For Good

Chapter 21 - Opportunity and Motive

"She didn't do it!" Danielle announced as soon as the door opened.

"I really didn't." Skie insisted.

Hazel blinked several times. "I'm confused." Despite this, she stepped out of the way for the two girls to enter. Raven popped her head out of the bathroom, hair half braided. "Didn't do what?"

"I didn't steal the tablet." Skie explained, as if this covered everything. At Hazel and Raven's confused looks, she sighed and quickly explained what the Headmistress had told her.

"So why are you worried, kiddo? If you didn't do it, then you can't get in trouble." Hazel brushed a few curls back behind her ear, looking at Skie in concern.

"But I think people will think I did do it. I mean, Luna did say I was one of the most likely people to have done it, cause I have the keys and such." Skie fiddled with her blazer.

"And Hannah and Madi acted suspicious as well." Danielle added, returning the look that Skie gave her with a shake of her head.

"Did they now?" Hazel asked a bit too lightly. Skie quickly continued.  "I'd suspect me too, if I was anyone else."

"It does seem really convenient that something was stolen from a place that Skie is a lot." Raven noted from her bed, where she was sitting. "It could be a set up."

Hazel nodded slowly. Skie looked between the two girls quickly to see if they were joking. "You think someone is trying to frame me?"

"It's possible." Hazel seemed to be considering the option.

"Well, how do we find out who it is?" Dani asked, standing by Skie and putting an arm around her protectively.

Hazel sighed. "Principles of deduction. For someone to have been trying to set Skie up, they would have needed to have two things: opportunity and motive."

Skie blinked. "Okay, and?"

Hazel sat down next to Raven and motioned for the two third years to sit on her bed. "Opportunity first. Who all can get into the DR?"

Skie thought about it. "Anyone with keys. So me, Landon, Luna, the upper head boy, Headmaster, Headmistress, the janitor probably, I think that's all?"

"But why would any of them do it?" Danielle asked.

"Precisely. That's the second point: motive. Any of those people had opportunity, but if they don't have a motive for framing you, then they aren't likely suspects." Hazel explained.

"I don't think any of them would frame me. I don't really know the upper heads at all, obviously Headmaster and Headmistress wouldn't do it, and I'm sure they'd have asked the janitors if they had seen anything. And there's no bad blood between me and Landon either." Skie sighed.

Raven nodded slowly. "You said Luna found the door open. Are you sure you remembered to lock it?"

"I thought so." Skie insisted.

"It did get unlocked though. Maybe a janitor left it open." Danielle suggested.

"Good point. That increases opportunity substantially. We should talk motive. Skie, is there anyone who's upset at you currently?" Hazel asked.

"I don't know. I guess maybe anyone I've punished recently could be upset at me." Skie offered.

"Or Maddison." Dani muttered under her breath.

Skie looked over at her quickly. "Madi wouldn't do that, would she?"

Danielle shrugged. "I'd like to say no, but with the way she was acting earlier, I guess we can't rule her out."