The Mysterious Cycle | #wattys2019

Chapter 5

Eleanor looked at Melinda with horror written all over her face. She couldn't get herself to move or to speak. She sat in the same position for a long moment, preoccupied with fear. She closed her eyes to take in the brand new information that Melinda had broken to her. She had so many questions going on in her head but didn't know where to start. After a long moment, she opened her eyes and spoke,

"Who is this guy?" Eleanor looked at her with uncertainty.

"He's very powerful. He gets all his work done from others so he can have a clean sheet. He does his work off the radar so nobody knows how he looks like. Too smart a man!"

"So...you're saying you've never met him?"

"Nope. Never." Melinda shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"What else do you know about this guy?" Eleanor asked as she came closer to Melinda.

"Whatever I knew I told you lady. That's all I got."

"Although, I wonder, why are you telling me this now? Why not before?" Eleanor asked suspiciously.

"Look, I wanna get outta here soon. You gave me an opportunity and I took it."

"Alright." Eleanor nodded acknowledging it. Finally she asked the question which was troubling her a lot.

"Do you confess to have killed Trevor and Megan?" she asked as she noted down the details in her notepad.

Melinda thought for a while, contemplating what to answer. She seemed to do some sort of a mental calculation. After a few moments, she looked at Eleanor and sighed.

"Yes. But I swear I was coerced into it. Cole threatened me that if I didn't do it he'll kill me. I had no other choice except to budge in. Please believe me!" Melinda pleaded as she extended her hands to hold Eleanor's. Eleanor flicked it off.

"Please...please believe me. Cole Newman is the guy you want! Not me!"

Eleanor didn't say a word. She wrote down everything and headed to the door.

"Wait!" Melinda stopped her before she could exit the room.

"You...you remember the d-deal right?" Melinda stuttered, her voice teary.

"We'll see." Eleanor exited ignoring the screams of Melinda. She was dragged all the way to her cell, while she yelled curses at Eleanor.

"What the hell is that?" Chris looked taken aback.

"Nothing. But you guys have to hear this out." She said and filled them in with the details of her conversation.

"Cole Newman? Wow! Everyday there's something or someone new." Chris said as he sat down on his chair unable to take in such information. Everyone was silent for a few moments, contemplating what to do and how to proceed further. Everyone thought the murderer had been caught, only to know that there was a bigger, more powerful killer.

A brief moment later, Mike broke the silence. "We can't just stand here and wonder what to do. We have to start somewhere."

"He's right. All of you get to work. We have to find this guy. He's our last hope." Will said in his serious tone and everyone got to work finding details about Cole Newman.

"I guess I should go meet Seb." Chris said to no one in particular. Eleanor looked up from her computer and nodded at him and got back to work.

Chris headed towards the hospital where Seb was admitted.