Chapter 22: Shocking Proof Of Innocence


    Chapter 22: Shocking Proof Of Innocence


    The forensic expert proceeded with his task. Soon after, he returned to the crowd, cleared his


    throat, and dered, "The forensic test indicates that Jane North''s fingerprints are on this ring."


    Jane''s heart skipped a beat. Her fingerprints on the ring? How was that even possible? She had


    never touched it. Since Patrick had personally called the police, there was no chance the forensic


    expert had been bribed by Florence. So, Jane pondered, how had Florence managed to ce her


    fingerprints on the ring?


    "Jane, now that it has been proven you stole the ring, what do you have to say?" Florence said, a


    smug smile ying on her lips. "Sir, she stole my ring. Please arrest her so she can face thew!"


    "Jane, did you really steal it?" Patrick questioned, sensing that there was more to this story.


    Although he had only known Jane for a few days, he didn''t believe she was a thief.


    "Of course not," Jane replied, herposure still intact.


    "Your fingerprints are on the ring; why deny it?" Florence red at Jane. "Patrick, why do you keep


    giving her the benefit of the doubt? The Pansy family despises thieves. You deserve someone


    better than her!"


    "You have toe with us and cooperate during the investigation," the chief officer said, addressing


    Jane. All the evidence was pointing to her, and the police couldn''t let her go without proper


    investigation.


    Jane, however, had other ns. "I have a way to prove my innocence."


    Florence wasn''t ready to ept that, convinced that Jane was on her way to jail.


    "Sorry to disappoint you, but I can prove it," Jane dered, her lips curling into a smirk.


    Jane requested the ring from the chief, who reluctantly handed it to her, shooting a cautious nce


    at Patrick. With the ziplock bag containing the ring in hand, Jane scanned the crowd until her eyes


    landed on the waiter.


    "Did you see me wearing this ring?" Jane questioned.


    "Yes, I saw it with my own eyes," the waiter replied.


    Jane stretched out her hand, urging the crowd to pay close attention. "Observe my hand carefully."


    As onlookers observed, Jane''s fingers began to swell, and red bumps appeared on her skin.


    "What''s happening to her hand? It looks awful!" The crowd expressed their astonishment.


    After a few minutes, Jane returned the ring to the ziplock bag and handed it back to the chief officer.


    Raising her hand for everyone to see, she confidently stated, "I''m allergic to tinum, and the ring''s


    band is made of tinum. You all saw how my fingers swelled and developed bumps shortly after I


    touched the ring. The reaction usuallysts for a few hours. If I had stolen the ring, my hand would


    have been swollen and covered with painful bumps long before now. It only became swollen just


    now. Therefore, this is the first time I ever touched the ring. I didn''t steal it!"


    As Jane spoke, she held her swollen hand up for all to see.


    Florence, who was once confident in Jane''s guilt, was now baffled. How could it be such a


    coincidence that Jane was allergic to tinum?


    "You must have done something!" Florence grabbed the ring, inspecting it for any signs of


    tampering. To her dismay, there was nothing amiss with the ring; it was exactly as she remembered


    it.


    Florence''s demeanor shifted as she realized her n had failed. She had orchestrated everything


    meticulously. Why had it gone awry?


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Not content with simply proving her innocence, Jane snatched the ring with her regr hand. "It''s


    hard to convince you, huh? Not to worry, I''ll show you again!"


    Once more, the same oue urred: her hand swelled when she touched the ring.


    "This is enough proof that I didn''t steal the ring, right?" Jane asserted.


    The police chief spoke up after reviewing the evidence. "Miss North is clearly allergic to tinum.


    She couldn''t have stolen the ring."


    Jane then turned her attention to the waiter, her tone demanding. "You have some exining to do,


    don''t you?"


    The waiter''s forehead glistened with sweat. Fidgeting with his fingers, he nced at Florence for


    support. Seeing his hesitation, Florence shot him a murderous look, gritting her teeth.


    Kneeling before Jane, he finally admitted, "I''m sorry. I stole the ring. I was blinded by greed. Please


    forgive me. I promise I won''t do it again."


    Jane, in a tone tinged with sarcasm, responded, "Oh, really?" She was far from convinced. There


    was no way the waiter could have orchestrated this entire scheme without Florence''s involvement,


    and she wasn''t buying into the idea that he acted alone.