Then, something extraordinary happened. Ethan suddenly stood up. His tutor tried to hold him back, but the boy broke free and ran toward the front of the courtroom.
“Wait!” he cried. “She didn’t do it!”
A stunned silence fell over the room. All eyes turned to the small boy standing beside Clara, tears streaming down his face.
“I saw Grandma that night,” he said. “She had something shiny in her hands. She said, ‘Clara will be an easy target.’”
Margaret’s face drained of color. The judge leaned forward, urging Ethan to describe exactly what he had seen. The boy explained every detail—the golden box, the secret drawer in his grandmother’s study, and the brooch hidden inside. His account was too vivid to be a child’s invention.
Emily seized the moment. “Your Honor, I request an immediate search.”
