𝓓𝓸 𝓸𝓻 𝓓𝓲𝓮 ❣︎ 𝓔𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻 𝓐𝓭𝓭𝓪𝓶𝓼

𝓢𝓔𝓡𝓘𝓔𝓢 𝓞𝓝𝓔 ❣︎ 7

Weems seemed reluctant. "I'm not sure I can allow that."

"Well, I'm sure I could take her to the station and get a formal statement," the sheriff spoke up, still sat down. He flashed a second's smirk at Weems. "Yeah, let's go."

"Fine," Principal Weems gave up, her heels clicking against the floor as she left the room. But before she did, she faced the sheriff. "You have five minutes, and everything is off the record. Oh, and do play nice... or I will call the mayor."

Ember waited until the door was firmly closed, then she turned to the man before her. "Someone is trying to cover up Rowan's murder. It's the only reason to scrub the crime scene."

"Is that your professional opinion as the daughter of a murderer?" The sheriff asked.

"Niece, by your standards," Ember replied. "Gomez is my uncle, and he's twice the man you are, but he's not a murderer. Well, apart from the occasional opera in the shower. It makes me wish I didn't have ears."

"Very funny, Addams," the sheriff said stiffly. "But it's been a long night and I'm tired of your games-"

"I'm not playing games," Ember told him. "I'm telling the truth. And you want to reject my claims but you can't."

Sheriff Galpin scoffed. "And why's that?"

"Because you and I both know there's a monster out there," Ember said in a low voice. "And Rowan's its latest victim. You are many things, sheriff, but you're not stupid. Or at least, I didn't think you were."

Before the sheriff could say anything, the door opened.

"Sheriff?" A woman who worked for him was at the door. Both Ember and the sheriff watched on. "You might wanna see this."

The door opened and there was Rowan.

No blood. No wounds. Not dead. Just... standing there.

Ember's eyes went wide.

Edgar Allan Poe said. "Believe nothing you hear, and half of what you see."

Clearly, Nevermore's most famous alumni picked that up here. No wonder he became a drug-addled madman.

Maybe I'm going the same way.

❣︎❣︎❣︎

"Help me understand why you would claim you witnessed a murder," Dr Kinbott said, whilst Ember sat, bored and ready to leave any second, in her office.

"Because I witnessed a murder," Ember said.

"Was it to gain attention?" Kinbott went on, ignoring the last comment.

Ember shrugged. "I don't think I should bother telling you anything else. You've already decided I'm lying."

"Your life's had a lot of upheaval recently," Kinbott said kindly, but to Ember, it was cool. "It's okay to be confused about things."

"Nothing in my statement said anything about being confused," Ember retorted. "So don't try and lure me into one of your psychological traps."

"No one is trying to trap you," Kinbott smiled. "I'm here to help process your emotions."

"Emotions are something I don't. Do. They lead to feelings, which trigger tears. Another thing I don't do," Ember said firmly.