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Chapter Sixty-Two

Transcript of police interview with Erika Cass

“ M rs. Cass, can you repeat for me one more time exactly what happened when you reached the cabin?”

“After we parked, I saw Jason coming out of the cabin. He had a knife and he told me that Hannah and Olivia were both dead. He admitted he was the one who killed them, although I didn’t realize at the time he was lying.”

“Did you believe him?”

“I didn’t know what to believe, Detective. Jason and I were married for twenty years. I never imagined he could do something like that. But you didn’t see the look in his eyes…”

“And then what happened?”

“He lunged at me with the knife. Thank God Liam was there with me—otherwise, I’d be dead. Liam ran at him and tackled him, and he dropped the knife. That’s when I picked it up and… ”

“Mrs. Cass?”

“I’m sorry. This is so hard…”

“Please take your time.”

“He got away from Liam. He’s bigger than Liam. And then he came at me again and…”

“And…?”

“I still had the knife. So I did the only thing I could do: I stabbed him with it when he came at me.”

“So you were the one who stabbed him?”

“That’s right.”

“It wasn’t Liam?”

“No.”

“So here’s the thing, Mrs. Cass. The blood splatter pattern on Liam’s clothes makes it look like he was the one in front of Jason when he was stabbed. You have almost no blood on your clothes at all.”

“I don’t know what to tell you. Liam was right next to me. And he bent over Jason after I stabbed him, which I guess is how all that blood ended up on him. He tried to resuscitate him, but it didn’t work. Obviously.”

“I see.”

“Am I… am I under arrest?”

“Given the circumstances and Olivia’s corroboration of your story, we are not planning to pursue charges at this time.”

“… ”

“But our investigation is not complete. There will be an autopsy.”

“Yes. Yes, of course.”

“I have one other question, Mrs. Cass.”

“Yes?”

“Why are you protecting Liam?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Detective, my husband just tried to kill me.”

“But Liam is the one who stabbed him, wasn’t he?”

“Detective, my husband of twenty years is dead. This has been a really hard day. I don’t… I can’t even think straight. I told you what happened. I have nothing else to say.”