November 17, 2012
Wednesday
11:41 p.m.
Dear Janet,
Amara's parents had finally arrived when I slipped into the hall around 9. I watched them come in from the entrance. I knew it was the perfect opportunity to strike and I went for it.
I asked them for help. I asked them to look into your case. I told them your death wasn't a suicide; it was a murder! I told them everything!
My words were jumbled up as I spoke and I'm not sure if they truly understood what I was trying to say, which was why I decided to show them the proof. I retrieved Thomas' phone and scrolled through his gallery...just when Mr. Price intervened. He practically shoo-ed me away and said he needed to catch up with them since they were his friends. He ruined everything!
I tried to retaliate. I emphasized how urgent of a situation this was, but he turned a blind eye to me...
I WAS THIS CLOSE TO HAVING IT ALL.
As if that wasn't the worst part, Thomas caught me red-handed with his phone. He punched me, kicked me, and shoved my head into a wall. I might have a concussion, I don't know. My body hurts, but what hurts me more is failure...
I don't know if Amara's parents believed me. I won't be surprised if they didn't. I'm losing hope...
I'm sorry, Janet.
Your brother, Jeremy
***
"OH, MY GOD..." Ray gasps behind me as we watch Janet's sex tape playing on his laptop. Horrified gazes surround the even horrifying video which lasts for three minutes and twenty-two seconds. As soon as it's over, Savannah shuts the laptop and the four of us take a moment to process everything we've just witnessed.
"Janet..." I mutter to myself but in the silence of the room, the name is heard by all three of them.
"Janet?" Savannah asks. "Who's Janet?"
I gulp, realizing I have no other option but to come clean now. "The girl in the video," I say, "that's Janet."
Aiden throws me a look of confusion. "Wait, you know this girl?"
I bite the inside of my cheek and nod. "She was a student at Sacredmore and Ethan's girlfriend."
Ray springs up to his feet. "If that video is any indication, I think the murderer wants you to interrogate her next!"
"That's not possible," I answer, and once again, all eyes are on me.
"Why?" Aiden asks in a cold and sharp voice.
I exhale. "Janet Holloway killed herself ten years ago."
A deafening silence descends upon us again, somehow even quieter this time around.
"But that's not the only thing," I say and over the next couple of minutes, I tell them everything about the tarot cards I've been receiving.
When I'm done, Savannah sighs, Ray's jaw hangs open and Aiden paces around, exhaling a long deep breath.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you—"
"Lives are at stake here, Miss Willow," Savannah cuts in, raising her voice.
"Alright, it's fine," Aiden says, joining us again. "What matters now is, why did the murderer send Thomas this video?"
"As a warning, what else!" Ray exclaims.
I look over at Savannah whose eyebrows are knitted in a thin line. Aiden notices her too
"Do you have something in mind?" he asks.
Savannah breathes out and starts. "Notice how Ethan is the one raping Janet?" We nod in unison. "Well, the murderer cut his penis off, didn't they?"
Realization dawns upon us three and we look at one another, taking the fact in.
"And Thomas is the one recording..." Aiden says, trailing off and Savannah simply nods.
"Dismembered his hands," she says with a shrug.
"But that would mean everything goes back to this video," Ray comments, pointing at his laptop. We spend a solid moment looking at the computer, not knowing what to say or how to feel. It's like the killer is baiting us into finding the truth behind their motives, into digging further, and for all we know, it may just be another trap, another game.
"We need to find who these two boys are," Aiden says in a hurry, stepping towards the exit when I stop him.
"There's no need." My voice stops him in his tracks and he turns around. "Archie Gardner and Paul Zhou, those are their names. Together, the four of them ruled Sacredmore ten years ago. And Janet..." I pause, gritting my teeth, "she was their victim."
Aiden stares at me for a while and then turns to Ray immediately. "Locate Archie Gardner and Paul Zhou. We'll be interrogating the former headmaster of Sacredmore next. See if he remembers anything about Janet or anyone who was enemies with Ethan's friend group." Ray raises a hand. "Yes, Ray?"
"I may know someone who can help us on this case. Will you be willing to meet up with her?" he asks.
Aiden contemplates before finally agreeing to the offer. "Let's go back. We have a hell lot of paperwork to cover right now."
Ray and I nod as Aiden exits the morgue, us following him close behind.
***
"Do you think she's going to bring in someone useful?" I ask Aiden as we wait at a local cafe for Ray and his "secret agent" to arrive.
Aiden holds his cup of tea by its handle and sighs. "It's Ray we're talking about. He's unpredictability defined," he answers and takes a sip of his drink.
I purse my lips and take a sip of my black coffee, looking around the cafe. It's a tiny building with a handful of tables and chairs. From its walls hang various framed photos of celebrities and influential people who've visited the place. I spot a picture of Victor and Patricia Covington among them. They're one of the most popular residents of this town, which is possibly why they were able to hide their son's crimes so well. That's the power of money and influence, and the Covingtons have plenty of fortune by their side.
That's when I notice Ray walk in, a woman with shoulder-length black hair and pale skin, presumably of our age, by his side. They're bickering inaudibly but stop when they spot us among the crowd of customers. Ray waves a hand to us and soon they both take their seat across from us.
"Aiden and Amara, meet Lindsey!" Ray says with enthusiasm pouring out of his voice.
The woman smiles with hesitance and reaches out her hand to shake ours. "I'm Lindsey Hoover," she says and we greet her.
"I'm Aiden Jackson, this is my partner Amara Willow; Ray of course you know," Aiden says, introducing the three of us.
"Yes, Ray and I go way back to the time I first became a detective," she says.
"You're a detective, as well?" I ask, finding a common ground among us.
"Oh, she's one of the best homicide detectives in Seattle, Washington," Ray adds with a grin that spans the whole length of his face.
"Interesting," Aiden says, "can you tell us a little more about yourself, Lindsey?"
She glances over to Ray as if she isn't sure of what to say. Uncertain, she begins, "My father is President Hoover, he's long gone now of course." Aiden and I share a look of bewilderment but decide to play along with the story, hoping it leads somewhere.
"Really? That's cool. So what do you have to share with us?" I ask and she sighs.
"Back in 1977, there was a massacre in Japan. The serial killer moved to the United States after slaughtering an entire town. It was 1981 when I received the case and I learned the girl was possessed by the Devil."
Aiden gives me a side eye, both of us feeling incredibly confused about whatever she's saying. Lindsey continues nonetheless.
"A few of us joined together and freed her from the possession and several of them went to hell and back just to end the madness." Lindsey explains to us and Aiden and I shared a 'this bitch is crazy' look.
"What happened to the girl?" I ask out of curiosity.
"We are married now, she's doing great," Lindsey replies, and I try not to chuckle. I'll save the story for Sadie. She will be amused. After all, Lindsey's tale won't make a disappointing book.
"What does this have to do with our case?" Aiden asks and Ray beams, the same grin plastered on his face wider than ever.
"Our case may involve a girl coming back from the dead, doesn't it?" Ray asks. "Well, what if we're dealing with some supernatural entity?"
Aiden and I look at each other again and sigh at the nonsense.
"Sure Ray, we will look into that as a possibility," Aiden says, the both of us knowing we won't. Lindsey's expression seems like she knows it too.
"Well, thanks for hearing me out," she says and all four of us get to our feet. "I hope it was helpful."
"Yes, thank you for your cooperation," I say and Lindsey passes us one last smile before she and Ray head out the door.
Once both of them are gone, I turn to Aiden. "You don't believe all that crap, do you?"
He simply shrugs, shaking his head a little. "There are more things in heaven and Earth, rookie."
"Some ex-president's daughter? And if she received the case in 1981, that would make her at least sixty years of age!" I say and he shrugs again.
"Stranger things have happened, rookie." He replies nonchalantly. "But so far as we're concerned, I don't think our case has to do anything with the Devil or people who never age."
That for sure can't be questioned.
A few minutes pass by and we straighten up the moment we watch the former headmaster of Sacredmore High walk into the cafe. It's been years since I last saw him, but he still has the charming smile he carried even back then. A few strands of white poke out from among his black hair. His face is darker with wrinkles and the onset of old age, but his eyes are bright as ever — a striking blue pair of irises.
He greets us with a smile and takes turns in shaking our hands.
"Good morning Mr. Hawthorne," Aiden says, reciprocating the smile.
"Good morning, detective...?"
"Aiden Jackson."
"Detective Jackson, got it," he says and turns to me, his smile faltering just slightly. "And you're detective...?"
"Willow," I answer, "Amara Willow."
His lips part in a way like he has just recalled something. "Amara Willow...Leonard and Natalie's daughter?"
I grin and answer in affirmation. "I was a student at Sacredmore."
"I remember," he says, nodding slowly. "I'm sorry for what happened to your mom and dad."
My grin boils down to a sad and forced curve of my lips as I try to push out their thoughts from my mind, because if I don't, I may not be able to question Cassian like I need to. "It's okay. You don't have to be. Please take a seat," I answer, motioning at the seat across from us.
Once we're all seated, Aiden begins. "Mr. Hawthorne, are you aware of the Ethan Covington and Thomas Irvine murders?"
"I am, yes," he answers.
"Well, we just want to ask you a few questions regarding the case, that's all," Aiden explains and turns to me, giving me the cue to start the questioning.
"Mr. Hawthorne, why did you step away from your position as the headmaster of Sacredmore?" I begin on a lighter note, beating around the bush a little to make him feel at ease.
The edges of his lips arch up in a small smile. "I just believed that the school needed to be handled by better hands. A lot has happened in these two decades and I thought it would be a wise decision to let someone else make decisions from now on. Besides, I want to devote more of my time to my family and the people who matter most to me. That's why I stepped down two years ago."
I nod. I'm aware of the Butterfly Effect case that went down two years ago, which also involved Sacredmore High. It must've been difficult for him to go through all that and I won't blame him for taking the decision he took. I decide to move to the next question.
"Mr. Hawthorne, did you have any contact with Ethan and Thomas after they graduated high school?" I ask.
He scrunches his eyebrows. "Well, I mean their families and I are acquaintances. We've attended events together, and talked on such occasions but I won't classify myself as their friend, so no. I haven't had much contact with either of them."
I follow up with a heavy nod. "And what was your opinion of them when they were still at Sacredmore?"
He purses his lips and crosses his arms against his chest. His eyes travel to the ceiling of the cafe like he's digging deep into his memories. "They were loud, reckless, and impulsive, but it's no surprise for people coming from a financial background like theirs."
More like bullies. I don't say that though, but the thought of it makes my head hurt. Instead, I take in a sharp breath and finally get to the point. "Mr. Hawthorne, do you remember Janet Holloway? She was in the same grade as Ethan."
Mr. Hawthorne's face stiffens. I notice his jaw twitch and his eyes darken at the mention of Janet's name and I'm not sure if it's a result of grief or guilt.
"I do," he says, "and it's very unfortunate what happened to her."
I bob my head. "Did you know Ethan was dating her before her death?"
"It was all over the news, so yes."
"And did you ever think her death had something to do with their relationship?" I ask and out of the corner of my eye, I watch Aiden leaning forward in his chair.
A short pause later, Mr. Hawthorne continues. "A part of me did."
"Did Janet ever tell you if something had been bothering her?" Aiden asks.
He answers with a shake of his head. "Never."
I bite my lip as I think of the next question. "Mr. Hawthorne, did you ever see Janet's body after she fell from the terrace?"
He nods. "I did, yes."
"And did you see anyone on the terrace when it happened? Someone running off or anything?" Aiden asks and Mr. Hawthorne shakes his head.
"No, I don't think so."
"Mr. Hawthorne, did you attend Janet's funeral?" He answers with a nod. "Was it an open casket or closed?"
"Closed."
"So you didn't see the dead body?"
"I'm afraid I didn't. But wait, why are we talking about Janet's suicide? Isn't this about Ethan and Thomas' murders?"
"We think the deaths may be connected, that's all," Aiden says, his voice calm and collected before following up with another question. "Mr. Hawthorne, do you remember any of Janet's family members from that time?"
He thinks of the question for a while and suddenly, his eyes widen. 'Yes," he says, "Janet had a brother. Jeremy Holloway, I think that's what his name was."
Jeremy... I knew him now. He was in my grade and from everything that I can recall from almost ten years ago, I recall how shaken up he was after his sister's death. We shared history, but sadly, fate didn't have his side either, much like Janet.
"Wait, was?" Aiden asks, emphasizing the second word.
"Yes," the former headmaster replies, "towards the end of his sophomore year, he and his family became victims of a robbery gone wrong."
"So, Jeremy Holloway is dead?" Aiden continues with his questions.
Mr. Hawthorne presses his lips together as he thinks of something. "So far as I remember, Jeremy was never discovered. The police didn't find his body."
I blink twice in confusion. So is Janet's brother dead or not? I recall Sadie's wise words to me once. "Never presume someone's dead until you see their dead body with your own eyes." However, the suspicion only lands me in more bewilderment. I don't know who to presume dead. Should I presume a death at all?
"Thank you, Mr. Hawthorne," Aiden says, getting to his feet. I follow what he does and stand up as well, Mr. Hawthorne doing the same.
"I'm glad to be of help," he says and passes us one last hesitant smile as he leaves the cafe.
"So, what do you think rookie? Which Holloway is it?" Aiden asks before walking towards the counter.
"I...I'm not sure," I say as Aiden and I pay for our drinks. "Who are you leaning more towards?"
He gives me a shrug. "I say it's the brother. That's the most obvious answer. Revenge murderers, the world can't get enough of them."
I take in his theories and just as we're about to exit the cafe, the woman at the counter — a petite brown woman calls out to us. "Excuse me?"
We turn around, expecting a mistake with the bills.
"Yes?" Aiden asks as we approach her.
The woman, however, takes out a small card from the pocket of her maroon apron. "A customer left this for you," she says, handing the card to me.
It is a Reversed Five of Cups tarot card.
I look at Aiden. His mouth is agape in shock and speechlessness as he stares at the tarot card I'm holding. "Can you tell us who gave you this?" he asks the lady.
"Someone named Janet," she answers and though I knew the answer, I can't help but feel an uneasy shiver travel up my spine.
Janet was here, in this very cafe, watching me. I was so close to finding her, but she found me first. If I was confused before, I'm spiraling now.
"When did she leave?" Aiden asks the lady, drawing me out of my thoughts.
"Just a minute before you approached me," she says and I immediately look outside the glass door to my left, hoping to catch a brief look at the "dead" girl.
I don't at first glance but just as I turn to look at the lady at the counter again, I see it. From the corner of my eyes — a glimpse of red hair. Her red hair. Janet's red hair. She's sprinting down the opposite lane, her face obscured by the perfect shade of red I remember from ten years ago — a dark auburn that's neither too brown nor too orange.
The trance lasts only for a moment because the moment I blink, she's gone.
I try searching for her from where I stand, but all my efforts end in vain when I fail at it.
"You okay?" Aiden asks and I tear away my gaze from the glass door and back to him. I nod, knowing the nod means nothing because right now, I'm far from okay.
And I can't tell if I'm losing my mind.
***
AUTHOR'S NOTE
What are your thoughts on this chapter? Let us know in the comments section down below!
If Lindsey's story seemed as interesting to you as it did to Amara, you can actually read the whole of it! She's one of the six main characters from Emily's book, The 200 Murders of America, which you can check out on her profile on Wattpad, EmberShy (the unedited version) and on Amazon (the edited version)!
And if reading about Mr. Hawthorne makes you wonder what went down in the Butterfly Effect case, feel free to know more about him in my book, The Butterfly Effect, which you can find on my Wattpad profile, AdriannaRaines3172
Which Holloway sibling do you think is behind the deaths? Do you have any other suspects? Comment down below and let us know!
Until we meet next week with another chapter,
happy crime-solving!
-Adrianna