PAPER RINGS ༄ ❀ JJ MAYBANK & KIARA CARRERA

05.

          Shoupe had showed up to where Ward had killed Gavin. they were all crowed around the exact area where he was killed, trying to explain what had happened given the fact they had no evidence.

Nadia stood quiet, in the corner with her arms crossed. her back was up against one of the wooden pillars, staring at the ground where Gavin's body once was.

"look," Kiara spoke some more, pointing to the wooden floor, "this is where it happened, right here, it's where the maniac claimed his next victim."

Shoupe rose an eyebrow, not buying whatever they were saying "his next victim?"

"yeah..." Kiara spoke softly. Nadia watched as JJ touched the ground, attempting to get any ounce of blood or something on his finger. the rain most likely washed it all away though.

"right..." the deputy muttered "how long ago did you say it happened?"

"like forty-five minutes ago shoupe."'JJ grumbled, standing up straight. Shoupe wrote something down on his notepad, "so...Ward Cameron just popped one off and shot him."

Kiara breathed deeply "yes..."

"execution style?" he asked "then cleaned it all up in forty five minutes?"

"yeah..."

"obviously!"

"we filmed the entire thing." Kiara spoke, making
Nadia bang her head on the wooden stand she was leaning against. it was no surprise to he that he didn't believe them. Ward probably had him tied around his finger, and given the circumstances of what happened to their evidence, it didn't even seem believable to her.

"but we can't show it to you because i stepped on JJs hand, and then he kicked Pope and then Pope dropped the camera." Kiara truthfully spoke, "Nadia tried to catch it but JJ accidentally landed on her and then it smashed on the ground and—"

Shoupe looked over to the girl who was standing quiet. she hasn't spoken a word since he got there. he rose an eyebrow at her curiously. Nadia nodded her head, silently backing up Kiara.

"this is a telephoto." Pope cut off Kiaras rambling "we needed to get a long distance image, and..and i fell and it..it broke so the video is basically unusable—but we were there and we witne—"

Shoupe shook his head, "so the dog ate your homework?"

"shoupe, i know it sounds like—"

he shoved his pen and notepad back into his uniform pocket "i don't know what you kids expect me to do with this! you drag me out here in the middle of the night for a whole lot of nothing except for some crazy stories about how ward cameron's out on a random killing spree."

"were not making this up!" JJ shouted at him.

"it's not a random killing spree. Gavin was his pilot." says Pope, making shoupe look at him. "he was paying him hush money because he was on the tarmac that day—"

"gavin was blackmailing ward because he had the gun that Rafe used to kill peterkin." Kiara jumped in, making JJ do the same "and then he called him here and tried to pay him off but it wasn't enough and then he shot him—with the murder weapon!"

Nadia was quick to notice the change of expression. for some reason, she felt as if telling him this information was not good.

"how do you know that?" the officer asked skeptically.

Kiara pointed to the heyward boy "pope did this thing with his phone, like..he put it in his car and—"

"i heard their whole conversation."

Nadia's body rose straight when she seen the look of realization hit shoupe face. she forgot that wiretapping wasn't exactly...okay.  "guys, don't say another word." she told them, her voice firm as she narrowed her eyes at them.they turned to her, confused expressions

"why—"

"i'd listen to your friend if i were you." Shoupe cut them off. he waved them off, and started walking the other way "i've had enough."

JJ and Kiara followed him down the steps, continuing to yell at him for not listening to what they were saying. Pope and Nadia shared a tired look, following the other two out of the building.

"please don't go home!" Kiara desperately shouted at the officers who were getting in their police cars. "shoupe, can you just do your job for like twenty minutes?"

"hey!" the officer exclaimed, turning around to face her. "i know you think your friend is innocent—"

"he is—"

"but you weren't there." he reminded her "the only actual witnesses who are above ground say the exact opposite, and both of them have a hell of a lot more credibility then any of you right now."

Nadia sighed longingly, staring at the ground where she stood.

"i saw your little art project on Wards wall." Shoupe continued looking to Kiara with a pointed look "do not do that again! your going to make a hell a lot of trouble for the both of us."

when he got in his car and drove away, once again arguing started. Nadia didn't think she could take anymore tonight.

"your the one who had to drop the camera." JJ accused. Kiara was pissed when she looked at him "it was your fault!"

Nadia cursed, under her breath. she wanted to say so much but it seemed better if she kept it to herself. so instead, she took the only option that seemed good for her. she started to walk away.

she knew if she stayed with them she would end up losing her shit. usually she could calm herself down but this whole night was a mess and all the voices were making her agitated.

"wait—Nadia where are you going!" Pope shouted when he seen his friend walking the other direction of where they were.

"home." she simply replied, not stopping for anything.

"by walking?!" Kiara asked, raising her voice so she could hear her. Nadia didn't answer, she just wanted to be alone.

"Nadia please come back." JJ asked softly but he knew she wasn't going to listen.

"see you tomorrow!" that was the last thing they heard until she turned the corner.

JJ and Kiara turned towards another. the Carrera girl sighed "we should go get her."

Pope stopped them from going anywhere "no, leave her. shes obviously frustrated and needs to be alone right now. and arguing isn't making anything better" he reasoned, feeling bad when he noticed the tired look on the Whitlock girls face.

this made them go quiet as they looked at each other with slight guilt. realizing now that the girl would rather walk home alone in the dark then stay in a car with them because of their constant arguing.

"besides." he added, gesturing to the drain below them "we can still get the gun back."

...