Behind the Scenes: Chapter Twenty-One of Wrongful Accusations
The Cost of Loyalty
This was the most emotionally exhausting chapter in the entire book for me to write. It’s the one where the stakes aren’t about solving the case or catching the bad guys—they’re about what Sassy loses in the process.
Love, Loss, and Consequences
Up until now, Sassy’s story has been about survival, determination, and loyalty. But loyalty has a cost, and in this chapter, that cost is devastating.
I knew early on that Jerry wouldn’t make it. His stabbing in Chapter 20 was always meant to have permanent consequences. This wasn’t just for shock value—it was about showing the real danger of Sassy’s world and the people who get caught in it.
The Hospital Vigil
I wanted the pacing in these hospital scenes to feel heavy and stretched out, like time was moving slower. Sassy refuses to leave Jerry’s side, showing her fierce loyalty. But she’s also completely helpless here, and that’s a rare position for her.
Why this mattered:
It strips away her usual control and puts her in a purely emotional role.
It makes Jerry’s death hit even harder because readers sit in the stillness and uncertainty with her.
Mrs. Sims – A Complication in Grief
Mrs. Sims is grieving, but she’s also lashing out. I intentionally wrote her as cruel in her accusations—not because she’s right, but because grief makes people say awful, unfair things.
Her “your mama didn’t want you” line is meant to be a gut punch for Sassy and for readers. It drags up her deepest wounds at her most vulnerable moment. Sassy’s choice not to fight back is uncharacteristic, but it shows how drained she is.
Fried Chicken and Missed Moments
One of my favorite and most painful choices in this chapter is the Church’s Chicken scene.
It seems mundane—Sassy taking a walk, grabbing a meal—but it’s a cruel bit of timing. While she’s gone, Jerry dies.
Why I wrote it this way:
Sometimes in life, we miss a last moment because of something ordinary.
It makes the loss more haunting because she can’t get it back.
Seeds for Future Trouble
Even in this moment of grief, I drop in a quick sighting of Mallory in the hospital. It’s not the time for Sassy to deal with her, but it plants the seed that trouble is still lurking.
This is important because it reminds the reader:
The danger doesn’t pause just because you’re grieving.
Sassy’s world is one where personal tragedy and professional chaos are constantly intertwined.
Blame and Bitterness
By the end of the chapter, Sassy is angry at Shannon, at the whole chain of events, and maybe at herself. She spirals into “what if” thinking, imagining alternate timelines where everyone could have been alive and happy.
This sets up her mindset for the final act of the book: she’s running out of patience, running out of faith, and ready to end this case no matter what it costs her.