As we take the long twisting turns on the route to school, my phone rings.
"Hello?" I answer it.
"Emily."
"Amanda?" Why is she calling me?
"What are you doing?" She asks.
"I'm going to school." I say hesitantly. We go to the same school, she should know you have to be there by nine.
"Wait, you didn't hear?" Amanda seems shocked.
"What didn't I hear?"
"School's closed."
"What?" I gasp and turn to Eldon to see if he is listening.
"They found blood. A lot of blood. The police are claiming someone was murdered but it's still an open case. I think it's another link to Riley." Amanda gasps.
"Was there a-" I can't finish but luckily Amanda knows what I'm thinking.
"No. Nothing. No body. Just the same as always. That's what's making me think they're related."
"Are you going to tell the police?" I ask. The answer is simple and written all over but I still need to ask.
"What do I tell them? 'Officer, I've been tracking down this kidnapper, actually, it's not just a kidnapper, this person is murdering people too. And I have more evidence than you. Actually, I know who it is. A seventh grader.'" She is being highly sarcastic, "Yeah right. They'd probably throw me in a mental hospital." I think Eldon is listening because he flinches at the word 'mental.'
"I have to go Amanda." I rush to hang up.
"Wait. Have you figured out the letters yet?" She asks.
"What letters?"
"The alphabet? Richelle? You know, the one I gave you yesterday." That letter.
"Um, no. I haven't figured it out."
"Oh. Well hurry." Then Amanda hangs up.
I slowly pull the phone away from my ear then turn to Eldon.
"Did you hear that?" I ask, nervously.
"Every word." He says and I cringe, "We're turning around."
"Okay." My voice is faint.
Eldon didn't get to drive very far so it takes a matter of minutes to get back to my house.
"Thanks." I muffle.
"No problem." He squeezes my hand then I leave his car.
"Oh. Crap! I'm still wearing your jacket!" I say to Eldon through a closed window.
"Don't worry," He shouts from inside the car, "Keep it!" Then he drives away and I'm left stranded on my driveway.
The air has a bite to it and Eldon's brown leather jacket is as heavy as a basket of rocks. My hair is being blown around but my feet stay planted. Something rings in my backpack. I take it off to see what it is. My phone. I'm getting a call.
"Hello." I say with firmness as I thought it was going to be Amanda.
"Emily." The voice responds with the same rock hard sound.
"Richelle?" Now I'm puzzled.
"Come over here. Now."
"Wait! How did you get my number?" I hope she can hear me through the wind.
"Save your questions. Come over. I'll be waiting." Then Richelle hangs up.
I suddenly feel very cold so I dash up the front steps and into my house. Richelle's offer is unexpected but I have a lot to ask her. I pull off Eldon's coat and shove it into the back of the coat closet then I grab a bright red trench coat and wrap myself in it. My car is waiting for me in the garage so I run outside to the keypad and hurry into my vehicle.
The drive isn't long but it's quiet. Too quiet. The radio doesn't help. I don't even have to turn it on to know that every radio station will be talking about this unidentified serial killer. Songs don't work either because I know that I will be able to connect every lyric to my twisted life. Just like Eldon said, 'it's all messed up.'
Once I reach Richelle's house, I see a shadow through the window on her front door.
I check my car to make sure I haven't left anything behind, then I jog up Richelle's long driveway. My legs are healing quite fast but I don't want to be the one to jinx everything.
"I'm glad you could come." Richelle greets me once I escaped the frost, "Have you heard about the murder in your school?" She's taunting me.
"Yes I have. Am I right to assume you had something to do with it?"
"I told you to save your questions." Richelle hisses then leads me to a room. It's private and looks to be an office. Bookshelves line the walls and a small window is on the far end. In the very middle is a desk made out of dark wood. The curtains are closed giving the room a 1930-black-and-white-detective-movie feel. The white French doors throw off the theme but it does make the room feel much more airy.
"Why did you ask me to come?" I ask.
"Take a seat and try to follow instructions. I will explain everything." Richelle doesn't look at me, instead, she moves behind the big desk and takes a seat on the gigantic spinny chair. I look around at all the files that flood the ground. Richelle nods to the black leather - and what appears to be expensive - chair in front of her on the other side of the desk. Cautiously, I take a seat.
"Alright." Richelle finally starts, "Let's play a game."
"I'm not playing tag with you." I struggle to keep all emotion out of my voice.
"It's not what you think." Richelle waits for me to respond but I insist on keeping a statue form, "We aren't fighting against each other, Emily. we have a common enemy, shouldn't we be teaming up?"
"If you have forgotten, we did, and it didn't turn out too well." I mutter. I'm the one that turned her crazy.
"Let me finish." She waits for my approval then begins again, "Ask me anything and I will answer truthfully. In return, you will tell me what this person has been doing to you."
"What do you mean "doing to me?"" I ask with a sudden burst of energy.
"Is that a question?" Richelle teases.
"Guess." I murmur.
The person that is sitting across from me laughs then leans forward on the desk. The small space between us becomes unbearable.
"Don't tell me this person hasn't been playing with you. I know a lot but I can't get all the answers from police files and old text messages. Tell me what you know. Every single detail must be true." She warns then sits back in her chair again, "You go first."
This whole time, I've been waiting for a way to get answers, now the solution is right in front of me and I can't think of anything.
"Um."
"I don't have all day." Richelle's words are empty. She won't let me go. Her answers are too precious.
"You're the only person other person that knows your friends are dead, how?" I stare into her dark eyes.
"You're not the only person that is being played with. Whoever this is, has been messing with me too. Why do you think I went mad. Why I'm still mad. I was sent videos. Videos of my friends dying." Richelle couldn't keep all of it in. She chokes on the word 'dying.'
"I'm sorry." I murmur then I follow the next instructions to her game, "The first night - the night when Riley was kidnapped, the police took Daniel in. I paid him a visit when he was still in custody. He told me not to mess up."
Richelle thinks over what I just said then jots something down on a piece of paper.
"I better believe you." Richelle's mutter has a threatening edge.
"How come you can find all of this if your main resource for information is from the police department?"
"I don't know what the police know but I know what they don't know. According to them, there have only been two deaths: Michelle's and Josh's." I give Richelle a funny look and she seems to read my mind, "Josh is the owner of the blood splattered all around your school." I nod as if say 'ah-ha,' "They don't know that six are dead. And the original blood splatter that was in my school from the beginning, it's from a blood doner. The test came through. I just thought you should know."
"Makes sense." There is a short pause, "After Daniel's visit, I went outside to my car and there was a note on it. The first ever note. It explained the rules of this "game,"" I make air quotes with my fingers, "It said everytime I mess up, someone dies."
"Stop!" Richelle screams. I stare at her in horror. She calms herself then leans back in her chair, "You're saying that you killed my friends?"
I can't look at her.
"Not first-handed but yes." I say, apologetically.
I can feel Richelle's eyes staring daggers into my soul but I wouldn't have it any other way. I deserved it. All her friends are dead.
"I'm sorry." I say.
"It's not your fault" Her eyes lift off of me.
"What?"
"In the videos, there is always this one person in a black hoodie. He or she never shows any identification and my friends," She shudders at the word, "are in too much pain to even call out a name." Then Richelle makes a face. She's lying.
"That's not the truth." I call her bluff.
"You're right." She mutters.
"Your game. Your rules. Follow them. What did they call out?"
"My name." Richelle looks at me and I can see tears welling in her eyes.
"Pardon?" I ask.
"Noah. He-he called my name. He was hung up by his wrists. Much slower than being shot but less painful. Well, until the end. the blood has trouble making it's way up to your hands, then it has trouble going back to your heart. The cycle is," She stops as if she can't figure out the right word to use, "Noah was shouting a whole bunch of stuff. Mostly cuss words but near the end, he yelled out my name. As if he knew I was watching." A single tear rolls down Richelle's cheek.
The room becomes quiet. I don't want to look at Richelle so I stare at one of the many cardboard boxes overflowing with documents.
"Your turn." Richelle seems to have put herself back together because the feeling is swept away from her voice again.
"You're saying this is all a game right?" Richelle nods slightly, "Then what's the point in playing when there's no prize?"
"There isn't." Richelle says, "But the thing is, that there is a prize. For you at least. Your prize is Riley."
"But what's the other person's?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out."
"Okay." Then I give Richelle the next part of the story, "I was then sent a picture of Michelle so I went to her house but when I got there, she wasn't home. Then her car pulled up and she asked me what I was doing. I told her I wanted to ask her something but she didn't seem to believe me. In the backseat of her car, I saw someone. Just a shadow though." Richelle's eye's light up then writes something down on her note pad again, "Why did you think I killed everyone?"
Richelle thinks before answering this one.
"For all I know, you can still be the
murderer but the fact that you're here, makes me think otherwise." Richelle answers.
"Alright, this next part, you know. You came up to me in school and told me to meet you are your house. You told me about your plan. The next day, I drove Michelle to school while wearing a recording device. At school, she kept leaving me. I heard her talking to Amanda by the lockers. Amanda said that Michelle isn't - wasn't," I correct, "innocent. Once I heard that, I pinned her against the locker and accused her of the kidnapping. After school I came over to your place and that note flew in that said Michelle was going to die. Next day, she's dead."
"Wow." Richelle sighs, "Her death wasn't too pretty. Just the usual-"
"Please don't" I say quickly, "I don't like gore." I close my eyes and breath.
"Sorry, ask your question."
"Why are you asking me? Why not Amanda or..." There really isn't anyone else she can ask. Other than the two of us in the room right now and Amanda, no one knows what's going on. Well, Eldon knows but not enough to be interrogated by Richelle.
"You're the only person that will give me real answers. You're the only one that wants this more than me." Richelle says flatly.
"Oh." That is true, "After Michelle's death, I went to school but only to run to your place then after-" How do I say this without making things more confusing, "After I thought I made you crazy, I jumped into my car and drove away. I woke up in my car at night - I lost conciousness so I don't know what happened between then. I was lost. My car keys weren't there and I didn't have a cellular reception. I was in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly, someone tapped on my window; it was Eldon." I smile at his name but then frown at how much he scared me, "He told me to go with him and I agreed but after he went into his car, I got a text-"
"What did it say?" Richelle is on the edge of her seat.
"I was just getting to that," I critzize then continue with my story, "It said something along the lines of "Eldon is mine."" I make finger quotes, "And it told me to run, so I did. Eldon's car then came out of - what seemed like - nowehere then crashed into me. I lost conciousness - again - and he drove me to the hospital. Because I went with him - unintentionally - Camille died." I look straight ahead, out the window, trying to blur out Richelle.
"Oh." She finally says, "What's your question?"
"Don't get mad. Amanda came into your room and found a piece of paper. According to her, it had letters on it. The letters: a e h o r s u and w on it. What does it mean?" I ask. It's a bit of a plunge.
"If I knew, I wouldn't have you here. It shocked me to find out Amanda hacked into my computer but it doesn't that she waas able to find my clues. If you can't do it, get someone else to do it for you. I thought she could solve the mystery, or al least, give it to you." She says with such confidence.
"Huh. The next few days, I spent in the hospital, wrapped up in bandages. Once I got home - or a few days after - I got a phone call. It was Riley and she just screamed my name then the line was cut. I couldn't call her back. Then I got a message telling - daring - me to find this person," Richelle looks like she's contemplating soemthing but I know I have her full attention, "Amanda paid me a visit and asked me to team up. The next day, I went to school, you know this part." I cringe. I don't want to relive it and I don't think Richelle does either, "You accused me of murder then we both got taken in to the police. They asked me a whole bunch of useless questions, I bet you know the answers since you like to stalk the police," Richelle nods sheepishly, "Amanda was waiting for me outside then we took a visit to your house. Well, I did." I remember lying to her; saying I hadn't come with anyone, "Sorry I told you I came alone."
"Apology accepted."
"Moving on. When I got outside, I heard talking. Amanda was at the side of your house talking to someone I don't know. Then we went back to school." I say.
"What a day." Richelle says sarcastically. I haven't realized until now that she seems better. The dark circles under her eyes, though aren't gone, are fading and her skin seems to be much healthier. Her whole body seems healthier. I guess she's been getting some rest.
"Why were you at Chloe's the other day?" I ask suspiciously.
"I didn't lie. I wanted to ask her something."
"What were you going to ask her?"
"One question at a time Emily." Richelle has an evil smirk on her face.
"Fine." I grimace and speed through the next part. One because I want the answer and two, because I want to move past it. "After school," I skip over the part where Amanda and I blame Richelle for murder, "Eldon took me to get my car. My keys were still missing so I thought they wouldn't be returned but when I got there, they were sitting on the driver's seat. Then I got a text telling me to drive my car into Eldon." I say as quickly as possible. "What were you going to ask Chloe?"
"Did you hit Eldon?" Richelle seems shocked.
"That's not an answer." I growl.
"My game. My rules. You said it yourself. I can add in whatever rule I want." Richelle says then repeats her question, "Did you hit Eldon?"
"No. Now Answer my question." I begin to feel impatient.
"I wanted to ask her about you."
"Why me?" I ask.
"You're an intresting topic. Why wouldn't anyone want to discuss you?"
"That doesn't answer my question."
"It's the only answer you're going to get." Richelle taunts again.
"Fine. I chose to stop my car at the last second and not run Eldon over." I pause so Richelle can tell the difference between my question and story. "You said you got videos of the- your friends dying. Could you see where they were?"
"Metal. Walls, floors, ceiling. All metal. I think this place was a manufacturing area. I just can't figure out where but everyone was killed there. Michelle, Camille, Noah, Gabi..." Her voice trails off.
"When you said you thought Michelle's blood was false evidence, you knew she wasn't killed there!" I say loudly.
Richelle's only answer is a nod.
"Huh." I think it over. What else has Richelle lied about?
"I haven't lied too much." It's like she can read minds, "I tried to only say the truth but I didn't want to get you involved in all of this. And you don't like gore, you would have stopped me even if I tried to tell you." Richelle does have a point.
"After I nearly killed a guy, I went over
to Amanda's to do homework. Then I left and went to Chloe's where her tea cup burned my hand," I hold out my right hand to show her the burn mark that is still visible, "Then you came and both you and Chloe kicked me out." I mutter the last part. I don't know what Richelle is sensitive to.
"Sorry about that. Chloe's answers wouldn't have been honest if you were with us." Richelle apologies.
"I get it." I say then ask my question, "The first note that I recieved said 'everytime you mess up, someone dies, when I run out of people, I kill you' or something along the lines of that. What is the point of killing innocent kids. Whoever this is has a grudge against someone and is thinking that all these lives are worth taking just for revenge."
"Is that a question or theory?" Richelle asks with no expression.
"Both." I answer with the same attitude.
"There definitely is a bigger prize that we don't know about. Destroy the prize, destroy the game." Richelle shrugs. She has thought of all of this already. This girl is nothing short of smart.
"That's not how I'm playing." I stutter.
"Then change your strategy." Richelle suggests in a straight voice.
"I'm missing the bigger picture. We shouldn't be looking for who this person is. We should be destroying their prize. Then there wouldn't be a point in playing." I stand up as if I cracked the code but Richelle gestures me to sit down.
"On the contrary," She starts once I have relaxed, "Once we know who the person is, we ultimately know their motive. Just wildly shooting at nothing won't help anything." Richelle answers.
"True." I mutter.
"What happened after you left?"
"I, I got texted a picture of Gabi and Becca. They were both dead." I shudder and Richelle's eyes seem to flash in recongnition, "I left the house then got into my car. I fell asleep in it." I admit sheepishly but Richelle doesn't even smile.
"What is your question?" She offers.
"Who is that blocked number you're texting?" I ask and Richelle stares down at herself as if ashamed.
"I don't know. I was only able to hack into it the other day but I didn't get anywhere. It ended up to be a pre-paid phone." Richelle answers calmly. She is better than I can imagine, who else would know she could do that? Richelle stares at me then I start my story again.
"Amanda woke me up the next morning and she had a whole bunch of evidence-" Richelle cuts me off.
"Evidence of what?" Her eyes narrow.
"Evidence that you are the muderer." Richelle gives me a look of horror and confusion, "I know, crazy right." I wait for her to respond but she doesn't so I continue, "She gave me all the details. I was going to give her a ride to school but I had to get ready first so I made a pit stop to my house. Amanda said she would walk around my neighbourhood and she told me to call her when I was ready. I told her I didn't have her number then she said me that Riley does. I went into my sisters room for the first time since she-" I can't finish my sentence, "Underneath her bed is a floorboard that seemed misplaced so I checked it out. There were a whole stash of notebooks in there and she wrote about people. Apparantly nasty stuff and she assigned everyone a number. Amanda is 19 and she would refer everyone as that number instead of their name."
"She has a whole lot to hide." Richelle comments to herself then writes that down on her notepad as well.
"Yeah." I ask my question, "Why did this person have to put in false evidence?"
"So he or she can throw the police off the right trail. Now the police forces are looking for murders around this area and bodies and funerals and blood samples. They won't find anything here and move on but by the time they realize they can't find anything here, the real evidence will be long gone." Richelle answers.
"I went to school. At the end of the day, I planned to pay you a visit but Eldon found me before I could leave. He drove me to your house and we had that nice talk." I emphasize my sarcasm on the word 'nice.' "Then he took me someplace out of town and we talked." I want the details of that night to remain mine and Eldon's.
"Very vague but I'll take it." Richelle mumurs.
"You said your dad is a detective right?" I ask.
"Yes." Richelle confirms.
"Then why don't you tell him all your friends are dying?"
"How good of an idea do you think that is?" I know that question is retorical, "A police officer lives by one rule. There is good and bad and nothing in between. So you are either punished or innocent. That's my dad. If he knew all that, he would have me arrested for sneaking onto his computer. Every police man is like that. That's why they aren't making a break through." Every one of Ricehlle's answers are put together. I wonder if she losted all of the possible questions I could ask and memorized all the answers.
"Wow." I mutter.
"Go on." Richelle says.
"I woke up the next morning - aka today - and was getting ready for school. Eldon picked me up but then we turned back because we found out our school is now a crime scene." I shudder, "Then you called me and now I'm here."
Richelle nods then writes a whole load of stuff on her peice of paper.
"This is your last question. Make it good." Richelle says, finally looking up from her page.
I think about this. My last question. This might be the last chance I can get an answer, then a question comes into mind.
"Who do you think it is?" I ask then as if this were a soap opera, there is dramatic music playing in the back of my head and Richelle and I stare maliciously into each other's eyes.
"Amanda." Richelle finally spits out.
I stare at her in horror.