Search | Spruceworth 2

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

       Once again, I was staring at the murder board we had in the police station. The very empty murder board with only one more picture being added; Joel's. We were waiting for his professor's reply to see if he really was in class that day.

       Linus walked into the room I was in. "You know, I don't get why you're letting Calvin get away with this," he said.

       I sighed. "Because Calvin, like I've said plenty of times, isn't the killer. Someone's framing him."

       "Everyone here is suspicious of him," he said. "Except you. I think that says something."

       "Yeah, it does," I said. "And that's that I believe Calvin. He gave me his alibis and all of them checked out. He knows all of the victims, and there's no way he would kill them, or attempt to kill them."

       "He knows all the victims," Linus repeated. "He knows all the victims. If he knows them, he must have some sort of motivation, like, I don't know, an argument."

       I didn't say anything else because Angus walked into the room. "The email came back," he said. "Joel was in fact in class the day Hugo was murdered. It wasn't him."

       I sighed. "Great. There goes our only lead."

       "I have another lead," Linus said, walking over to the murder board and pointing to the picture of Calvin. "Something isn't right about him."

       "Linus, it isn't him," I said."

       "Chief, do you think it was him?" Linus asked.

       "Most likely," Angus replied.

       "See?" Linus said to me. "I think the chief has a better judgment."

       "No, you know who has a better judgment?" I asked. "My brother. You know, the only victim who survived? His memory is still a bit foggy, but he knows it wasn't Calvin. I trust the both of them."

       "Have you ever thought that maybe your brother was lying to protect Calvin?" Linus asked. "And after he couldn't take it anymore, Calvin shot him? And that's why he's not saying anything because he's too scared?"

       "If he was too scared, he wouldn't be hanging out with Calvin anymore," I said. "A bunch of us had lunch together, Calvin and Kenny included, and Kenny was not scared or uncomfortable at all. I know my brother and he's telling the truth. You really think he would cover for anyone who could have killed our grandfather's best friend?"

       "Alright, no more arguing about this," Angus said. "Simms, did Calvin think of anyone else who would want to frame him?"

       I shook my head. "No. Joel was the only one."

       "Or the people that he shot and killed," Linus said.

       "He didn't do it," I said.

       "Keep thinking that," Linus said.

       "Oh, I will," I said.

       One of the other offices, Karina, rushed into the room. "Chief, there has been another murder," she said. "A body was found laying in the alley with a bullet to the heart and not a single gunshot was heard."

       "Who was the victim?" Angus asked.

       "Rajan Parth," she replied.

       Rajan Parth....

       Priya's younger brother.

       He was only thirteen.

       "Alright, you three are coming with me," Angus said.