The Crimson Chariot

10 | Confessions of a Sinner

"How?"

"Ethan would use the recording to blackmail Janet into giving him what he wanted. He didn't hesitate to drag us along," Archie explains.

"If you were so repulsed by all of this, why didn't you back off? Why didn't you take Janet's side?" I ask.

Archie looks at me and sighs. "It wasn't as easy as it seemed. If Ethan found out I was conspiring behind his back, he wouldn't have hesitated to kick me out of his friend circle."

"So you let an innocent woman suffer just because you were afraid to lose your posse?" I scrunch my eyebrows, wondering how oblivious of an accomplice he is.

"Not just that!" Archie exhales before turning to look at me. "Ethan was evil. He'd brainwashed everyone into believing he was the good guy. If I turned on him, the world would turn on me. That's how powerful he was. Besides, he came from the kind of wealth that I can only imagine. His parents were...are billionaires, and it's a fact that that sort of wealth can't be earned by moral means."

"But one person did go against Ethan, right?" Aiden asks, tilting his head to the side. "Jeremy Holloway, Janet Holloway's brother?"

Archie gives us a surprised gaze like he didn't expect us to bring Jeremy up. "Ye...Yes, he did."

"And what happened to him? So far as we know, Jeremy's family perished in a car accident and his body was never found. Did Ethan or Ethan's parents have anything to—"

"Look Detective, I'm not sure about what happened to Jeremy that night..." Archie says. Archie fiddles with his fingers, not meeting either of our gazes. It's a white lie that both Aiden and I can see through.

"Mister Gardner, if you're worried about going against Ethan's parents, I'd like you to know they aren't the threat in this scenario. Janet is, or at least that's what seems like it, and if don't tell us everything, we can't guarantee your safety," Aiden explains in a calm voice that produces a shift in Archie's features.

"Given you're definitely next on her hit list," I say, adding fuel to the burning fire.

Archie contemplates for a second, taking his face in his hands and taking deep breaths, before finally raising his head and answering, "I'm not sure what happened because Ethan wouldn't tell me anything about it but it was senior prom night when the incident occurred."

I recall being at their senior prom. Diana was Ethan's date and she brought me along as a plus one.

"I noticed Ethan and Paul missing from the crowd. Thomas had no idea where they were either and he told me to brush it off. But I had a gut feeling that something wasn't right. It was only the next day that I found out what happened to Jeremy's family."

"So Ethan and Paul never told you where they were that night?" I ask and Archie answers with a shake of his head.

"Wait, why Paul? Why not Thomas, his best friend, or you? Paul was the last to join your group, then why did Ethan trust him over you both?" Aiden asks and that even puts me in a state of confusion.

Archie shrugs. "Ethan had seen the way Paul betrayed Janet. He was willing to do everything just to be in Ethan's good graces, so Ethan exploited him. Paul was his closest buddy now."

And that is pretty much all the information we needed from Archie. Aiden lets him know he'll try to put him under police protection, which not gonna lie, irks me just a little bit. I know I'm supposed to be on the side of the law, but a part of me wishes him to pay for his actions. I can't stand Archie knowing what he's done.

"Thank you for your cooperation," Aiden says, shaking Archie's hand as the three of us get to our feet. I walk into the elevator without saying goodbye to the friend of two fucking rapists. It's unprofessional, I know, and I know I'm letting my emotions get the best of me, but who cares? It's not like Archie is in a position to demand better reception.