C O M P L E T E - first draft.
7x featured story.
Undiscovered Gem, Romance Ambassadors, January 2025.
Ambys 2024 Favourite - Mystery & Thriller
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I don't register what comes first--Mum's screams and curses, or the searing pain that perforates...
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September 14th
C A R M E N
Zachary and I sit cross-legged on the grass in the middle of a local park. It's barren at this time of day, the only sound being that of the trees dancing in the wind.
I grip my paper coffee cup, allowing it to warm my hands but not making a move to drink from it. To be honest, the idea of consuming just about anything right now has me nauseous.
The two of us have hardly spoken a word since we broke out of Jules' house. We opted to take his bike on our little 'mission' as it's not as eye-catching as my red Mercedes, so we couldn't really talk as we made our getaway. However, even after we dismounted the bike, grabbed drinks from a local coffee place and entered the park to sit down, our discussions were practically non-existent.
"Ellis," Zachary says, and I look up. He sits on the grass across from me, clasping a hot drink of his own. "What's going through your head?"
I sigh. "I don't know anymore."
From our findings, it's clear that Cory did not write the note.
No. Jules did.
She wanted to put my brother in an even more dire situation. I knew she disliked him, but creating false leads in a situation like this seemed too far. Going by the heated discussion we overheard her and Fred have, there is even more to this horrific ordeal than meets the eye.
I dread to think just what might be lying beneath the surface. The thought alone shakes me to the core.
"I take it your old friend Jules really had it out for your brother?" Zachary asks, taking a sip from his paper cup.
"Yeah... I just never thought she'd go to such extremes. Meddling with a case as awful as this... it just seemed too much, even for someone like her," I mutter. "There's one thing I don't understand, though..."
Zachary raises a brow when I trail off. "Go on," he urges me to continue.
"How did a note Jules wrote end somewhere associated with your father's work? There's no way she knew my brother worked there through me or him... unless you told her?"
"Ellis, I've spoken about two words to that girl during our entire time at college, and I'm pretty sure they were 'fuck' and 'off' when she tried it on with me at a party," he says, and I almost crack a smile. But then his eyes widen and his grip on the paper cup in his hands tightens significantly, and any bit of humour he elicited shatters.
"What is it?" I ask.
"Shit. It all makes sense now."
I scoot closer to him, concerned by his sudden change in demeanour. "Zach, spit it out. Please. What makes sense?"
