It Started With a Murder

Chapter Seven

SIDE NOTE - Just out of pure curiosity I wondered who all you lovely readers think the murderer is, based on what you know already? Just a tad curious :)

Cathie:

I watch Adrian’s hands clench, tighter and tighter as we continue to run through facts that we know about Annabelle’s murderer. The main fact being - It was someone Annabelle trusted, therefore someone that we more than likely know. That scares me, a lot.

“Okay, so who do we know, that could have a reason to hate Annabelle?” Murphy asks, her green hair falling into her eyes as she stares, intently at the notes she’s been taking.

There’s a long silence, I look up at everyone and realise that they’re all staring back at me, “Me?” I ask, my voice shaking slightly, “I didn’t hate Annabelle!”

Murphy laughs slightly, “No, but your probably the most knowledgeable on who did hate Annabelle, doesn’t your group of friends all bitch about each other behind everyone’s backs?” 

I shrug, “I don’t know, my group of friends really consisted of Annabelle and Pearl, the rest were just people who seemed to follow us around.”

“You can’t think of anyone?” Josh asks, forming a worried frown.

“Your pretty useless then aren’t you!” Adrian says, his face showing ever sign of disdain.

I sigh and rack my brains, desperately trying to think of people who didn’t like Annabelle, “Percy.” I suddenly blurt out.

All three of them jolt their heads up to look at me, “Percy who?” Murphy asks.

“Percy Johnson, I think his name is.” I say, everyone continues to give me a questioning look so I continue, “He had a crush on Annabelle…”

“What! When?” Adrian asks, his voice like ice.

“He’s liked her for years! Well, at least a year.” I pause, “Then she started to go out with you. He got really pissed off, he was screeching and throwing things, saying how he was going to kill you, Adrian. Pearl managed to calm him down before he saw Annabelle though.” 

“That doesn’t add up, me and Annabelle split up, before her murder, surely this Percy guy would’ve been happy about that!” Adrian says, confusion clouding his features.

“Let me finish.” I say, “After you two split up, Percy went to ‘comfort’ Annabelle and he tried to kiss her, but she didn’t like him so obviously she pushed him off.” I pause, small, scared shivers running up my spine, “Then he tried to force himself on her.”

Murphy lets out a small gasp and buries her face in Josh’s chest, I watch for Adrian’s reaction but he doesn’t move, he just sits still, staring  blankly at a space in front of him. I continue, “She screamed and I heard her…” I stop again, “So I went round, I hammered on the front door and said that if nobody answered I would call the police.” 

There’s a solemn silence before Murphy whispers, “What happened?”

I smile slightly, “Percy let Annabelle go, I don’t think he gets on too well with the police. Annabelle said she would let it go this one time but if he ever did it again she would certainly report him.”

There’s another silence as we all mull this over, the more I think about it, the more I feel stupid for not mentioning Percy earlier! 

“I think we need to do some investigating.” Murphy says, a professional, briskness entering her voice.

Josh nods, his features hardened into a stubborn mask, “Percy has a motive, now we need to see whether or not he has an alibi.”

“How are we going to find that out?” I ask, feeling hopeless.