They Faked Their Deaths, I Faked My Recovery Chapter 08
The footage played. Everyone in that room saw what Mara had done.
The syndicate had suspected her. They locked her in a flooded cell for three days.
Her wounds festered in the filthy water. Rats and roaches found her in the dark and kept coming back.
Even when her fever got so bad she could barely keep her eyes open, she kept the hidden camera rolling.
[If you find my body, the evidence will be on me.]
[Don’t waste time mourning me. Just make sure they go down. That’s all that matters.]
They caught her recording. They threw her from a third-story window. Her left shoulder blade shattered on impact.
She dragged herself across the pavement and recorded one last message.
[If I make it out of here, I’ll bring the evidence in myself.]
[If I don’t, use what I’ve gathered. Finish this.]
There were more videos. Dozens more. Too many.
…
The screen went dark. No one spoke.
One by one, they removed their covers. Some were crying. Others raised a hand in salute.
—
Every one of them was for Mara.
Sloane’s scream cut through the silence.
“Chief Calder, don’t listen to them! They’re only saying this because she’s dead. They’re trying to protect her reputation. I’m the one who did the work. Mara was a traitor!”
“Give me my medal!”
She lunged for the medal in Chief Calder’s hands.
Mara’s former colleagues moved before anyone gave the order. Three of them stepped forward and held Sloane back.
It was the last thing they could do for Mara.
Chief Calder closed the medal case. His face was grim.
“The evidence speaks for itself. I’m handing this over to Internal Affairs, revoke every award issued to Sloane, and press criminal charges.”
Sloane looked around the room. Every face had gone stone-still.
Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed.
…
I was sitting by the window when the notification came through.
Sloane had been arrested. Filing a false report. Obstruction of justice.
The department had awarded me the Medal of Valor and honored me as a fallen officer. Posthumously.
—
My fingers tightened around the phone.
Sooner or later, someone at the coroner’s office would figure out those weren’t my real remains. I couldn’t keep this up much longer.
I’d gotten what I needed. There was no point in hiding anymore.
I went straight to the department, turned myself in, and told them everything.
“Three years ago, Graham and Sloane faked their deaths so they could be together. They put on quite a show. I just returned the favor.”
“It was the only move I had. If I hadn’t faked my death, my family never would’ve come forward to clear my name. I’m asking the department to understand. I had no other way.”