Life of Lies

Chapter 21- The Truth Will Set You Free

Elizabeth POV

After my encounter with Hannibal, I immediately went to my laptop to stash away in Beverly's office to document what had occurred. I took photos of my wrists, which still had some marks from when Hannibal grabbed me. I didn't realize how strong Hannibal was. As I began to upload the pictures and record to a hidden file on my laptop, someone knocked on the door and walked in. It was Beverly. She didn't say anything to me at the moment, but she grabbed her crime scene kit and said,

"I'm heading to a scene. Some workers were inspecting a stream, and they found three bodies. Do you want to come along?"

I looked up from my computer and said,

 "No, I have some work to do, but I'll catch up with you later."

Beverly looks at me suspiciously and then replies,

"Elizabeth, I'm worried about you. You used to be so eager to see a dead body. Now, ever since Will was locked away, you've been so distant."

I stopped what I was doing. I closed my laptop and looked at Beverly. Even though Beverly had walked away when Hannibal placed his hands on me, I don't think she saw the whole situation. 

"Yes, I am acting differently because I am under a lot of stress. Different? Yes, but distant? No. Trust me, Bev. I can handle anything, but I am currently busy. I will look at the bodies later when you bring them to Jimmy and Brian. I'll see you later." 

Beverly looked at me like I just blew a microchip. Beverly walks away and closes her office door. I reopened the laptop, and I saw that the recording and the pictures were uploaded onto my hidden file. I laid back in the chair and began to think about the many conversations that I had with Hannibal. Most people would think that I was overreacting with Hannibal and that it is simply my ego getting in the way of him and me establishing an acquaintanceship. If he hadn't insulted me when we first met, then maybe we could be friends. I packed up my things in my satchel and left Beverly's office. I texted Andrew to see how the crime scene was, and he said that it was boring. I giggled slightly because Andrew sent me an emoji of a crying face. I texted him that I couldn't wait for our date later that evening. Andrew had planned on taking me to a movie date and dinner afterward. As I am heading to the elevator, I get a phone call. 

"Hello?" 

"Liz, it's Chilton. I need to come down to the facility."

"Fred, I'm heading back home to get dressed to go on a date. What can be so important that you need me there?" 

"It's not me that needs you. It's Will." 

My heart sank. I run into the nearby stairwell so no one can hear me, and I continue my conversation. 

"Give me 10 minutes, and I'll be there soon." 

I hang up, and I hold my phone against my heart. I haven't told Will anything of what Hannibal has been doing. The only times I had gone to see Will was to talk and play chess. What was I going to tell him? I better tell him the truth—the whole story of the day that Hannibal and I met to the encounter that has happened.