The Academy

Chapter Thirty-Three

I could feel myself smile widely. Not because I was particularly fond of him, but because he was here. With Marisol. Supporting her when she needed him the most.

"It's so nice to meet you," I said, extending a hand.

"Likewise," he said with a smile. "I've heard so much about you."
 Marisol's father put his arm around her and and they took their seats. Aspen rubbed a hand over her stomach. "Kayleigh, there's someone special I want you to meet, as well."

"Aspen!" I exclaimed. "I"m so happy for you! You look gorgeous!"

"Thanks," she said, her cheeks pink from smiling so much. "Honestly, you're the reason I decided to keep him. I remembered our talk after I aborted that baby when I was at Beaumont and how much I regretted it. It made me realize that I wanted to keep this one. The best part was that I told Foster before making a decision, and he really wanted to keep it."

"That's so great, Aspen."

"I couldn't be happier. I've decided to quit drinking or smoking for little Wesley. Guess what his middle name is."

"What?"

"Stockholm," she told me. "Wesley Stockholm Sinclair."


"I love it," I said. "I'm sure he'll be perfect, just like you."


"Yes, yes, the baby will be beautiful," Tatum said with an eye roll, pulling me away from the group, "but people are filing in and the trial will start soon."

I nodded. It was time to get down to business.

"Arthur Rosterford had an inappropriate relationship with Vivienne Aldridge," the prosecuting attorney, Patty Rhodes, said. "They slept together, while he was married to Tamara Rosterford. As many people know, Tamara died from cancer twelve years ago, so it's impossible to know if she knew about the relationship or not. But, Vivienne threatened to tell Tamara about Arthur and Vivienne's relationship, so he killed her to silence her.

"Ivy Templeton found out when she was assigned the same room Vivienne had been assigned at Beaumont Academy. She found Vivienne's diary and was aware of the relationship between the two, until Arthur killed her, as well."

I snuck a glance at Rosterford. He had a large, unkept beard that contrasted against his bald head. He kept his head down, refusing to look at the prosecuting attorney as she spoke.

"Ivy Templeton was friends with five girls: Marisol Harrington, Lindsay Thatcher, Carlisle Kellams, Aspen Colville, and Kayleigh Stockholm, all of whom were told by Ivy about Arthur and Vivienne's relationship. Ivy also informed the girls that Vivienne had been murdered by Arthur. Arthur knew that Kayleigh and Marisol were aware of the murder, so, with the help of Mrs. Regina Peterson, a teacher at Beaumont Academy, he held the two hostage in a secret tunnel below Beaumont Academy, where he told them of his plans for them. Those plans were the same plans that had been executed on both Ivy and Vivienne.

"The two girls were rescued after Marisol called the police on her phone, allowing the whole conversation between Kayleigh and Arthur to be recorded and their location to be found."

The prosecuting attorney went on a bit more, adding details to the story, until the tape of the entire conversation was played, including my favorite part:

"Ivy knew, so I killed her, too."

"You're a sick, old man. A real piece of shit."

"Music to my ears. Keep it coming."

"You're pathetic, Rosterford. Real pathetic. You think that you can just kill students to keep yourself safe, when you're really just digging your own grave. It's disgusting."

"That's all you've got?"

"Go to hell! Go to hell, you low-life bastard!"

"Nothing warms my heart more than hearing you say that."

Nervous chuckles erupted from the public at that part, but I laughed the loudest.

"Did you know that Marisol was on the phone with the dispatchers while you were talking with Arthur?" Patty asked me.

I was in the witness stand, ready to answer any question thrown at me. My heart was racing and my palms were sweaty, but I still would never admit to Tatum that I was the least bit nervous.

"Yes," I said. "When Mrs. Peterson came into the tunnel, he stopped to talk with her for a few minutes. They were too close for Marisol or I to say anything without being heard, so Marisol mouthed to me, 'Stall him. Get him to talk about everything.' So I did. I got him to say where we were and how to get there, so the police would know our exact whereabouts."

"Very smart," Patty said, smiling. "And he admitted murdering Ivy and Vivienne?"

"Multiple times."

"Good. I've got one question, that I'm sure everyone is wondering. How did you keep your cool during that time? You were being threatened by a dangerous man, with all the tools needed to end you, and you somehow turned it around and made it a confession."

I shrugged. I'd been wondering the same thing. "I honestly don't know. Maybe, it was because I knew I had nothing to lose. I was positive that I was going to die. I could either stall him and have a chance at living, or just give up and die immediately."
 

"Thank you," Patty said, stepping away. The defense attorney began to cross-examine.

"You say that Mrs. Peterson was killed by a gunshot from Arthur's gun," the defense attorney, Richard Cherry began. "Is it possible that he was killed by one of the law enforcement officers?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "Forensics have evidence that the bullet came from Rosterford's gun."

"Did you do anything to injure Arthur?" Richard asked, stepping toward me. "In the tape, you said, and I quote, 'Go to hell, you low-life bastard!' Did you harm him or want to see him get injured?"

"Objection!" Patty shrieked, shooting up out of her seat. "Irrelevant!"

"Sustained," the judge said, pointing his gavel at Richard. "The only injury to Arthur Rosterford was a bullet wound to the shoulder by Detective Robert Mercer."

"No further questions," Richard said, moving his hand as if he could wave away the statement.

I couldn't keep myself from smiling. The prosecution was rock solid.

~~~

"All rise for the verdict."

My heart was no longer pounding in just my chest. It felt like there were tiny heartbeats in each of my body parts, my whole body shaking.

"Arthur Rosterford, you are found guilty of the murders of Ivy Templeton, Vivienne Aldridge, and Regina Peterson, and guilty of the attempted murders of Kayleigh Stockholm and Marisol Harrington."

 It was as if a weight was lifted off of me. When the judge gave him life in jail, I felt no remorse. That dangerous man should never be able to walk the streets again.

After the trial, I went up to talk to Patty Rhodes, and she complimented me on my testimony. As I was talking to her, I glanced over to where Rosterford was getting escorted out, surrounded by multiple law enforcement officers. We made eye contact and he flipped me off before getting pushed out the door.

I shook my head, knowing he'd never bother me again. I was done. With him, with my fears, with my timidness.

I had turned into the New Kayleigh that year. I was her. I was everything I had ever wanted to be. Strong, powerful, and finally proud of myself.