The Piece System

Chapter Twenty: ALEX

"Nothing?" Alex led back on the sofa and sighed, "Really?"

Lisa shrugged, hands enveloping her steaming mug.

"Yeah. Your dad's been completely normal." she said, the local news humming on the tv.

"He wasn't being," Alex gestured around, "Suspicious? Weird?"

Lisa shook her head, hand stroking Cricket, who'd made herself comfortable between the two women.

Alex frowned. "I would've though he might've been less on guard with his fiancé."

"Alex, what if, I don't know," Lisa put her cup on the coffee table, "Maybe, he's not who you think he is?"

Alex scoffed, "Yeah, he's a two-faced Pawn abuser."

"No, that's not what I mean."

"Then what?"

Lisa hummed to herself. "Have you never stopped to think that maybe he didn't properly read what he signed?"

"Lisa, I just showed you the letter with his signature on the bottom." Alex said, "It's not a lot to read."

"Still."

Alex looked away. For the past three years since she'd found the letter, she'd thought Lisa wouldn't be reliable. That's why she hadn't told her despite their strong friendship. Because she loved Brennan, and Alex had no doubt he loved her too. They'd been dating for years and, although they didn't live together, they didn't just love each other—they were friends. But what if she was holding back? What if she was hiding something or, worse still, what if she was spying on her for Brennan?

She shook the thoughts away. Lisa was her friend, always had been. If she didn't half-believe Brennan could be allowing something she felt so strongly about—equality—then she wouldn't have agreed to help her. Lisa had good morals, it was half the reason Alex felt like she could trust her. She was only spying on Brennan because somewhere, she had a doubt that Alex was right. Never would she spy on Alex for Brennan. Why? Because that would mean she knew and supported Brennan's decision to sign off on the abuse. And she would never do that.

"Actually," Lisa pulled her phone out of her pocket, "There was one thing."

Alex was immediately listening. Lisa pressed play on her phone. Voices were quiet and crackling.

"Sorry, I couldn't get any closer without him seeing." Lisa said. Alex mouthed that it was fine, leaning in to hear.

"For the renovations?" Brennan. He was on the phone, but Lisa hadn't managed to pick up whoever was on the other end.

"Sure, frame the kid. He's a menace."

Silence as the mystery person spoke.

Who's the kid? Framed? More questions were thrown onto Alex's burning pile.

"Yeah." Brennan again. "Yeah, no, yeah that's fine. It's just one person. Besides, it'll make him finally realise he needs to back off. Permanently."
Crackling silence. Alex frowned. Who needed to back off? 'It was just one person' what?

This time, the silence was longer.

"Wait, what?" Brennan's voice was tense, worried. Anxious.

"But couldn't The Set pick someone else?" Brennan's footsteps began to pace on the recording. Lisa shuffled from wherever she was hiding.

"But why a child?" Brennan's voice was distressed. Alex widened her eyes. A child was caught up in this?

"Still, he's basically a child."

Suddenly, whoever he was on the phone with raised their voice loud enough to be heard. It was a just a sharp, direct hum. But whoever they were, they clearly weren't up for a debate.

"Okay. Okay fine." Brennan backed down, "Whatever. It's the Kings orders."

The King. Alex's blood boiled. She'd wanted to work in The Set her whole life and it turned out The King, a woman whose title had been passed down from her father and his mother before him, was corrupt. And she'd corrupted Alex's father.

"Alright, alright bye."

Then the recording stopped.

Lisa sunk back into her seat. "That's all I got."

"Do you believe me now then?" Alex asked. Slowly, Lisa nodded.

"Yeah. I do. Want me to send you it?"

"Please."

They went quiet, the chatter of the news droning on about stock plummeting in the background followed by a ping of Alex's phone.

"There you go." Lisa said.

"Well, this is a big help. And if you ever see anything else like a weird letter or if he ever says something off, let me know." Alex said.

Lisa nodded, "Okay. But I'm still not comfortable with this."

"But you know it could be true."

She didn't reply to that. Or if she did, Alex didn't hear. Her eyes were rooted to the tv as she turned up the volume.

The black and white swirls behind the presenter were replaced by a photo and a sensitivity warning.

"Oh my..." Alex stared, unable to believe what she was hearing. The cycling caption at the bottom read murder on Blackmoore alley. Suspect on the run.

And the picture, the picture was of a smiling, ginger sixteen-year-old boy—Kieran. Lisa's initial sympathy statement faded away as she looked at Alex. Her face dropped.

"You know him?" She asked. Alex nodded, numb.

"Yeah he's, he's one of my students." she swallowed the rising lump in her throat, "And a, uh, a friend of a friend."

Lisa looked back at the screen, "Damn, I'm so sorry. Let's hope they catch the murderer then."

Alex nodded slowly.

Before she even had a chance to process it further, someone knocked at her door. Two solid knocks. As she got up, they knocked again. Faster this time. More urgent.

"I'm coming." Alex's voice was shaky, "I'm coming."

Bet you've not just lost someone you know. She thought angrily.

Opening the door proved her wrong. Jake stood there, eyes red raw and clothes soaked, hair clinging to his forehead.

"Jake. What are you doing here?" Alex asked, taking a step back to let him in. He said nothing, just took one look at her sofa. At Lisa. Then at the tv. Alex followed his gaze. The picture of Kieran faded away as the presenter announced for everyone to be on the lookout for the murder suspect, picture on screen.

And that picture was Jake's mugshot. Alex's jaw dropped, head snapping to him. He dragged his eyes from the screen to meet hers.

"I swear I didn't do it."

That was all he said before he was gone. That was all he said, all he told her. All she had to go on.

So why did she believe him?

"Who was that?" Lisa called back to her.

"Uh," Alex peered out into the now empty corridor, "He had the wrong room."

"Oh, okay. Come look at the guy they're saying did it. Then you'll know who to look for."

Alex limped back, head spinning.

Jake had no reason to do it: from what she'd seen, the pair were like brothers. And if he said he didn't do it, she believed him. Don't ask her why, she didn't know. She just did. But that meant someone was framing him. Who? The mystery vandal? The one who'd hurt the Knight woman he'd been staying with? The person Brennan had been talking to? Or what if it was someone else entirely?

She didn't know where to start. But as Lisa commented it was late and headed home, Alex was left alone with her new evidence. That seemed like a better place than any.

Looks like she would have to call in a cover teacher again, because she wasn't getting any sleep tonight.