Becky's Doll

Chapter 17

"So Scarlett and Allison. Tell me about Esther and the reason why she was staying here?" He asked us professionally. I sat silently, watching Scarlett elaborate on the details. Officer Owen's eyes glinted occasionally as he keenly listened to her.

"Jack is a rogue. He used to hurt her," Scarlett broke into tears. He stared unsympathetically at her.

"That's not what Mr Fenton told me. He said you slapped Miss Graham for associating with him," He said coolly. I stared slack jawed at Scarlett. She was blushing.

"That lying bastard! I never laid a finger on her. She is-was my best friend," She responded, stifling a cry. "That Jack is the one who is guilty for her murder. That's indisputable."

Owen closely examined Scarlett, doubt constricting his features into a frown. Scarlett was smart enough to notice the sudden change in his expression.

"He is an abuser. If you want, you can ask my sister. She knows that better than any-" Scarlett blabbered. I gave her a forceful nudge on her. Owen turned his dark gaze upon me. I blushed, embarrassed. Thankfully, he didn't push the topic. After asking further details about her grandmother and parents, he dismissed us. I finally let out a breath. Officer Owen certainly had one of those stares that had the capability to cause suffocation.

**********

It was about five in the morning after everything was cleared from the house. Ezra stayed with me the whole night. Officer Owen was engaged in a deep conversation with dad whose eyes were bloodshot due to lack of sleep, when Ezra and I was preparing to leave the house.

We decided to visit Mr Monner that day. I really wanted to take my mind off all the things that's been taking place lately. Hailey decided to come home and comfort poor Scarlett who had still not stopped her incessant crying. Things at home were getting terribly wrong. It was tainting my mood.

Mr Monner looked at us as if he had been expecting us. "Wonder has fled again," He exclaimed on seeing me. I was slightly disappointed at that.

"Mr Monner-" I spoke but was interrupted.

"Call me Jerome," He intervened.

"Um, J-Jerome," I said, uncertainly. "We went to see Elizabeth," I informed.

Mr Monner- Jerome replied with an awkward silence.

"She asked us to find something in her room. Will y-you let us in? If you are fine with it-" I lied. Ezra smirked mischievously at me.

"Ooh! What happened to the Miss goody-two shoes?" He whispered to me.

"Shut up!" I mouthed at him. Ezra raised an eyebrow quizzically and I shrugged awkwardly. Mr Monner delayed us the permission by contemplating for a long time. I kept on hoping that he would let us in and to my utmost pleasure, he finally nodded his approval.

"The first room, upstairs," He said as he threw a large rusting iron key at us. With an effortless stretch of his hand, Ezra caught the key and winked at the old man who requited the gesture with another wink.

I walked upstairs on the peculiar ladder like staircase rather unsteadily. Ezra kept on threatening to push me down. But when I accidentally tripped, he was the one who saved me from a broken body. I stuck my tongue out at him instead of giving him a grateful smile.

My heart thudded loudly when Ezra inserted the key into the keyhole. With a metallic chink, the door opened. The odour of stale air wafted my nose and I sneezed. Light poured into the room through the curtain less windows, illuminating the small neatly arranged room. Piles of books were arranged on her table and many of her horse racing medals and trophies adorned her shelf. The bed was unmade and an old patchwork quilt was carelessly thrown over it.

Ezra was going through many of her books which were mainly on horses meanwhile I closely surveyed the room for something that looked like a doll. Twenty minutes had easily passed, Ezra had slumped his large body on the wooden floor exhausted after the search. We had found nothing interesting in her room except for her books, clothes and photographs. I was going through her shelf for the second time, when I noticed something peeking out of the quilt.

Not wasting any unnecessary time, I threw the quilt away and grabbed the bedraggled item. A doll with stringy red hair and green eyes. It was torn at various places but the stuffings chiefly came out from the part where the head was attached to the body. I scrutinised the mutilated doll more closely. It had a familiar embroidered loose red smile.

"Do you find it weird that the doll looks so much like Jill Garner?" Ezra asked from behind me, looking at the doll thoughtfully. I looked at him with an inscrutable expression, before staring at the doll again. It did look like Jill Garner! But there was something even stranger-

I replied," Not as much as how weird it is that Becky carries the same kind of doll around."

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Getting any interesting? Well, no? Then,coming up soon. Hehe. Missing Miss Jane? Yes? She is coming back too with a more horrific experience. Watch out!

This chapter is dedicated to nousername-_- for the lovely comment on the book. You certainly made my day. Thanks!!

Be safe,

XX☠