Chapter 5 - The Sister's Confession
David bravely shoved me behind a concrete pillar just as the masked man pulled the trigger. The deafening blast shattered the windows of the cars parked next to us. I grabbed David's hand and we sprinted blindly toward the concrete stairwell. We climbed three flights of stairs and burst out into the chaotic city streets. I told David I needed to find my sister Rachel before Mark silenced her forever. Rachel was the only witness who could prove Mark poisoned the lemonade. David reluctantly agreed, and we took a crowded subway train to Rachel's luxury apartment. We cautiously approached her front door and found it completely unlocked. I pushed the door open and stepped into a living room that had been totally ransacked. Rachel was frantically stuffing stacks of cash into a large black duffel bag. She spun around when she heard us, pulling a silver handgun from her waistband. Her hands were shaking violently as she aimed the weapon directly at my face. I begged her to put the gun down and explain why she wanted to kill me. Rachel began to sob hysterically, dropping to her knees on the hardwood floor. She confessed that Mark had blackmailed her into participating in the murder plot. Mark had secretly recorded Rachel committing a terrible hit-and-run accident three years ago. He promised to ruin her life and send her to prison if she refused to poison my drink. Rachel admitted she never wanted to hurt Emma, and the swapped cup was a genuine mistake. She warned me that Mark was completely unhinged and would stop at nothing to get his money. I stepped forward and gently took the heavy gun out of my sister's trembling hands. I told her we could go to the police together and ask for federal protection. Rachel slowly shook her head, a look of absolute terror filling her eyes. She whispered that it was already far too late for anyone to save us. She pointed a shaking finger toward the large bay window in her living room. A tiny red laser dot was resting perfectly in the center of David's forehead. Before I could even scream a warning, the glass shattered and David fell lifeless to the floor.
