Malevolence

Chapter 23:

Please read the Writer's note before you continue to read this chapter.

Evelyn:

"Evelyn, are you okay?" Marta asks, sounding breathless, latching her hands onto her scarf.

I peer at the detective. "I – I'm fine." I pull my arm away, inhaling and exhaling.

Detective Blanc frowns slightly, taking off his glasses. "Call me Blanc. Might I ask, what were you doing upstairs in that study?" he asks, but he does not sound angry as he speaks.

I swallow. "I was...I was..."

Looking for evidence. I found a notebook, but I don't want to share it with you.

I shake my head. "Nothing. I was just up there, looking around." I lie as I hide the notebook behind my back.

Blanc looks down to where the notebook is, but he quickly looks back up at my face.

"Did you find anything interesting?" he asks, his tone unreadable.

Is he trying to be sarcastic with me, or is he genuinely curious?

I lean against the wall, pushing my back toward the notebook. "Nope." I lie, looking away from Blanc, but I immediately look back at Blanc. He may think that by me looking away, I am lying, so I cannot let him think that I am lying.

Even though I am.

Blanc seems to study me for a few seconds before he turns around to take off his shoes.

I side step to his left so that I am a few feet away from him.

"Marta, show me," he points to the trip window, "but don't step on the carpet." he instructs.

Marta hops over to where I am standing, nearly knocking into me, so I step onto the carpet, about to leave, but Blanc grabs my arm. "Ms. Evelyn, I would appreciate if you wait until I am done."

"Ow!" I wince, yanking my arm away, nearly knocking the notebook out of my hand.

I act fast and try to hide the notebook, so I intentionally fall backward, up against the wall where I was originally standing.

I hope Blanc didn't see that notebook, because I am not giving this notebook in for evidence. Not yet at least.

"Oh my goodness! Are you okay?" Blanc asks, sounding worried.

I rub my arm. "I just want to go downstairs." I grumble, wishing I could hop over the carpet and run downstairs, away from these detectives.

"I will be done soon. I need to analyze the carpet first." Blanc explains.

"For what?" I ask, feeling frustrated.

"You will see. Marta, if you please." Blanc focuses on Marta, who walks toward the window.

She opens the trip window, and the sun's light fills the passage way.

"It's the trip window. From 'A Kill for all Seasons'." Trooper Wagner references, sounding enthusiastic.

Ugh!

"We get it. You are a big fan of Harlan's books." I mutter sarcastically.

Wagner gawps at me and furrows his brows. "Did you know there was a trip window there?" he points to the window.

I crease my forehead. "There's a painting of a boy sneaking into a window, on the trip window. So yeah, I knew about it." I say rather bitterly.

"Moving on from...whatever this is." Elliot points between Wagner and me.