Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 567

"Looks like a case of guilt-driven suicide," Tarquin mused, scanning the scene with a detective's eye.

Elysia, wiping away her tears, looked up in a mix of hope and confusion. "Does that mean... the killer's been caught?"

Tarquin sighed, the weight of truth heavy on his shoulders. "She was probably just a scapegoat."

He had no grudge against the maid; she had no motive to poison Elijah. It seemed more likely that the real culprit had set her up to take the fall, creating the illusion of a suicide to divert suspicion from themselves.

"So, what you're saying is... she's not the killer. The real murderer is still out there, walking free?" Elysia's voice trembled with rising panic.

"Yeah, but... try not to worry, I—"

Elysia's fear boiled over. "How can I not worry?! Someone's out to hurt my Elijah, and we don't even know who they are! They're still out there, possibly planning to strike again. I... I..."

Her emotions surged like a storm, words failing her as her frustration grew, pushing her to the brink of hysteria.

Tarquin, still puzzled by her intense reaction, ventured cautiously, "You're afraid they might try to harm Elijah again, aren't you?"

Elysia nodded vigorously, tears streaming down her face. "They definitely will!"

He rushed to reassure her, "Don't worry! I won't let them succeed again. We might not have caught them yet, but I promise, they won't get another chance to hurt Elijah."

But Elysia, inconsolable, shook her head, clearly unconvinced.

Her emotions escalated, almost to a roar, "How can you make such promises?! Elijah's been poisoned before! This isn't the first time, and every time you've failed to notice!"

"I knew something was off about Elijah's condition. I suspected it wasn't just grief over his mother. There had to be another cause!

I've had him examined, looked through countless case studies, but couldn't pinpoint the reason until today.

Look, along with the lethal poison, there are traces of chronic toxins in Elijah's system. These didn't just appear overnight; they're the result of repeated exposure.

This toxin affects cognition, this one induces irritability, and these...," Elysia pointed out, her voice breaking.

Tarquin, no expert in medicine, struggled to understand the details but grasped the gravity of what Elysia was saying.

Elysia was saying: Elijah's psychological issues weren't just due to his deep longing for his mother. There was a deliberate, human element involved.