Episode 37
âCan you pass me the syrup?â
Megan dropped her fork as she turned towards the sound of the voice. Her eyes narrowed into slits, as she glared at the intruder. âGet your own f—–g syrup.â
Dennis closed his eyes trying to mask his growing anger. He took a deep breath, before answering. âYou know, you used to be so sweet.â
âWell, that was before you decided to cheat on my best friend,â Megan shot back. âYou shouldâve known the consequences.â
âFor the last time, I didnât cheat on her!â he shouted, slamming his hands on the table. Bradlee paused in mid-bite, eyeing Dennis for a split second before he ignored him, going back to his meal.
I sighed. Even though I wanted nothing but to throw Dennis out the door, I couldnât. His parents had contacted my parents yesterday, begging them to let Dennis stay over for winter break. Apparently they were going away on vacation for a few weeks, and they couldnât leave Dennis alone even though he was twenty-two-years old. They said he lacked âlife skillsâ, so of course my parents agreed, since they knew how close I was with Dennis. Too bad they didnât know I hated him with a passion for cheating on me.
âYou should really give up on that,â I spoke, drawing his attention away from Megan. âWe all know you cheated. Just admit it and we can move on with our lives.â
âI-Iââ
ââstop lying Dennis. I heard the phone calls. I know what happened, and honestly, I donât really care anymore.â
âLily, Iâm sorryââ
I held my hand up, shutting him up. ââsave it. I donât want to hear it.â Wiping my face clean, I stood up, pushing my chair in. âLetâs go, before weâre late.â
âI canât believe heâs staying with us.â Megan slumped against the back seat of Demitriâs car, as she crossed her arms. âHeâs got some nerves showing up when heâs not wanted.â
Bradlee nodded, agreeing with Megan. She automatically blushed seeing Bradlee smiling at her, as I laughed. She still wasnât used to being this close to Bradlee. When she found out that he was staying over too, she nearly fainted. And when she found out we kissed, she practically damaged my eardrums, screaming out in joy. When she finally calmed down, she demanded me to spill all the âjuicy detailsâ.
âBoth Demitri and Skylar thinks itâs better if he stays with us.â
Megan gave me a confused look as I answered her question. âHow come?â
âBecause he knows about my involvement with the FBI.â I eyed Demitri in the rear-view mirror, with a roll of my eyes. I couldnât believe he told Dennis everything, but to Demitriâs defense, it was ârequiredâ. He said, he didnât have a choice in the matter when Dennis started questioning everything. The little shithead even threatened to tell, if Demitri didnât fess up.
Megan groaned out in distaste, but lowered her head in a nod. âHowâs that going anyways?â she asked, glancing at me.
âWeâre waiting on the results.â
âAre those coming today?â she asked curiously.
âIf weâre lucky.ââI smiled.ââYes.â
âFrom what we know,â Skylar spoke, turning his body around to look at us, âtheyâre going to forward the results to us in a few hours or so. Whenever we get it, weâll message you, Lily.â
âThanks.â I managed a weak smile, as I looked at Skylar. I needed those results and soon. Nothing added up. How could sweet little Ian, be the serial killer? Thereâs no way he would go after his own sister. Especially when sheâs the only ârealâ immediate family he has left. But he was the only one . . . with blonde hair. There was no one elseâunless you start pinning the blame on some nonexistent girl suspect.
Skylar smiled back in return before facing the road again. As Demitri drove to school, I couldnât help but glance at Bradlee. He was nervousâmore like sweat dripping, palming sweatingânervous. He was sitting next to Megan, and he was trying his best to remain calm as she threw question after question at him. Even though he was finally talking to people outside of school, he was still very keen at keeping his no-talking-to-anyone-at-school rule.
I took his hand in mine, squeezing gently. He sqÂŁÂŁzed back in return, visibly relaxing.
âAw,â Megan cooed, squealing like a small child. âYou guys are so cute together!â The familiar warmth rushed through me at her choice of words, while I saw the corner of his mouth twitch, as he fought back a smile. âWhen are you guys going to make it official?â Megan asked excitedly, bouncing up and down on her seat.
âI neverââ
ââas long as heâs suspect, thereâs absolutely no way Iâm letting him date you,â Demitri snapped, jumping into the conversation. âYouâre lucky your parents doesnât know heâs a suspect, otherwise theyâll freak.â
I crossed my arms stubbornly. âHasnât he already proven to you guys heâs not the killer?â
âEveryoneâs guilty until theyâre proven innocent.â
I rolled my eyes at his comment. Wasnât the actually phrase, everyoneâs innocent into proven guilty? âHere we go again.â
âLily, you canât treat him differently just because you like him,â he tried to convince me. âHeâs still a suspect under my watch.â
âBut you have to admit you have strong doubts that Bradleeâs the killer.â
He remained quiet for a few seconds, before he answered. âIâll let you know after I get the reports.â
I let out an exasperated breath, lying back against my seat. âWhatever. Just hurry up and drive us to school.â
âFine, but before that,â Demitri said clasping his hands tightly around the wheel, âBradlee needs to get off a block away from school.â
My eyebrows arched down in question. âWhy?â
âHe canât be seen getting out of the same car as you,â he said like it was obvious. âWhat if suspect number one saw you?â
âBut Hââ
ââyou understand right Bradlee?â he cut me off, eyeing Bradlee in his rear-view mirror.
The corners of Bradleeâs lips widened, as I felt Bradleeâs large hands entwining with me. He gently rubbed the tip of my thumb, letting me know it was okay. When I looked up, I nodded at Demitri, causing him to smile.
âYou win,â I said solemnly, before motioning him to drive faster. His grin widened, before he stepped on the gas pedal, rushing towards the direction of Woodway Prep.
âAvery!â Ian shouted joyfully seeing Megan and me. I stumbled backwards in surprise as I took in a sudden breath of air. Catching the air in my lungs, I glanced up at the beaming boy. âHow are you doing on this fine, speculator morning?â
âUm, great.â I smiled. âYou seem awfully happy this morning. Anything good happen after you left the mall yesterday?â I asked, trying not to sound suspicious.
âYes!â he cried immediately. âAfter my sister finally managed to catch me, she took me out for ice cream. Brought me cookies nâ cream and then surprised me with red velvet cupcakes!â he told me, licking his lips hungrily. His eyes closed, as his lips darted out again. âIt was super delicious, and the best surprise ever!â He laughed, twirling around, as he hugged himself.
Megan eyed him, laughing along while I stared at him with calculating eyes. He didnât seem to be lying. But as I looked at him, he was the only suspect that fit Demitriâs friend description. Petite and blonde. But his voice seriously didnât sound like the person Iâd heard in the park . . . maybe he changed it somehow?
âThatâs great.â I nodded along. âDid you do anything fun afterwards?â I couldnât help but ask. If he was anywhere else, maybe someone could provide an alibi for him. The more evidence he had proving him innocent, the better.
He stopped twirling, facing me. âOf course.â His lips lifted upwards, giving out a warm glow of happiness. âWe went to the local pet store in town, and got to see all kinds of cute animals, especially this one bunny! She was so adorable and kept coming towards me whenever I walked by. I just wanted to cuddle her so badly!â He ended his sentence with squeak.
âReally?â My eyes brightened, hearing that. âWhatâs the pet shop called?â
âUm, I think itâs called, the Pet Set. Iâm going there after school if you want to come with?â He glanced at me before looking at Megan. âMegan, you can come too! The more the merrier!â he yelled happily, causing some heads to turns, which he bluntly ignored. âI just really want to check up on Velvet again.â
âVelvet?â Megan asked, puzzlingly.
âThe bunny!â He smiled widely. âShe really wanted my red velvet cupcake, so I named her after the cupcake. Cute, right?â
âVery,â I agreed, as the corners of his eyes crinkled. âIâll love to meet her.â
âDitto.â Megan nodded.
âGreat!â His lips quirked upwards into a joyous smile. âMeet me by my locker once the final bell rings! I have to pick up my sister right afterwards, but we can go to the pet shop together once I do.â
âSounds like a plan.â I waved goodbye to Ian, watching him run of towards his locker, before I dragged Megan down the hall with me. When we were in a more isolated area, I let go of her hand, making sure no one was in a hearing range. Well, besides Skylar. He was bound to be watching somewhere close by.
âDo you think heâs lying?â I asked quickly.
She bit her lips, throughly thinking about it. âIt didnât look like he was lying . . . but then again, he could just be a really good liar.â
âUgh.â I groaned. âWhy couldnât you just say, âIt didnât look like he was lying.â?â
Megan giggled, throwing her arms around me, pulling me forward. âBecause thatâs too easy, agent Ace.â
âAgent Ace, huh?â I tapped my finger against my chin, thinking about it. âI kind of like the sound of that.â.
âI knew you would.â She winked, looking pleased with herself. âNow, letâs head of to class and get you back to Mr. Le Feurve.â
âYou know, I still havenât heard you talk today.â
Bradlee looked up at the sound of my voice, smiling softly. âI didnât know youâll miss my voice that much.â He chuckled, laughing quietly.
âMe either.â I shrugged, taking the seat across from him, âbut you know what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder.â
He paused, as his eyes widened. âYouâum.â He blushed, gulping loudly. ââactually miss me?â
âOf course,â I told him, suppressing a smile. âWhy wouldnât I?â
âI-I-I donât know,â he stuttered on his words. I grinned, loving the effect Iâd on him. âI guess itâs still a bit hard to believe.â
âBelieve what?â I mused.
âThat your all time crush, actually likes you back,â he confessed, his cheeks tinting pink making him even more devilishly handsome.
I leaned my body forward, peeking my eyes up at him. âYou know, Iâm definitely liking this side of you, a lot.â
He looked confused. âWhat side?â
âThe bashful side. Itâs cute.â
âIââ Bradlee was about to say before I heard my phone vibrating quietly in my pocket.
ââhold on,â I told him, before pulling my phone out. Glancing at it underneath the table, I saw Demitriâs number lighting up. I looked up at Bradlee, as excitement and dread made its way up my body. âItâs a text from the guys.â
Bradlee ushered me on, encouraging me forward. Slowly, but surely, the panic and nerves kicked in. My eyes closed, as trepidation swelled through me. This was it. The moment of truth. Feeling my pulse pounding in my temples, I s—-d in a breath before clicking open the text message. Bright light illuminated up my face.
Lily. The results just came. You were right. Bradleeâs DNA came back negative.
A huge wave of relief washed over me, as my heart beat even out. Bradlee was innocent.
I smiled happily at this thought before I realized it was too quick to celebrate. Bradlee may not be the killer, but Ian may. sU-Cking in a breath, I typed out my reply, quickly hitting sent.
What about Ian and the letter? Did it match the killerâs DNA?
100 percent. The note was right. Ian isnât the killer either.
The wide smile was back on my face, as I nearly shouted for joy at the news. Ian was innocent! I knew he wasnât that twisted enough to harm his own sister. B-but then, does that mean, the killer was Hunter?
I swallowed nervously, glancing up at Bradlee. If he knew . . . no Lily, you canât think like that. There has to be a mistake.
Hunter . . . he canât be the killer, can he? I texted Demitri.
Possibly. Heâs the only suspect left, Lily. But if he really is the killer, heâs definitely working with someone. And that someone could very well be the person youâd less suspect.
I gulpedâcrap.
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