Saving The Undead - Book 2

Chapter 2 - Strong Arm Of The Law

I know Noah and I sort of made up before everything went to shit but that felt like my last moment with him. The last time we were alone and I ruined it.

"Why were you fighting?" Brice went on, pulling me out of yet another painful memory.

"I..." the words caught in my throat on a choked whisper and a tear rolled down my cheek.

Mom put her hand on my knee, "I don't see what this has to do with your case, Brice." She said pointedly, speaking up for the first time.

"Andrea, it has relevance to the case."

I tried not to think of why my mom and the sheriff were on first name basis but it put me on edge. Even more so than before. They seemed familiar with each other and I could feel the tension rolling off my mom in waves.

Brice turned back to me, "Do you know a Peter Benette?"

My body went cold but I tried to keep any reaction off my face. I felt my ears burn with the impending lie about to come from my lips.

I frowned, "No, I don't think so."

"Then why was he at your birthday party at Leah Freeman's house?"

Mom closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. I felt fear course through me body because Brice had done his homework before speaking to me and that meant that he could catch me in a lie. Then it would all be over.

I kept Noah's smiling face in my mind to remind me why it was important to keep my cool. But I still felt the anger slither in like an old friend, ready to defend Noah no matter what.

"There were a lot of people there that night."

Brice kept his eyes focused on me, "We have witnesses saying that you knew him. Maybe a picture will help refresh your memory."

Brice picked up a black briefcase from next to the couch and pulled out a manila folder. He placed a photo on the coffee table, pushing it closer to me and I instantly recognized the person in the picture.

It was a mugshot of Peter.

I made a show of studying the photo and my eyes went wide. I looked back up to Brice, "Noah introduced him as his cousin from out of town."

I knew I was implicating Noah but I couldn't very well implicate myself. If I did then how would I help Noah? Besides I had no idea where Brice was going with this.

"Peter Benette had a vendetta against Biotech and their facility burned down last night. Three weeks after Peter shows up in Brookfield. Miranda Freeman, Leah's mom, worked for Biotech." Brice said.

I hated that they were pinning this on Peter. I hated that they thought Noah was involved. But most of all, I hated that they didn't know Biotech was the one responsible.

"I didn't know that." I said doing my best to sound convincing.

Brice sighed and rubbed his face. For the first time, I noticed dark circles under Brice's eyes, he was tired.

"Sydney, eleven people died in that fire. This isn't an arson investigation, it's a murder investigation and if you know anything you have to tell me the truth."

I felt the cold slap of reality set in and I couldn't even breathe at that point. My lungs constricted and my eyes went wide. Murder?

And they blamed us? I felt the anger and rage start to pulse within me as my blood-lust shot to the surface. They had no idea what we went through,what I had to do just to keep us alive.

As the memories started to flood my vision, anger gripped my body in a vice and I wanted nothing more than to lash out. I held a tight grip on the memory of Noah and tried to reign the rage in. So much, that I started to shake with the effort to keep it contained.