My voice trembled with rage and the knife in my hand felt heavier with each passing second. Anger surged through me, obliterating the fear that had gripped me earlier.
Nicole flinched and dropped to the floor, tears streaming down her face. She sobbed theatrically, just as she always did when caught in the wrong. Her voice rose in a wail, full of false victimhood. "Skylar, please don’t hurt me! I didn’t mean to—!"
Her crocodile tears were infuriating. "You think you can pull this act again? Enough, Nicole! This ends here!" I grabbed her arm, yanking her to her feet.
She twisted, trying to free herself. "What are you doing?! Let me go!"
"No," I growled through clenched teeth. "You’re coming with me to the police station. This is theft, Nicole and I won’t let you wriggle out of it this time."
Nicole’s cries turned into high-pitched wails as she thrashed wildly. Just then, the sound of the front door creaking open filled the house. She froze for a moment before screaming even louder, her voice shrilled with desperation.
"Mom! Help me! She’s trying to kill me!"