange feeling hit her, she realized how

difference between accidentally ingesting something

was an accident. Destroying the evidence had crossed her mind, but he body wasn't cooperating-so when she got up, she quietly swapped her glass

examined the test strip, nodded,

over

"Mark's not here he stepped out and never came back," she said, pointing to where Mark

grabbed Mark's wine

Positive.

judging by how quickly the test reacted, there was a

"Go find him-now!"

few officers rushed out the

stopped the