"I stabbed her, I think, well, at least twenty times. You know, just to make sure. Derick was slipping in and out of consciousness, and he was mumbling to himself about fire and someone named Devon. And I thought it was perfect. I have two children to take care of. So I wiped my fingerprints clean and put the knife in Derick's hand. He was sitting on the floor, in a daze. He had no idea what was going on. Then I called the police. I sliced my arm with the knife I killed Maria with to make it look like he attacked me too."
There was a moment of silence. "So you killed Maria?"
"Yeah. The whore was stealing my husband!"
"You framed your own husband?"
"Sure. Like I said, I have two small children to attend to."
* * *
After Lydia was arrested, Dr. Staetman went in to see Derick. "Why didn't you tell me your wife killed Maria?"
"It was her time to go." Derick replied.
"Why didn't the previous doctor call the police on her?"
"I asked him not to. But he did, it's just that no one listened. They had me, that was enough, I guess."
"Why did you ask him not to?"
"Don't you need a reason to be in here?"
"Why do you want to be locked in here?"
"It's not safe out there." Derick pointed to the window.
"What makes you say that?"
"Satan is out there, waiting for payment."
"Payment?"
"He's waiting for me to pay him for getting my book published."
"Is it money you owe this agent? If so, don't worry about it."
"It isn't money. He wants my soul."
* * *
Derick's book skyrocketed to the top of the New York Times Bestseller list and was touted as the most "bizarre, chilling account of the afterlife" and "the character of Craig Devon shows Lombasto's sheer genius."
Dr. Staetman agreed to bid to the hospital's board for Derick to stay in the hospital, his reason being that Derick was indeed deeply disturbed. The board agreed.
Lydia had been sentenced to life in prison. Her and Derick's children have been put in foster care.
Derick relives the day of Maria's murder over and over again, wondering why he didn't do something to help her. He still lives in fear of Craig Devon.