Chapter 41 Memory Loss


    The little spat had knocked Winona with such force that she momentarily let go of Hannah who


    dropped onto the floor. Winona stumbled backward onto the road, almost getting hit by the passing car.


    She came to her senses at the veryst second, jumping out of the way and narrowly avoiding a crash.


    However, she took a fall by the roadside and hit her head on the curb.


    “Are you crazy?!” the car driver shouted as he drove past.


    Liam quickly scooped a shellshocked Hannah into his arms. Anthony eyed the little spat lying on the


    floor. It was a gift from Gilbert to Lilly for her to use as an essory when she yed house. Who


    would have thought it would be the weapon to knock Winona out and cause her head to bleed?


    Lilly fidgeted with her tiny hands, looking ufortable. “Uncle Anthony, I might have used too much


    stwength…” Her Uncle Anthony had always warned her not to disy her strength in public. Oh no,


    she made a boo-boo.


    Anthony looked at his niece’s guilty face and ruffled her soft hair. “It’s alright, Lilly. She deserved it.”


    Anthony was not too worried since they were only among family right now.


    From afar, they could see Winona lying on the ground, clutching her bleeding head and moaning in


    pain. Her head was ringing as it bled profusely. She could feel a growing bump on her forehead,


    caused by the rock her head hadnded on when she tripped.


    She grasped for air and let out a strangled sigh as she cried. “Liam, it hurts… hug me please…”


    Members of the Crawford family, who had been discussing themotion in hushed murmurs and


    whispers, all turned to look at Winona Jackson.


    Liam was not one to say much usually, but even he was stunned by his ex-wife’s antics. “Are you sick?


    Hug you? I’d rather hug a pig.” Winona remained silent.


    “Winona, your divorce with Liam is finalized. Don’t make things difficult for us, or I’ll guarantee you


    won’t have anywhere to go in Clodston,” Old Mrs. Bettany Crawford threatened.


    Winona closed her eyes, trying to hide the pain and misery she felt. She was lying on the ground


    wincing in pain and nursing her injuries, yet the Crawfords could not find it in them to have a sliver of


    pity or empathy for her. She wondered if any of them had a beating heart. She could not understand


    why they were so insistent on tearing Liam and her apart and making sure the divorce went through,


    but she knew it was toote to turn things around.


    She regretted listening to her mother’s silly idea about begging the Crawfords to take her back. She


    should have refused to leave on the very day they kicked her out of the house. Her regretful thoughts


    were interrupted by the sound of loud sirens ring in the air. Not long after, two police cars stopped by


    the road close to them and a few police officers rushed down from the car, surrounding Winona.


    “Don’t move! Winona Jackson, you are under arrest!” one police officer shouted as the rest of them


    pointed their guns and batons at her.


    Winona was beyond shocked and mortified. How did she end up being arrested, when she was clearly


    the one who was injured here?


    “Why… are you arresting me…?” she asked weakly.


    The police officer produced an arrest warrant from a file. “New evidence has turned up against you in


    the murder of May Lee six years ago. Winona Jackson, you are now under arrest for murder in


    ordance with thew,” he dered.


    Winona’s heart sank. It was impossible! Six years ago, they could not find any conclusive evidence to


    prove that she was the murderer. What could they have possibly found now? Were they trying to frame


    her?Còntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Winona feigned shock as best as she could. “Who is May Lee? What are you talking about? I don’t


    know a May Lee…”


    “There was a human hand found inside the West City Mall statue. The hand was clutching onto a


    wrapped piece of paper. Based on our forensic team’s analysis, the fingerprints on the paper belong to


    you, Ms. Jackson,” the police officer exined before producing another document from his file. “The


    wrapping contained some bank notes. We traced the bank notes to the ATM machine the money was


    withdrawn from based on the serial number. The $20,000 was withdrawn by you from an ATM machine


    in a neighboring district six years ago. The evidence is concrete. Take her away!”


    How could this happen? Winona thought to herself. How could this actually happen? It had been so


    long ago! How did they find out?!


    Desperate times called for desperate measures, she realized as she looked at the officer who was


    about to put her in handcuffs. She took tentative steps backward with a nked-out expression as she


    stammered, “Wh… what are you talking about? Liam… what’s happening? How did I end up here? I… I


    don’t remember anything…” Her lips trembled as she sobbed. “Liam… I’m in pain… Pleasee here


    and hug me…”


    The Crawfords were stunned into silence. Did she lose her memory from hitting her head too hard?


    The timing was suspicious, but at the same time not entirely improbable…


    Lilly nted her head to one side as she considered Winona’s confused state of mind. “Uncle Anthony,


    what’s wrong with Aunt Winona?” she asked innocently. “Is she acting silly? Why does she need to act


    silly? She’s usually silly enough.”


    Winona wanted nothing more than to give Lilly a piece of her mind, but she swallowed her pride in


    hopes of putting on a good show for the Crawfords. “Oh no, my head… my head hurts so much. I…


    can’t remember anything. Why am I here? Why are you arresting? I don’t know anything!!” she wailed


    hysterically.


    Most of the police squad were at a loss at what to do, but themanding officer took charge quickly


    enough. “We’ve seen plenty of criminals who im insanity or memory loss, so your tricks won’t work


    here. You’re still fully responsible for the crime youmitted,dy. Take her away!”


    Two officers walked up to Winona and grabbed her by the arms on each side.


    “Liam! Liam… save me please!” Winona cried out pitifully. “Why are they taking me away? What’s


    going on?! I’m not pretending here. I don’t know what’s happening!”


    Winona undoubtedly put on a good show that could fool any stranger. Unfortunately, it was of no use in


    the eyes of thew, since a person could be convicted of the crime they hadmitted even if they lost


    their memory. As she was escorted by the officers into the patrol car, Winona finally broke down.


    “Liam! Liam!! I was wrong, it’s all my fault. Please ask them to let me go!” she begged. “Bettany,


    please! I’m begging you! Hannah is still so young, she can’t lose her mother at this age!” The car door


    clicked shut once the police had ced Winona in the back seat, but Winona was still frantically


    wing at the window and crying for mercy. However, it was all toote. The jail sentence for the


    intentional manughter of May Lee, on top of an attempted murder of Liam by poisoning, was at least


    ten years. Liam Crawford had already filed for divorce, cutting off all ties between Winona and the


    Crawfords, so none of the Crawfords had any reason toe to her rescue. Her own mother was


    unreliable at best and Winona could only hope that she would be able to stay out of trouble herself.


    There was no light at the end of the tunnel at all, Winona realized as tears streamed down her face.


    How did things go so wrong so quickly?


    Outside of the patrol car, a police officer was making notes for the investigation report before


    presenting it to Liam for his signature as a primary witness.


    “If I may ask, how did Ms. Jackson injure her head?” the officer asked.


    Anthony Crawford was quick to answer him. “There was a small scuffle that broke out just now, when


    Ms. Jackson threatened tomit suicide along with her child. Liam had no choice but to subdue her.”


    The officer nodded as he took down his notes. “What did he use to hit her with? Don’t worry, things like


    this happen all the time. It’s just standard procedure for us to record down all the necessary details.”


    Anthony nodded in understanding. “It was a spat.”


    “A… spat?” the police officer repeated after Anthony, just to confirm he did not hear wrongly. “Where


    is this spat now?”


    Without a word, Liam walked over to where the spat was lying on the ground and picked it up. The


    officer’s eyes widened in shock. “Are… are you sure that was the weapon, sir?” That tiny little children’s


    toy managed to bust Winona’s head open?


    “Yes, it was,” Liam''s voice was firm.


    The officer had no choice but to write his report as per Liam and Anthony’s statements. He then put the


    spat into an evidence bag and sealed it up before the police squad left the scene.


    Lilly pursed her lips in silence and stared at the police car that drove further and further away. Her little


    spat went to jail!