by Pyper James
Pearl paused for a moment before continuing.
“I thought when I told Princeton how I felt that he would accept it and move on. But he didn’t. he grew angry and accused Simon, who was his friend as well, of going behind his back undermining their friendship and our relationship. I tried to tell Princeton that he was wrong, that it was me who made the decision and Simon hadn’t done any of what Princeton accused him of. But that was not the end of it. Princeton stewed and grew angrier and angrier. He said some things that made me uncomfortable. He didn’t respond to reason. He wouldn’t accept rejection.”
“I toyed with what to do, how to work the situation out as peacefully as possible. I couldn’t deny my feelings for Simon but seeing Princeton so upset and speaking so carelessly let me know that he wouldn’t stop until he avenged his honor.”
Pearl’s shoulders lifted slightly and lowered heavily as she continued.
“He planned to confront Simon. I didn’t want that. I made the decision to handle it myself since I was the cause of all the discord. Simon had no idea that Princeton planned to confront him, and I feared, hurt him. So, I made the decision to take care of Princeton, for all our sakes. The concoction wasn’t hard. I was with Princeton and Simon when the oleander was planted in Princeton’s back yard. This was when things between the three of us were cordial. The two had a lengthy conversation about the plant and the dangers surrounding it and I questioned them both why Princeton wanted something so lethal in his yard.
“Dangerous things are beautiful too,” he replied. His statement was unsettling as much then as it is now. My going to Princeton’s house was common. No one would think twice in seeing me go in or come out. I took caution gathering the plant, boiled up the flower and used one of my husband’s old syringes and filled the vial. My husband was diabetic. Even after he died I still had his insulin and supplies in the house. Guess I couldn’t part with them. I don’t know.
Princeton didn’t suspect anything when I came by the house. I gave him another chance to back down from his planed confrontation with Simon, but he wouldn’t do it. I told him that I could no longer see him. He was sad. I was, too. When he reached to give me a parting hug, that’s when I stabbed him. It was painless I suppose, but the look on his face when he realized what I had done still bothers me.”
Johnathan was rendered speechless as was Vivica behind the glass. Sheriff Harper fumbled with what to say next.
“Why did you kill Princeton Wyatt?”
“Because,” Pearl began. “Real love cannot be denied. I didn’t love Princeton. I thought I could grow to love him, but I realized that no matter how much time passed, I would never love Princeton. The kind of love I longed for was with another. I couldn’t let Princeton take that from me.”
As promised, Simon Spruce was released. There was no reason to hold him. Pearl sat comfortably in the cell, only saddened by Simon’s leaving. Sheriff Harper and Deputy Gathright processed the paperwork to have Pearl Nicholson transported to county jail to await trial.
Vivica sat in the parking lot. The sun was going down and the brightness of the day’s sky was slowly overtaken by the midnight blues of evening. Her name had been cleared. She was no longer a person of interest in the murder of Princeton Wyatt. To say that Vivica was shocked by what transpired was an understatement. She couldn’t wrap her mind around how the whole situation unfolded. To understand that would take some time.
The End
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