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Chapter 16

Chapter 16

       After work, I walked to the diner to get a milkshake, hoping that the very cute worker was there tonight. If she wasn't, I would have to leave.

       Ariella was there, thankfully, working at the counter, so I walked over and sat on one of the stools. "I'll take a chocolate milkshake," I said.

       "Coming right up," Ariella said before going to the kitchen to make it.

       While she was in there, Dan walked out to give a table his food. After setting the food on the table, he was heading back to the kitchen when he saw me. "Hey," I said. "I haven't seen you for a while. How are you doing?"

       Dan shrugged. "As well as someone can do after finding out their grandfather was killed."

       "I'm so sorry about it," I said. "We're really doing everything we can. It's just....whoever is doing this thought it through really carefully. We can't even think of any suspects."

       "Yeah, Destiny told me Calvin is the only one, but I don't believe it," Dan said.

       "Trust me, he definitely isn't," I said. "His alibi has checked out for all three. It's weird, though, that he argued with all the victims before it happened. Something isn't adding up."

       "Tell me about it," Ariella suddenly said, handing me my milkshake and I pulled my wallet out of my pocket to hand her the change. "I've been friends with him for years and he is not capable of it at all. He can't even watch movies with even the tiniest of gore. The goriest movie he watched was Tangled."

       "But....Tangled isn't gory," I said.

       "Exactly," Ariella said. She then glanced at the door and scoffed. "Great. Look what the cat dragged in."

       I turned my head, seeing a group of guys I hadn't seen at all. "Who are they?"

       "The one in the black jacket is Joel, and the rest are irrelevant," Ariella said. "Well, Joel is irrelevant too."

       I looked at Ariella again. "And who's Joel?"

       "Calvin's ex-boyfriend," Ariella said. "And possibly the biggest douche bag ever."

       "They come here from time to time and are probably the worst customers ever," Dan said. "And I'm really not in the mood to deal with them today, yet they're sitting at one of the tables I have to serve."

       "We can switch," Ariella said. "I'll serve them and you work at the counter. I can handle them."

       "You sure?" Dan asked and Ariella nodded, so the switched spots.

       "How are they bad?" I asked.

       "Well, for one thing, Joel is the only one that lives in Spruceworth, so the rest of his friends think they can treat everyone like crap and get away with it since they don't live here," Dan said. "Well, Joel doesn't live here much anymore. He lives on campus at the university not far from here."

       "What exactly happened to make Ariella hate Joel so much?" I asked. "I just know he broke up with Calvin twice."

       "Oh, it's Destiny that hates him as well," Dan said. "And it's because both times, it was his friends that pressured him to break up with Calvin, saying that he's not mature enough for Joel since he's still in high school. It's odd, because Calvin does come here a lot too and he's way more mature than Joel. Anyway, Joel and Calvin would argue a lot too and it was always Joel causing it. Needless to say, he didn't care about Calvin a lot, so Ariella and Destiny think Calvin deserves better."

       "Oh, he does," I said. "After the third murder, Calvin was the main suspect and he refused to give his alibi because it would mean telling someone about Kenny, and he would rather not say anything and possibly be even more suspicious than to lose Kenny's trust."

       "And speaking of Calvin," Dan said as Calvin walked to the counter and sat down beside me.

       "Ooh, what are you two gossiping about and can I join in?" Calvin asked.

       "We were just talking about you," I said.

       "How juicy."

       Ariella walked over and placed the order in the kitchen before walking to us. "They're absolutely disgusting," she said. "You know what they told me? That my shirt isn't tight and low enough to be a waitress."

       "I'm sorry, they said what?" I asked, feeling my blood boiling.

       "Yeah, apparently, I need to show cleavage to be a waitress," Ariella said.

       "Do you want me to arrest them for verbal harassment?" I asked. "Because I'm still in my uniform and I will do it."

       "Horatio, don't," Ariella said. "They're just pigs and it's normal for them to do it."

       "Normal?" I asked. "No, it's disgusting and it shouldn't be normal."

       "Who's saying that?" Calvin asked.

       "Joel, and his group of pigs," Ariella said.

       Calvin looked at their table and scoffed before looking away. "Well, I did come for a milkshake, but I lost my appetite and I'd rather not stay where he is."

       "I can always give it to you to go," Dan said.

       "Oh, okay," Calvin said. "I'll take a strawberry milkshake. Actually, make it two, so I can give one to my....friend."

       When Dan went to the kitchen, I looked at Ariella. "Okay, so if you're not going to let me arrest them, can I at least intimidate them?"

       "And how would you do that?"

       "Simple," I said before getting off the stool and walking over to the pigs' table.

       "Can we help you, officer?" Joel asked. "Is it about the murders I heard about? Because I know nothing. You should ask my ex-boyfriend, Calvin Eaten because apparently, he argued with all the victims before it happened."

       "Well, sorry to break it to you, but Calvin's alibis cleared out," I said. "And why are you so interested in telling me about it, when I obviously know?"

       Joel shrugged. "A murder hasn't happened here in a while, and my family doesn't feel safe living here, so I was just helping you do your job."

       "Oh, trust me, I'm doing it well enough," I said. "I'm actually here because I heard what you said to the waitress and I just wanted to let you know that violates code 321."

        "And what is that?" Joel asked.

       "Public verbal harassment," I said.

       "That's not a thing," Joel asked. "And my friends didn't mean any harm."

       "Oh, it sure as hell is a thing," I said. "So unless you want a trip to the police station, I suggest you watch what you say. Have a nice day."

       I walked back to the stool I was sitting on. "Hey, is code 321 even a thing?" Calvin asked. "Sorry, I was eavesdropping. So much drama."

       "Oh, no, it's not a thing, but they look intimidated now, don't they?"

       "They definitely do," Calvin said.

       Ariella smiled at me. "Thanks for that. It's nice to know someone has my back."

       I smiled back. "Anything for a pretty lady such as yourself."

_________________

Calvin, I love you, child.

I ALSO ADOPTED KEVIN FROM RIVERDALE. HE IS MY CHILD AS WELL AND I SHALL PROTECT HIM AT ALL COSTS.

Okay, I decided the next murder is actually taking place the next chapter. I need to rip the band-aid off....