The Piper's Call

Chapter 11

Hello again!  Decided to update early to make up for last week!  To anyone who is STILL with this book I have to applaud you for your support! You have no idea what it means to writers like me. Please be generous with your amazing comments- I want to know what you think! You all have individual, informed and brilliant insights and I want to hear them, honestly.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! 

Chapter 11- The Road Less Travelled

Nina P.O.V.

"Are you sure?" Thomas shot me a sceptical look. I returned it.

"Yes. It couldn't have been anything else. Eliza Reynolds was murdered."

Thomas paused a second, grabbing my arm to stop me in my tracks and forcing me to look at him. "Nina, that's serious stuff. How can you even prove that?" His face was a perfect image of anxiety.

I shoved his hand off me, touch was not needed in this situation. It made me uncomfortable to have anyone that close. I walked on, determined to continue with the explanation.  I thrust the newspaper cutting into his hands.

"The angle of the body, the precise nature of the hit. You want to be a doctor, don't you? Can't you see how she was killed?"

Thomas looked carefully at the picture and frowned, bringing it close to his face. Any minute he would notice what I noticed.  "Killed by a hit to the head? Bottom of the cranium. But I thought she was run over?"

"Exactly." Hmm, maybe I had underestimated him. "A sharp, accurate blow to the back of the head. No car could have created that dent. Too small. So, go on then."

He looked like he might take a heart attack. He managed to choke out a reply, "Go on with what?"

"Tell me what you see. Show me your method."

"What is this to you- a maths problem?" He sighed and proceeded, "She was killed by a sharp hit to the back of the head, and the excessive blood loss from that. She was there for a while, probably discovered by a driver on the road where she was found."

I couldn't fight a smile. His interest was clearly in the case. Which made my job a lot easier. "Yes?"

Thomas' eyes were clouded with confusion, "Um...she can't have been there too long, that road connects Loughshore to the motorway. It would have been busy." I prompted him with a insistent glance. He turned cherry red under my gaze. When he began speaking again, a slight stutter had crept into his voice.

"She...she's not the first, is she? I don't get it Nina, why kill her? What's the point?" He kicked a pebble, stumbling a bit, thanks to the unbalanced nature of his posture with his bad leg.

I sighed at his frustration. I felt the same, not knowing was uncomfortable. I'm not used to it.

"The absences at school. They're not a coincidence- it's all connected. Add that to Lewis' mentions of the Pied Piper and it's obvious."

Thomas scoffed, "Obvious?"

"Clearly. Kidnap. Eliza must have known something. That's why she was killed. Then, you take into account the behaviour of her father before his death. It all makes a bit more sense! Don't you see?" Thomas looked down at his feet. I continued, unfazed. "That blow to the back of the head, only something strong could have created it. A weapon that's easy to maneuver, and easy to get rid of or hide later. Nothing so clear cut as a gun or knife, an illegal object like that would be too hard to obtain and use without suspicion. It's not so hard to figure out Thomas, after all, we've seen it. A hurley stick. It would fit all the criteria perfectly. Thomas? Why aren't you saying anything? "