Oh my gosh. This is happening. This is real.
Madoka felt cold all of a sudden. He dreaded looking at the stand next to him. This was all just a horrific nightmare, right? It was all just a terrible dream, right? Clair wasn't a murderer. There was no way she was a murderer.
For her part, Clair was silent for a few seconds. She shook her head suddenly, as if composing herself. Madoka forced himself to watch her; her facial expression was calm and pleasant, but he could see the deadness in her eyes.
"Right, um...well, my good luck charm can help me explain that. Right?"
Madoka nearly fell. He clutched his stand. "C-Clair, please..."
"I'm embarrassed to say, but..." Clair's cheeks flushed, and she looked towards the floor, her eyes flickering up past her lashes every once in a while. Madoka couldn't see who she was looking at, but he could only assume it was Faqir, the one she'd been active with in the casino.
Was that what she meant? Madoka gulped.
"W-we got a little rough." Clair laughed nervously, fiddling with her hair. "I lost that earring in there long before Eriko ever arrived."
What? No...th-that's wrong...
Madoka shook. His whole body felt heavy, his head swirled, and his palms sweat. There was no way Clair had actually killed anyone, right? There was just no way.
And yet...
And yet...Eriko would...
"Isn't that right, good luck charm?" Clair smiled softly at Madoka. Madoka's eyes followed her tongue across her lips--plump, perfect...she was so perfect. There was no way. "You heard me in there. I-it was embarrassing at the time, but now you can really save me. You know that wasn't from the murder."
I'm so sorry, Clair.
"N-no...you're lying."
Clair's expression instantly changed to shock. "W-what?"
I have to do this. I'm the only one who can...
"I-I saw you..." Madoka clutched his bracelet until his knuckles were white and the stone had imprinted into his palm. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't, and yet... "I-I...I saw you after you were with that guy in the casino. You were finishing at that point and told me to get Eriko. And at that time...you still had both your earrings in."
Clair didn't move. Her body seemed frozen, her eyes returning to their glazed state.
"Oh my God, you killed her," Faqir whispered. "Clair, you b*tch! You killed her! How could you?!"
"N-no!" Clair insisted. "I didn't kill her, I swear! It was just--I don't know how I lost it, okay? I didn't kill her!"
"I want to believe you," Madoka nearly sobbed. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the incoming tears. "C-Clair...p-please, I'm begging you...please prove us wrong!"
Please, please prove us wrong...