The Crimson Chariot

07 | A Lover's Predicament

"I... I couldn't sleep," she conjures up an explanation. "I was worried about Ethan, so I went back to Lake Iris to see if he had calmed down. He was gone when I got there. I assumed he must have gone home," she says, and Aiden nods but based on his facial expression, he doesn't believe her still.

Diana then turns to me and holds my hand. I furrow my eyebrows at the sudden gesture. "Amara, you believe me, right? We used to be friends in high school; come on, you know me!"

Her voice is pleading, but I know that may just be a trick. I'm not trusting my heart on this one.

"I don't know, Miss Park, The evidence isn't helping your case," I reply simply and bluntly to avoid any emotional interaction with her.

Diana blinks twice in disbelief and pulls her hand away. Her lips are parted like she wants to plead again but soon resumes her formal posture. Two can play a game.

"Well, please keep the affair and pregnancy a secret. I don't want it to get out into the media. It'll ruin my life." She requests but it sounds more like a quiet command. Aiden and I share a look, then nod.

"We are not obligated to divulge your personal information to the media. For now, your information will remain private. Have a good day Miss Park." Aiden replies and gets up, and we both exit the interrogation room.

We head to the break room and make a coffee, and I pass a cup to Aiden.

I watch keenly as he takes a sip out of his beverage, his mind elsewhere.

"Do you believe her?" He suddenly asks.

I exhale, sipping out of my mug. "I'm not sure if I do or don't...but I'm leaning more towards the latter."

Aiden raises an eyebrow like he is intrigued by my response. "Why so?"

I shrug. "Diana's a smart woman. I've known her for a few years and I know she can be viscous enough to keep her secret and save her reputation, whatever it takes." I reply, and he nods.

We don't talk for the next couple of moments, sipping on our coffees quietly when Savannah comes in, walking over to us.

"Hey, Thomas' autopsy results are ready. Come down to the morgue," she informs and leaves.

We wash off our mugs and head to the elevator where Savannah is waiting for us. Right before it closes, Ray skates across the tile floor and slips in.

"Hey Sav, how's your day going?" he asks with a Flynn Rider smirk and she rolls her eyes.

"It's fine, Ray. Did you bring your laptop?" she asks

"Right here, just like you asked!" He holds it up and grins like a child who just got handed a $5 bill.

The elevator stops a few minutes later. We enter the morgue and follow Savannah to one of the embalming tables where Thomas' body lies, pale and lifeless. She grabs a clipboard and hands it to Aiden.

"Anything useful?" he asks before skimming over the report.

"Thomas was strangled with his phone charger and died as a result of asphyxiation, so nothing new on that part. However, I did find this lodged deep in his throat," she says and holds up an evidence bag with a USB drive in it. She hands it over to Ray and points at his laptop. "Play it."

He stares at the tiny object with distaste. "So this USB drive was...inside someone's gullet?"

Savannah doesn't answer and gives him a bored look.

"Are you sure I'm not gonna get a virus?" He asks, plugging it into his laptop and flipping up the screen.

"Well, too late now if you were; you already plugged it in." She chuckles.

The four of us huddle close to the laptop, peering at the screen. Ray opens a video file on the flash drive and as soon as it starts playing, we are horrified at the clip, especially me.

On it, is Ethan raping a drunk Janet Holloway. Thomas was recording and laughing from behind the lens, switching it over to the side. Two other boys appear in the frame as they watch the indescribable deed in silence. One of them looks terrified. The other remains unaffected.

I recognize the four boys in the video.

They were the four people responsible for Janet's death.

And I finally have proof.

***

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hello Arcana's!

Sorry for the delay in the chapter I was sick for a few days! Anyways I hope you enjoy it!

Let me know your thoughts in the comments! Who do you think the murderer is? 

-Author Emily