Dear Ava

Chapter 21

It was Ava, Oliver, Noah, and James sitting in Mason's room. They looked attentive but were obviously lost in thoughts. Ava had shown Oliver whatever they had until then. Oliver had been shocked by the evidence, the letters, the journal, everything.

Oliver had never been the one to be suspicious but the news of Mason's death had come as a deep shock to him. He had never believed that his best friend could have committed suicide. The mere thought enough had shattered him. They had been best friends for so long. Oliver had helped him recover from the grief of losing his parents and Mason had helped Oliver through so many things. Mason had helped everyone throughout his lifetime. Oliver had always thought and felt guilty as to why he was not there to help Mason with whatever it was that night. He was not able to sleep, eat, or function properly from the mere guilt that was eating him inside out, that is why he had always been so distant every time.

'Mason wouldn't want to see you like this.' Ava's eyes had given him that message the first time she had come to see him, so he had tried to come out of his shell. Ava's confrontation the day before had shocked him to the core. Mason had not given his life, his life was taken away from him. Someone had snatched his best friend from him, someone had robbed the world of a pure soul. Now that he was a part of this investigation, Oliver had made sure he would find the person.

"Oliver," Ava's voice snapped him out of his daze. He looked at Ava, she looked like the depressed version of herself. Her eyes weren't lighting up anymore. "Oliver, did you see it all?"

Oliver had been given all the clues and he had scanned through them.

"The stolen thing,"

"The book, I thought you took the book. I had no idea what the thing was and Mason was going to bring me this and then I saw it at your house and then, I just, I just kind of thought..." Ava rambled on.

"Aves, It's okay. See, that is why I wasn't telling you about any of this. I knew knowing about this gift, about this last thing Mason left for you, you would be.." Oliver sympathized, "You would be distraught. And now these letters? What is going on?"

"Believe me, I have asked it myself a thousand times."

"Ava, What's Noah doing here?" Oliver was surprised to see that guy. He had not voiced it up until now but he couldn't take it anymore.

"Oliver. I'm sorry." It was Noah who spoke up. "I did all that I shouldn't have, I wasn't right. I know and I understand if you don't get it but I'm here to help. I'm as sorry as I can be..."

"He had some information Oliver, turns out he was the last person that saw Mason."

Hearing that from Ava, Oliver's suspicion turned toward the guy. "How are you guys having him here then? Hearing all that you had to tell, Noah could be the one. Huh, Noah?" his tone was angry.

"It's not like that, we ruled him out. One clue and then many didn't fit and then he confessed." James reasoned but Oliver still looked unconvinced.

"Oliver, why would he confess if he was the one?" Ava tried to explain.

He still didn't believe Noah as much but if Ava did, Oliver thought it was for the better.

"How did you guys land on me?" he finally asked.

"Oliver....." Ava hesitated, why would anyone want to hear why their best friends suspected him for murdering their other best friend.

"Nope, tell me that first."

"It was the first letter,' Someone close', it said and then the second added up, saying 'There is a stolen thing', another one said stuff about the schedule and then the break-in and having the key, then the journal and your alibi not matching?" It was James who was rambling now.'

"Wait up. The key?"

"Yes, look here, this one." Ava picked up an unopened letter from the floor and handed it to Oliver.

"The intruder had the key." Oliver was conforming the facts with himself.

"Yes. And that is why we reeled you in suspicion and ruled Noah or other people out....."

"The intruder had the key." Oliver looked oddly spooked.

"Yes, and that is why..."

"Ava, I had lost my house keys, which of course had Mason's house key too for a while!"