The Sinner

34

The car slams into park as we pull into a driveway of a house I didn't recognize.

I notice the normal white but large house was covered in flashing blue lights. Everything was.

There were about four cop cars here. People were starting to gather around the large house. I furrow my brows as I look over at Rafe.

"Who's house is this?" I ask, just as the lights above us turn on from him opening the door.

"Kelce's." He hops out of my car and motions for me to follow. I open the door and keep my eyes on the group of cops as I follow Rafe into the crowd of people.

"What's going on here?" Rafe asks, pretending like he didn't know.

"I think they got him," A woman says. "They think he's in there."

"Who?" I play along.

"John B," The girl standing next to her says. I remember seeing her in school, she was younger. Maybe around fifteen or so.

My eyes flash to Rafe as he puts an arm around my waist. I fold my arms across my chest as I can practically feel my heart climbing out of my chest.

"What happens if he comes out and sees us here?" I ask quietly. "Do you think he'll say something?"

"No, he has no proof," He responds with the same tone.

"The gun? They can match the bullet they found in Peterkin with the gun that's registered in the system," I tell him.

"My dad got rid of the gun," He says. "If it comes back he can say John B stole it."

I swallow hard as I watch Shoupe and the rest of the police walk up the wooden stairs to Kelce's house.

"Remember the fallen Sheriff!" Rafe shouts next to me. I furrow my eyebrows as I look up at him.

"Yeah that's right! Kill the son of a bitch!" My blood runs cold as I listen to what these people around me are saying. I bite down on my bottom lip. Rafe had this gleam in his eyes, like he was getting amusement from this.

I stare at the group of men in uniform walking inside the house. Rafe rubs his hand on the exposed skin from my shirt and he squeezes me tightly.

"Don't look so guilty angel," Rafe whispers in my ear. "You're not the one that did it."

"Very funny Rafe," I mumble. He chuckles next to me.

"They'll catch him and this'll be all over."

It doesn't feel like it'll be.

"Right," I say anyway. I chew on my lip as I wait for them to come out with John B in handcuffs. Seconds later I see Shoupe running out of the house, with no John B.

"He went out the back! He can't be far!" I almost feel, relieved? Is that what I feel? My emotions are getting all jumbled up.

"We'll get him for you Sheriff!" Rafe shouts. He grabs my hand and starts pulling me backwards.

"The suspect is unarmed! If you ain't the sheriffs department go home!" Shoupe shouts.

"Come on, let's go get him," Rafe says.

"He said to go home Rafe," I say. He ignores me and continues to drag me away from the house. I spot Kelce walking over towards the two of us.

"Hey man," He says. "This whole shit is crazy."

"What happened man, how'd you catch him?" Rafe plays along.

"I was literally sitting at my kitchen counter eating a bowl of cereal, and he just ran into my house," Kelce says, sounding like he still can't believe that happened. "The kid's stupid why would you ever run into a house?"