"Richard!" his expression made me worried, "what happened?"
I noticed Logan standing behind him with the same blank expression he always wore. I glanced at them both confused and Richard gripped the door for support like his body weakened for some reason.
"Alex!" his voice broke.
Richard walked towards me and hugged me tightly like he couldn't believe I was here. I heard him sigh in relief and I patted his back awkwardly silently pleading him to let me go.
It was awkward considering Logan's presence who stood there watching us. After some time he let me go and stood facing me.
"Why didn't you answer your phone" he shouted, "do you know how worried I was? I thought something happened to you too" he breathed hard.
"What happened?" I asked for the second time, "did something happen again? Who? Who....?" I couldn't finish my sentence since I didn't actually know what to ask.
"Who got murdered?"
I sucked in a breath and stared at Logan with wide eyes.
"Nick and Lyla"
I stumbled back and gripped the sofa. Richard came near me and held my arm.
"Where's she?"
"Who?" I looked at Richard confused.
"Maddy! Where's she right now?" he asked again.
That was when I remembered where I was. I ran towards the room and entered with Richard and Logan behind me.
Next to where I slept was Maddy, still in her sleep like an angel, not knowing what was happening around her.
I walked onto the other side and sat down next to her. I gently shook her and she opened her eyes, stretching her arms.
"What time is it?" She sat up.
"Maddy!" I whispered.
"I have a headache. I think that wine was too strong for us. You fell asleep right away and after that I did too. Ugh! It's killing me. Can you massage my head?" she pouted, putting her head on my chest. She hugged me and closed her eyes while I sat there embarrassed. I had never acted this intimate in front of Richard and to make it worse Logan was there too.
"Why? Can't you do it? Do you have a headache too?" Maddy opened her eyes and searched my face.
Richard cleared his throat and Maddy jumped away sitting straight on the bed.
"Oh my god!" Her face turned red, "What are they doing here this early in the morning?" she asked, annoyed.
"Maddy" I turned her to face me, "listen! Don't panic, okay?"
"You are making me nervous. What happened? Did something happen to Mom?" she jumped out of the bed.
"No!" I stopped her, "Lyla and Nick" I breathed, "They were killed....."
"Last night" Logan completed my sentence.
Maddy looked at him shocked and next second she held onto my body screaming Lyla's name.
"No! no! That's not true! How could that happen? You're lying. She's dead, so how could she kill somebody else? This is a dream, isn't it? It is... it is..." Maddy let me go and tried to walk back towards the bed. But before she could do that she fell unconscious and I jumped in time to catch her before she could hit the floor hard.
We woke up Maddy's mom and left her in her care for the time being. I needed to talk to Richard and wanted to know what exactly happened. I still couldn't believe they were killed. Or was this really a dream? I wished!
I found Richard, Logan and that guy Max in front of the house. They were in a heated argument and I picked up some words.
"I told you something is off, but you didn't listen to me" Max was biting back his anger, "this wouldn't have happened if you didn't ORDER me to come back. Now what are you going to do? I told you that bitch is the reason those kids died" he pointed inside referring to Maddy.
I ran towards him and punched his face. He stumbled back and I grabbed his collar to punch him again. But before I could do that someone ripped me away from him and pushed me against the wall.
"What are you doing?" Richard barked angrily.
"Who the hell does he think he is? How could he talk to someone like that? He called Maddy a bitch. Can he do that? Can he talk to someone like that?" I shouted struggling to get out of Richard's hold.
"I called her a bitch, because she is one. So what?" Max spat spitting out some blood.
"Enough!" Logan's authoritative voice forced us to obey and I stopped struggling. Richard let me go, but stood next to me just in case.
"Max!" Logan called his name, "behave like a detective and don't talk back to me. Go to the murder scene and help John. I'll be there soon" he ordered.
Max glared at me and went away mumbling things to himself. But I knew I was next considering the fact that I punched a detective in front of them.
"Alex!" Logan walked towards me, " I told you I wouldn't put up with you next time" his words made me anxious, "I can't let you go like this. Richard, put him in the cell until we question him"
Richard hesitated, "But-"
"Do it Richard. I'm doing you a favour"
"But, but Maddy-"
Logan put his hand up stopping me from talking, "I'm going to put an officer here. And Alex, don't interfere with investigations again"
He gestured to Richard to take me away and Richard put me in the back of a police car, scolding me.
"Why can't you just stay away from that girl? And why did you punch a detective? God! Mom is going to kill me. I shouldn't have taken your side letting you stay here" he mumbled to himself.
He got into the passenger seat while another police officer drove the vehicle. Logan left before us and probably he would be going to inspect the murder scenes.
"Richard!" I tapped on the window that separated me from the front seat.
Richard turned his head, "what now?"
"Nick and Lyla.... How did you find out?"
Richard sighed, "the maid who comes to clean and cook at Nick's house. She was the one who called emergency services and the first one to witness the scene" he told.
"What about Nick's parents? They weren't at the house at that time?" I asked.
Richard turned to face me with an accusing look on his face, "his parents are always on business trips and he was by himself most of the time. You're his friend and you don't know that much?" he questioned.
"He's not my friend. Justin, Nick's cousin, is" I looked away.
"Hmm" he hummed, "we don't know how the murderer lured Lyla into the trap. But she was also found inside the house next to Nick's body" he let me know.
I listened to him silently, still trying to accept that those two were dead. I needed to talk to Justin. He must be feeling devastated. And I didn't know what to feel about Lyla. She was just like Brittany and met an unfortunate death.
"Megan wasn't the killer"
Those words snapped me out of my thoughts.
"What?" I looked at him dumbfounded, "why? why did you say that?"
"Murderer had used the same method that he used to kill Brittany to kill those two-"
"They were stabbed in the neck?" I cursed myself the moment I blurted out those words.
"You!" Richard's nose flared and he gritted his teeth, "you went through my documents, didn't you? I was so stupid to bring those home and I didn't think you would have the guts to do that. Urgh! How stupid I was. Logan did the right thing by putting you in jail" he spat and turned facing the front.
Other police officer glanced between Richard and I several times and focused on the driving again shaking his head. I on the other hand looked outside avoiding any eye contact out of guilt and shame.
We reached the police station and Richard pulled me out of the car. He took me towards an empty cell and pushed me inside, locking the door behind me. He didn't utter a single word all that time, but he asked officer Leroy to keep an eye on me.
Richard left after some time and I sat down on the floor watching officers running here and there. Two deaths of teenagers must have caused an uproar in the town. Phones rang all the time and officers were busy answering them and taking down any notes. They all looked dejected and moved around hanging their heads low, not bothering to talk with anyone unless it was necessary.
Officer Leroy walked towards my cell with a coffee and a sandwich in his hand. He gave me a faint smile.
"I figured you didn't have any time to eat" he said passing me the food and the drink, "call me if you need anything" he nodded and turned his back on me.
"Officer Leroy!" I stopped him before he could walk away, "you need to help me!"