This update includes bug fixes, performance improvements, and a continuation of The Story of Dressrious Salon, which you can learn more about only inside the app.
Chapter 18
Madame Perrault dashed to Snow, embracing her tightly and crying, “My stupid girl, I had a plan! Why?”
Both Agent Mulder and Agent Scully put on white gloves and approached the two women. Agent Scully tried to comfort Madame Perrault.
“Go away, all of you!” Madame Perrault shouted, trying to push them back.
Agent Mulder quickly picked up the apple and the spray bottle dropped on the ground, then stepped further back with Agent Scully.
“What’s happening… oh, no, Snow…” Ali rushed over from the party hall. He knelt beside Snow, then glared at the two FBI agents. Pointing at them, he roared, “Did you do this? Did you compel her to die?”
“We’d better go,” Agent Scully muttered.
Agent Mulder spoke rapidly into his voice recorder clipped to his uniform: “Suspect Snow White committed suicide out of fear of prosecution by ingesting a poisoned apple. Her confession matches our hypothetical reconstruction of the crime. She possessed the criminal tool. Witness: Madame Catherine Perrault.” He then took a rapid photo with his phone before getting into the FBI SUV after Agent Scully.
Ali watched the taillights of the last FBI SUV disappear past the gate. “Now!” he yelled toward the party hall, then turned to the mournful Madame Perrault. “Madame, hold her loosely. We’re bringing her back.”
Madame Perrault stopped sobbing, stunned. “Pardon?”
Ali desperately tried to open Snow’s mouth, forcing his fingers inside. Just then, Bob rushed in, a glass of green, bubbling drink in his hand. Trevor, Spion, Report Man, and Lady News all emerged from the party hall, crowding around.
Ali successfully removed the blackened piece of apple from Snow’s mouth. “She didn’t swallow it,” he explained to Madame Perrault. He took the drink from Bob and carefully poured it into Snow’s mouth.
“What is that? What are you doing?” Madame Perrault was utterly confused.
“It’s the drink mixed with a large dose of frog bile. It will force her body to expel the poison,” Trevor explained.
“It’s all Trevor’s idea,” Ali said.
“And thank Bob for making the potion,” Trevor added humbly. Bob blushed, unnoticed by most.
“Will it work?” Madame Perrault asked, her voice tight with confusion and hope.
Suddenly, Snow’s body lurched, and she vomited a large amount of green liquid onto herself, Madame Perrault, and Ali.
“Oops,” Ali mumbled. The smell was undesirable, but everyone was smiling now.
“It worked!” Lady News cheered, pulling a sheaf of tissues from her clutch and handing them to Ali and Madame Perrault.
“We’d better give her room; she’s still weak,” Ali said, feeling Snow’s faint but steady breathing.
“Bring her to the couch,” Report Man suggested, pointing to the red velvet reception couch near the entrance.
Ali tried to hold Snow, scooping her up from Madame Perrault’s arms, but struggled.
“Let me,” Spion volunteered. He easily lifted Snow and carried her to the couch.
After Spion laid Snow down gently, Madame Perrault asked, “You all planned this together?”
“We didn’t have time to inform you, Madame,” Ali said.
“Did you come up with this?” Madame Perrault asked Trevor gratefully.
“Well, yes, but we all helped,” Trevor said, and began explaining what happened after she entered the Reading Room with the FBI.
The group had found Snow and Bob in the staff lounge. It turned out that when Snow went to the party hall bar for a bottle of Burgundy, it was sold out, so Bob took her to the cellar to pick one. That was when Snow received Madame Perrault’s message, which told her to hide for one hour. She decided to wait in the staff lounge.
The hour was late; most guests had left, and staff had gotten off work. Bob closed the bar and went to the staff lounge to pick up his bag. He was surprised to find Snow still there, and when the group arrived, the two were discussing… frogs.
“I got the idea from a guy I met last week who told me he was once transformed into a frog by a wicked witch in his childhood. Since then, he started to like frogs,” Bob said.
“Wait, that’s why you named it ‘Frog’s Kiss’?” Snow asked, amazed.
“Yeah. Turns out it’s not a great name for marketing. I only got five orders tonight,” Bob replied, disappointed.
“Snow… we need to talk,” Ali broke in, hurrying to explain. “Madame Perrault told the FBI she poisoned her husband, and she’s being investigated right now.”
“What?” Snow was shocked. “Where are they? I need to go; she shouldn’t do it.” Snow said anxiously.
“Were you just talking about a frog?” Trevor asked, momentarily forgetting their main concern.
“Frog’s Kiss. Do you like it?” Bob asked hopefully.
Honestly, Trevor didn’t think it was bad, though he wouldn’t order it again. Instead of commenting, he asked, “Did you put some frog bile in it?”
“How did you know? Only a small dose for each to make it a little bitter,” Bob said, happy someone finally appreciated his invention. “I only told Snow the secret when we went to the cellar. I can’t add too much because it would cause vomiting.”
“It is a lovely drink, but we can discuss it later,” Report Man interrupted them.
“I need to tell the FBI it was not Madame Perrault; I did it,” Snow said urgently.
No one was surprised by her confession except Bob. “What?”
“Calm down. You can’t go to them right now; we need a plan,” Ali said, holding her arms.
“Madame Perrault is trying to use her privilege to buy you time, but we think the FBI will still find out the truth soon, so we all want to help you,” Lady News said kindly, stepping close to her.
“I did it alone. I don’t want her to take the blame,” Snow said with tears in her eyes. “I’m not afraid of the charge or death. I only wish she can be happy.”
“Woah, no, no, we don’t talk about death right now. We are all willing to plead with the judge for you,” Ali said.
“Maybe we can use death,” Trevor suddenly suggested. Everyone looked at him, confused.
“If the suspect is dead, the case is closed. The FBI won’t investigate it anymore, and they certainly won’t put a dead body on trial,” Trevor said.
“What kind of ridiculous plan is that?” Ali asked angrily.
“We can bring her back,” Trevor explained, getting excited. He turned to Bob. “Do you still have the frog bile? Doesn’t it cure poison?”
“Yes, I do,” Bob said excitedly. “Frog bile causes nausea, which can eliminate toxins. Are you familiar with Potions too?” he looked at Trevor with anticipation.
“Ahem,” Spion interrupted. “Are you suggesting Snow takes the poison in front of the FBI agents, waits for them to leave, and then we use the frog bile to bring her back?”
“Yes,” Trevor nodded.
“That’s too much of a risk,” Ali disagreed.
“It only works quickly. You can’t wait long when the toxins flow throughout the body,” Bob warned.
“I’m willing to take the chance,” Snow said firmly.
“Do you still have the poison?” Trevor asked.
“There are still some Alkaline powder on my lips, and those apples are still in the hall. The FBI just took all their equipment away but left the food on the tables,” Snow said.
“So, we can do it,” Trevor said confidently.
When they returned to the party hall, no one was there. The apples on the tray were shining. Snow picked one up. Bob immediately started to make the antidote. They waited in the hall until they saw Madame Perrault and the agents emerge from the Reading Room.