𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑟-𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑑

The explanation

Abby's POV

"What?" they all question in unison. JJ's jaw clenches so hard, I think it may break. Sarah avoids eye contact with John B while John B looks at me with wide eyes. "Before I explain, I need your words that you won't do or say anything because this man is unhinged. I'm sorry, Sarah, but he is fucking insane and an addict. Those two don't mix." She looks down, not meeting anyone's gaze.

"I was by the marsh thinking because it's peaceful there at night if you aren't afraid of gators. Rafe pulled up about thirty feet away from me. He was dumping a body in the marsh," I tell them all, and Sarah's eyes shoot to mine. She knows that he is crazy and unhinged, but she still loves him. He's her brother after all. I'm sure that she thought he was redeemable in some way, so this must be a shock for her.

"I was backing away when I stepped on a branch. He saw me and I ran. I didn't get far because he chased me. I got away and ran for his truck, but he caught me again. He took my knife after I stabbed him and threw me in the back of the truck, hence the blood on me."

"Did he let you go?" Sarah questions, most likely trying to find some sense of redemption for him. I shake my head. "I kicked out the back window of his truck and climbed through. That's why there are cuts all over me. I jumped out the truck and jumped off the bridge. It was too dark for him to see me and surviving a jump like that is difficult. Very difficult. He probably thinks I'm dead."

Nobody says anything for a few moments as they take it all in. They just share glances with me and each other as they process the information, but eventually, Sarah speaks. "I'm so sorry, Abby." My eyebrows furrow at why she is apologizing. Rafe being her brother does not mean she shoulders the responsibility. "It's not your fault. You being blood doesn't mean you are responsible for his actions. I just have to lay low for a while, which means no school. Can I hang here?" I ask, looking at John B. He nods his head.

"Abby, we can use this," JJ tells me, his voice both angry and excited.

"No, JJ, we can't. The only evidence I have is his blood on my shirt, which is circumstantial in a case like this. The Cameron's are millionaires and can pay off any police department or any judge. If we went to the cops, nothing would happen just like nothing happened when you went to the cops about Ward and the guy he shot. Right now, what we have to do is keep our mouths shut."

"What happens if he comes after you?" JJ snarls. "Calm down, JJ," Kie says, trying to stop him from getting angry. JJ is fiercely protective over the people he loves and can get angry when they are threatened. "I know what I'm doing, and I know what to do. All I need are some Ziplocks and a video camera."

The next day

"Are we there yet?" JJ grumbles, walking through mud. "Almost. Stop complaining," I sneer. I look for where I was last night at the marsh as we walk through it as well as the body. "Over there!" I yell, pointing to the tree with two trunks. I grab the video camera from Kiara and turn it around to video me.

"My name is Abby Coleman and it's August 28th, 2020. Last night, I was in the marsh watching the stars and I saw Rafe Cameron dump a body into the marsh. He saw me and I ran. He shoved me in his truck but not before I stabbed him with my knife which is probably somewhere here. The blood got on my clothes which are sealed in plastic bags and will be turned over to the police along with this video in the case of my disappearance or death. I waited until Rafe drove us over the tallest bridge to get to figure 8 to escape. I kicked in the back window of his truck and climbed out. That's when I jumped into the water. I survived the jump, thankfully, and now I'm here, taking this video to assure the man who killed Sheriff Peterkin, someone else, and kidnapped me is put behind bars for at least one of these crimes. I am handing the camera over to Kiara who will videotape our findings to ensure that nobody can claim we faked the crime scene."

Kiara takes the camera from my hand and points it at me. I walk over to where I was last night, by the two-trunked tree. "Here is where I was sitting last night. Rafe Cameron pulled up in his black Ford and dumped a body into the water." I take a step closer to the water, looking for the white body bag that the body was inside. "It's been over twelve hours, so the gators probably got to it, but I'm sure you will find bones or pieces of the body bag in the water when you come here."

I walk back over to where Rafe's truck was and bend down. "This is his blood," I say, pointing to the red dirt. "I stabbed him in the stomach, and he cut his hand after ripping my butterfly knife away from me. He grabbed the blade." As I look around, I see a patch of white skin on the ground. "And this," I say, pointing to the skin. "Is Rafe Cameron's skin. When he covered my mouth, I bit his hand." JJ hands me a Ziplock, covering his mouth to avoid throwing up. "Baby," I murmur.

I pick up the skin with the Ziplock, not touching it before zipping the Ziplock. Kiara zooms in the camera on the skin before focusing on me. "This Ziplock as well as the Ziplocks filled with the clothes I was wearing last night, and this video camera will be delivered to the police on the event of my death or disappearance. Call it an insurance policy if you will."

I take a step closer to the camera. "Rafe Cameron is a violent sociopath with an addiction to some type of drug. Cocaine would be my guess. Instead of accepting payments, do your jobs and put him in a mental hospital where he can't hurt anyone else. Or jail. Whatever works best."

Kie ends the video and puts the camera in her backpack. "Kie, can you make fifty copies of the video?" I ask, handing her a few hundred-dollar bills. "Don't you think that's a little overboard?" she asks. I shake my head. "Overboard gives us better chances." She looks at me for a moment before taking the bills. "What happens now?" John B asks from behind me.

"I show up right in front of Rafe and see his reaction."