Treasured (Book Two)

Chapter 16: Outcome

As soon as we reached to the hospital, Luke waited on the sidewalk. When he saw Seth, he glared at him. "Took you long enough?" Luke asked. Seth gave him a deadpan look. "Get inside, idiot." he mumbled.

Luke hopped into the front seat and closed the door. "Have you gotten the files?" I asked hopefully. "What did they say?" "The real Ellen is dead," Luke sighed. "She suffered from a major stab wound and is going to be incinerated very soon."

"What?" I said. "But my dad said that she was alive." Luke shrugged then slumped into his chair. "I don't know what to believe in." Luke said. "My guess is that someone is voicing Ellen." "Was it the attacker?" I asked."If it is, then why?"

Seth stood up for a moment and stared at us. "Do you have your father's receiver or something?" I shook my head. "All we have are phone records."

"May I see them?" he asked. Luke and I looked at each for a moment. I reluctantly took a folded sheet of paper then handed it to him. Seth unfolded the sheet and glanced at it.

"Alright," Seth said. "I'll look into it. All I need now is like a recording of the conversation and that's it." "Maybe Dad's phone is in Stacy's house." I suggested. "But if it's not, I'll go check in my house for it."

Seth nodded and started the car. As soon as we reached home, he dropped Luke and me to our homes then gave us a salute. "See you around," he replied.  He backed out of the driveway and headed to the right.

"Doesn't  he look a little bit too young to drive?" I asked. "He has his learner's permit," Luke explained. We walked to Luke's house in silence.

"You've never told me that Seth was your foster brother," I said softly. Luke stopped for a moment then looked at me. "I didn't want to," he responded. "It was none of your concern."

"I know it wasn't my business," I insisted. "But I don't really know that much about you." "Cole," Luke replied. "It's best if you don't know." I stared at him for a moment.

"You're my friend, Luke." I blurted. "You're my friend too," Luke admitted, blushing. "But you don't need to know anything about me." I stood completely still, dazed at what he said. "Let's go to the lab," he said calmly, walking to his house. Rolling my eyes, I trailed after his heels.

Luke opened the door and allowed me inside his house.  The insides of the house was darker than the Dark Knight. From the corner of my eye, I saw his mother and father, sitting on the couch drinking two bottles of Coke and watch television.

"Come on," Luke urged, grabbing my arm. "Let's go." I nodded, not wanting to catch his parents attention. We quietly marched upstairs into his room and opened the secret latch on the floor.

Right after we jumped, Luke turned on the lights then headed to his desk. While he booted up his laptop, I took a quick peek on the files neatly packed away in the cabinet.

"Don't touch them," Luke said, facing his computer. "What are they?" I asked. "Every record on every crook in San Francisco." "You stole them?" I cried. Luke turned his head towards me.

"I was just joking," Luke said. "There are just pictures and memories of my parents." "Seth told me that they were addicted to detective stuff," I said. Luke chuckled. "They were the best detectives, not to everyone, but to me and Seth."

"In the files, were their unsolved cases, someday I thought of completing everyone of them." "When you are finished," I began slowly. "What are you going to do?"

Luke thought about it for a moment. "I don't know," he admitted. "Maybe marry a girl who doesn't drive me bonkers, get a job as a forensic scientist or a detective, and write my adventures."

"How come?" I asked. "So one day," he continued. "When my days are coming to an end, people will read them. Kind of like a memoir or something."

I smiled at him. "So the young Sherlock Holmes wants to be Dr. Watson?" Luke rolled his eyes. "I know," he laughed. "Pretty stupid, huh?" "No," I said. "That's pretty sweet and cool."

"Like you," Luke admitted. We blushed at that moment. "Okay," I said slowly. "What have you found out in the hospital?" "Other than the fact that Ellen's dead," Luke sighed. "I have no idea."

I peered into the computer screen then glanced at Luke. He looked pale and grim like a ghost. "That's fine," I said. "We'll wait for Seth to give us the scoop."

Luke gave me a deadpan look. "The scoop?" Luke repeated. "Yeah," I answered, looking confused. "Why?" "Nothing," Luke said. "It's just that I have never hear a person say 'Scoop'."

"You have never heard of the word, 'Scoop' before?" I asked in disbelief. "You know, ice cream scoop, newspaper scoop?" "I never had ice cream before," Luke admitted. "What?" I cried. "Eating ice cream is like a kid's childhood!"

Luke didn't say anything after that. For an instant, I felt bad for him. His parents and Seth were the only three things that kept him grounded. I gave Luke a soft pat on the shoulder.

"The good news is," Luke explained. "I have managed to unscramble the footages of the night before Ellen's murder." "Good," I beamed hopefully. "What have you found?" "That's the bad news," Luke said. "Before I can show you this, promise me you are not going to scream and call the police?"

I nodded. "Luke," I sighed. "I'm your friend, not Madison, now play the tape." He took a deep breath then pressed the Play button. The footage showed my father comforting Stacy and throwing the pen with all of his might.

Stacy nodded, kissed him on the cheek, and headed back into the house. With Stacy gone, Dad dialed the number on his phone and hoisted up to his ear.

Luke increased the volume. "Hey Dennis," he said. "It's me, Lewis. I have the money you need." I stared at the screen in confusion. "It didn't take that long," he sighed. "After all, Stacy did have the money in her safe."

I bit my lip. "He stole the money," I murmured. "There's more," Luke said, skipping the rest of the clip. It paused to the moment where Stacy and Ellen had a major fight in the house.

It was hard to hear through the loud crickets, communicating with each other. Ellen marched out of the house, looking angry and upset. She swept the dark bangs out of her eyes and wept.

That's when two large figures came up to her. "Oh my gosh," I gasped. In the shadows,  are my grandparents, looking at her with patient eyes.

"Ellen," Grandmother replied. "Why are you crying?" Ellen wiped the tears off of her face then shook her head. "I'm fine," Ellen sniffed. "Where's your boyfriend, Lewis?" Grandpa asked.

Ellen stared at him aimlessly. "How did you know about-" "We understand that your affair with our son was under wraps," Grandmother interrupted.

"We understand just how you feel right now, Stacy ruining everything, the wedding, and I am not surprise that you are not in the verge of crying in your bed."

"I don't understand," Ellen replied. "Are you trying to blackmail me?" Grandpa gave her a cold stare. "We are doing what is best for the family," he said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a book and scribbled something with his pen.

He ripped the page out of the book then handed it to Ellen.  "A check of ten million dollars," Grandpa beamed. "In return, you are going to stay away from our son."

Ellen looked at them as if they were psychotic. "Take it," Grandmother smiled. Ellen swallowed a gulp then took the check. Luke paused the video and looked at me.