MURDER IN THE WINTER

Chapter-9

RAVEN IMPATIENTLY WAITED FOR MR. THOMPSON TO RETURN SHE SAID TO HERSELF, " HE SAID IT WAS A SHORT MEETING AND THAT HE WOULD RETURN BY EVENING." "MISS MAY, WHAT IS THE TIME?" "IT'S 5:30 PM" ANSWERED MARGRET. RAVEN SAT DOWN AND SAID, " MISS MARGRET, THE INFORMATION YOU SHARED WITH ME JUST NOW MUST REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL. NO ONE SHOULD NO ABOUT IT. YEAH?" SAID RAVEN HOLDING MARGRET'S PALM. "BUT WHY MISS RAVEN?" "BECAUSE IF THIS INFORMATION GET'S LEAKED, THE WHOLE TOWN WILL SPREAD RUMORS, AND IF IT IS TRUE THAT ELEN'S FAMILY IS BEHIND THIS, THEY WILL TRY TO FLEE." "HMM... YEAH IT DOES MAKE SENSE. FINE, THIS INFORMATION WILL REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL." "GREAT" SAID RAVEN. RAVEN COULD'NT WAIT ANYMORE AND TOOK HER PHONE OUT FROM THE COAT POCKET AND DIALED MR. THOMPSON'S NUMBER." UNFORTUNEATLEY, MR. THOMPSON DID NOT PICK UP THE PHONE." "OH GOD." RAVEN EXCLAIMED, HE MIGHT BE BUSY BUT I AM SURELY IMPATIENT." "YOU SAID, THE INFORMATION MUST REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL, THEN WHY SHARE IT WITH HIM?" ASKED MARGRET. "HE IS THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER. HE NEEDS TO KNOW." RAVEN ANSWERED. "I HAVE TO LEAVE MISS MAY, THANK YOU." SAID RAVEN WHILE WALKING TOWARD THE DOOR. "YEAH, NO PROBLEMS." RAVEN LEFT FOR HER HOME AND SAID " MAYBE MR. THOMPSON IS BUSY. I'LL TALK TO HIM WHEN HER RETURNS. RAVEN WALKED ALONG THE COLD STREET ALONE BACK TO HER HOME. WHEN SHE REACHED HOME, SHE CHANGED INTO WARM CLOTHES AND RELAXED BY THE FIRE SIDE THINKING WAS IT TRUE THAT THE ELEN'S FAMILY WAS BEHIND ALL THIS? AND IF IT WAS TRUE THAT THEY HAD SOMEONE ELSE TO DO THIS FOR THEM? BUT WOULD'NT WE HAVE SOME OR OTHER EVIDENCE AGAINST THEM? SHE WAS LOST IN HER DEEP THOUGHTS, AND FELL ASLEEP.

NEXT MORNING, RAVEN RUSHED TO MR. THOMPSON'S HOUSE AS IT WAS A EMERGENCY.

MR. THOMPSON OPENED THE DOOR IN SURPRISE AND ASKED "IS EVERYTHING FINE MISS RAVEN? YOU LOOK LIKE A HURRICANE IS BEHIND YOU WANTING TO SWALLOW YOU UP." CHUCKLED MR. THOMPSON. "MR. THOMPSON, I GOT A SERIOUS LEAD ON THE CASE." "AND...?" ASKED MR. THOMPSON. "MISS MAY, SAYS THAT SHE FEELS LIKE ELEN'S FAMILY IS BEHIND ALL THIS DRAMA. I ASKED HER ABOUT THE EVIDENCE AND SHE SAID THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE SOMEONE WHO DID THIS FOR THEM." MR. THOMPSON HAD A DIFFERENT SORT OF EXPRESSION, LIKE SOMEONE WHO WOULD FEEL THAT THEIR SECRET IS REVEALED. "ARE YOU OKAY MR. THOMPSON?" "HUH?" "YES I AM OKAY." "LET'S TALK CALMLY AT ELVIN'S DINER. YEAH?" OFFERED MR. THOMPSON. "YEAH SURE." MR. THOMPSON AND RAVEN WALKED TO ELVIN'S DINER. IT WAS A SHORT WALK SO THEY DID'NT HAVE MUCH TO TALK ABOUT. THEY WENT IN AND BOOKED A SEAT. THEY SAT DOWN AND ORDERD SOME TEA. "SO, THIS LEAD IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR FINDING OUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH ELEN OPSTALEN." SAID RAVEN. HOW CAN YOU PROVE THAT IT'S THEIR FAMILY MISS RAVEN, AND ALSO HOW CAN YOU PROVE THAT SOMEONE HAS MURDERED ELEN FOR THEM." "I DON'T KNOW BUT I WILL PROVE IT." "I HAVE TO LEAVE FOR A MEETING TODAY IN BUKINGHAMPSHIRE TOO, I'M SORRY I HAVE TO GET GOING." "YEAH GO AHEAD, I'LL FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO ELEN." SAYING THAT RAVEN RUSHED TO MARGRET'S HOUSE AND ASKED HER TO LET HER IN AND GIVE FEW INFORMATIONS. "OKAY, MISS MAY, START BY TELLING ME, DID ELEN HAVE PROBLEMS WITH HER FAMILY?" "YES, I WAS'NT SUPPOSED TO SAHRE THIS WITH ANYONE BUT SINCE IT WILL HELP YOU FIND OUT WHO HAS WHAT TO DO WITH ELEN'S DEMISE, I HAVE TO TELL YOU. OKAY LISTEN, DON'T SHARE THIS WITH ANYONE, ELEN TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS'NT THE OPSTALEN'S REAL DAUGHTER, IT SEEMS THAT SHE WAS ADOPTED." SAID MARGRET SORROWFULLY. "ADOPTED?!" RAVEN WAS IN SHOCK. "AND IT SEEMS RECENTLY WHEN THE FAMILY WERE DISCUSSING WHO SHOULD GET THE PROPERTY AND FINANCES,- ELEN OR HER SISTER, ROSELE. THE FAMILY REVEALED THAT SHE WAS ADOPTED, IT SEEMED THAT ELEN WAS THE DAUGHTER OR MR. OPSTALEN'S SISTER, WHEN SHE DIED IN A CAR ACCIDENT, MR. OPSTALEN TOOK OVER THE RESPONSIBILITY AS SHE WAS A SMALL LITTLE BABY GIRL. MRS. OPSTALEN HATED ELEN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, ONLY MR. OPSTALEN USED TO BUY THINGS FOR ELEN, MRS. OPSTALEN, MADE HER SLEEP IN A BATHROOM FOR 10 WEEKS WHEN MR. OPSTALEN WAS AWAY. NOW, ELEN, STATED THAT IF, MR. OPSTALEN, LOVED HIS SISTER DEARLY, HE WOULD GIVE ELEN THE HALF-PROPERTY ATLEAST, BUT MRS. OPSTALEN WAS NOT PLEASED, WHEN MR. OPSTALEN WENT AWAY FOR SOME WORK IN THE TOWN OF 'CAMDEN' MRS. OPSTALEN MAY HAVE MURDERED HER." ANSWERED MARGRET. "AND HOW DO YOU KNOW ALL THAT?" ASKED RAVEN. "WELL, ELEN TOLD ME ALL ABOUT THIS, AND ALSO SAID THAT HER LIFE WAS IN THREAT. MRS. OPSTALEN GOT THE MURDER DONE FOR HER, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO." "WELL, IF YOU CONNECT ALL THE DOTS, I SUSPECT ON MR. THOMPSON." SAID RAVEN. "MR. THOMPSON, MR. HAYHURST THOMPSON, THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER?" ASKED MARGRET. "YES, BECAUSE HE LOOKED DIFFERENT WHEN I MENTIONED ABOUT ELEN'S FAMILY AND MURDER." SAID RAVEN. "I HAVE A PLAN." SAID MARGRET SMILING.

WHEN MR. THOMPSON RETURNED FROM BUKINGHAMPSHIRE IN THE EVENING, MARGRET AND RAVEN PUT ON A PLAY, WITH FAKE OFFICERS, TO SEE WHETHER THE CRIME WAS REALLY COMMITED BY MR. THOMPSON OR NOT. "YOU ARE UNDER ARREST, MR. HAYHURST THOMPSON!" SHOUTED RAVEN. "MR. THOMPSON, STARTLED, ASKED "WHAT FOR?" "FOR MURDERING ELEN OPSTALEN BRUTALLY, UNDER THE ORDER OF MRS. OPSTALEN." SAID MARGRET WITH A TEAR IN HER EYE. "I'M SORRY, I HAD BEEN BRIBED, AND I COMMITED A VERY BAD CRIME, ARREST ME." SAID MR. THOMSPON. "REALLY? YOU REALLY COMMITED THE CRIME, MR. THOMPSON? AND YOU COVERED IT ALL UP." SAID RAVEN AS THOUGH SHE HAD BEEN CHEATED. "THIS ALL IS FAKE, BUT I'M GONNA CALL THE REAL OFFICERS NOW." SAID MARGRET, PICKING UP HER PHONE." "HELLO, YES... OFFICER, WE HAVE FOUND THE REAL MURDERER OF ELEN, OPSTALEN." SAID MARGRET OVER THE PHONE.

IN A FEW SPAN OF MINUTES, THE OFFICERS CAME AND ARRESTED MR. THOMPSON, MR. AND MRS. OPSTALEN. FOR MURDERING ELEN OPSTALEN.

MR THOMPSON WAS CHARGED OF- MURDERING A 20 YEAR OLD

MR. OPSTALEN WAS CHARGED OF- PARTICIPATING IN THE LEAGUE OF MURDER.

MRS. OPSTALEN, WAS CHARGED OF- PLANNING MURDER OF HER ADOPTED DAUGHTER."

IN THE END... MARGRET AND RAVEN BECAME BEST OF FRIENDS, EVERY WEEK THEY USED TO GO TO THE BOTIQUE AND BUY A DRESS, THEY USED TO GO TO ELEN'S GRAVEYARD, AND PLACE THE DRESS, ON HER GRAVE. MARGRET CRIED EVERYTIME, BUT RAVEN WAS THERE TO COMFORT HER.

TRUTH ALWAY'S COMES OUT, SO ALWAYS'S SPEAK THE TRUTH.

WRITTEN BY,

ISHITA SULTANPURKAR