RACHELLE
"Okay, so what do you want to know?" the detective asked as we sat in her office.
"Everything please, if that's possible," I replied.
"The thing is, the case has been cold for months now, we decided not to inform you of the matter since we cannot give a concrete conclusion to it yet. I believe, Officer Newbury already told you it was no accident. I'll be honest with you Rachelle," she sighed. "you were a primary suspect in the beginning, but don't take offense into it."
"What? Me? Why me? I cannot do anything like that." I shrieked almost standing up to her face.
The detective raised her hands in defeat and gestured if she could further explain herself. "I know. Being the lone survivor always puts you in that situation, but we were able to get more info and turns out you were ruled out. Plus, with all the hatred towards the clergy these days, anyone could be a suspect. For all we know, the church and the clergy were the targets of the attack."
"So what else did you find out?" Gage questioned.
"Well apparently after the explosion, we have a vehicle speeding away from the crime scene. We found the car. The only thing there is a remote control, but no prints, the car was clean. It was possible the suspect used an IED, opened the gas pipes and triggered the explosion not far from the church. At first, it would seem like a gas leak but there were shreds of evidence of some mortar and chemicals that when mixed with gas can create a wider explosion. "
"Do you mean that guy caused it? That's murder. No, it's a massacre." My heart started to race, the information she is giving breaks my heart into million pieces. I turned to Gage, to see him with the same expression as I have.
"The car was registered to a dead guy, it seems like it was stolen. No one actually identified the man driving it. He was rushing out of town and had a road accident right outside Newport. He fled the scene too and left one person from the other vehicle to die."
My breath started to hike that detail is so familiar. "Who was in the other vehicle detective?" I queried. My gaze on the floor started to cloud and I can hear my own heartbeat pounding in my head. I grabbed Gage's hand in mine in a tight clasp, waiting for the detective's response.
"Well you see Rachelle, I do find it bizarre to have you both here right now. Seeming the events are quite connected." The detective's voice echoes faintly in my head. My vision started to spin and I can't breathe, she is confirming what I am coming to know.
"Gage, you know what this is right?" He's looking as baffled as I am.
"Rachelle, the car that was run over by our suspect is the car Mr. Williams was driving with Miss Emily Cole that day."
Those words hit me like a train at full speed. Not only was my fiance, family, and friends murdered by one soulless evil, he even added one more innocent person on his death list.
My vision started to dim. Why did he let me live? He was too keen on killing everyone in the church, why did he press the button too early? Why didn't he just let me walk through so I too died in there? Why did he let me suffer? Why?
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"I don't know what to say, detective," I can hear Gage's voice whispering. "I guess for one whole year we thought those incidents were an accident until today. And to think the death of Emily and Rachelle's whole family was caused by the same person is mind-wrecking."
"You both walked in the lobby and I thought what a coincidence. You see, I have reread the files and nothing was disclosed to her, to you and to Emily's family. Everything was tagged as an accident as we are still investigating." that's the detective's voice.
I can hear them not far from me but my head feels so heavy. I am in a small bed, covered in a blanket, the smell of antiseptic fills the air. Where am I?
"I can't explain, she decided to leave Newport and bought our cabin in Willowcreek six months after the incident. We would talk about the occurrences separately but we never thought it would be linked together like this."
"Maybe it's destiny or plain luck, bringing you two together to find justice. Anyway, I don't want you two investigating on your own. If anything comes up you call me. Understood?"
I slowly fluttered my lids adjusting to the bright light. "What happened? Where am I?" I managed to let out. Footsteps coming near me tapped on the floor and stopped where I am laid.
"Baby, I'm here." I felt Gage coming to my side. "You passed out. We brought you in the infirmary. How are you feeling?"
"I feel like shit."
"We can stay one more night, you need to rest."
"No, Eric and Lily will call, we need to drive back to the cabin." I protested.
"Miss Ambrose, Mr. Williams, I'll leave you to it. If there's anything else I can help you with, you got my number. Okay?" We both thanked the detective. "Have a safe trip."
The detective left and we decided to get back on the road as soon as I steadied myself. Gage drove this time, while I hunkered quietly in the passenger seat pondering on every single detail we've come to know today.
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All possible profanities erupted in the peaceful halls of the cafe as we relayed to the boys what we have known. Martin and the ladies were outback starting the bonfire, leaving us with little privacy.
"Yeah, that's how my mind is since the other day," I said, tackling the rest of my drink.
"You both know that's murder, right?" Tag said filling my snifter with more alcohol.
"I've known from the start there's someone behind the collision, but Emily's parents already accepted her fate and they asked me to leave it all to God. That's why I blamed myself instead of coming after the guy." Gage relayed, shaking his head in torment.
I took my glass and drank more of what I can. Pent up anger started to drain out of me in rash breaths. "I can't do much either. For months I have grieved, and now that I have come to accept everything that happened, I find out that they were murdered." A tear fell from my lid. I wiped it away feeling more angry than sad.
"What kind of dumbfuck would blow up a church full of people?" Rob asked rhetorically.
"The detective said that it could be an attack against the clergy."
"Yeah, and they had to choose the very day it would be filled with so many innocent people." Kayne retorted, slamming his palms lightly on the wooden table.
I shook my head, "We can't do anything much about it. The case is cold anyway, but if the detectives find something, then let's be thankful." I said, although internally I wanna go hunt down whoever did this. But if the detectives can't find anything, what more can I do?
"I'm sorry guys. I received a message from Pa, they'll be calling in fifteen minutes," Rob announced, as he got up and circled around us.
I straightened myself and tried to push all thoughts as far as I could, "Please guys, let's keep this all among us for now okay? I don't want Eric and Lily getting worried." I pleaded with the guys and they agreed.
Soon Rob's phone rang and Lily's beaming smile popped up on the screen and her energized squeal reverberated in the cabin. "Oh, my children! It's been so long. How are you all doing? We went on a cruise and there's no reception anywhere so we weren't able to call you in a long time. We're now in Asia, oh this is such a beautiful place, I wish you all could be here with us."
Eric's laughter soon erupted in the background. "Sweetheart let them speak up." And we too laughed with them.
We spent almost an hour talking with Eric and Lily. They talked about the places they've been to and the wonderful things they've experienced there.
Midway through, Tag called Bea and introduced her to them. Vanessa soon popped in to say hi too. In the past months Lily was able to take a hint about Gage and me, so that is no longer a secret. Rob was able to uncover his true self to them too, that is why he was comfortable enough to introduce Martin. They were so delighted to know we were all happy. "I can't wait to come home to little penguins waddling around." Eric blurted.
Silence masked the whole cafe knowing what Eric meant by it. And one by one the boys started snickering and chortling cheerfully making this whole conversation light and amusing. "Soon Pa," Kayne said, earning a soft slap in the arm from Vanessa.
The New Year is coming and I guess I'll just have to live and enjoy the present. All I can do now is pray, that hopefully the one behind all this would soon fall in the wrath of justice. I should be strong enough to face this, I should continue moving forward. Should I?