Duskwood: And Beyond

48. End of the Mystery

Oryn

It took me a while to process everything Richy told me. Once he told me everything, we left the abandoned house. The road to the police station was silent. I wanted to say something but it was as if the words refused to come out. I assumed Richy felt the same. 

On our way I called Anabelle and Jake, informing them about my whereabouts, and asked them to bring everyone - including Hannah, Thomas, and Cleo - to the police station. 

Once we parked outside, Richy turned to me and hugged me tightly. Without even comprehending what I was doing, I hugged him back. I was so angry with him yet so relieved that he was alive.

"Everything will be alright," I tried to calm him and give him courage. He nodded and we walked over to the police station.

It felt like years as I waited for the group to join me. Richy was with Alan in an interrogation room. I was not allowed to watch. It felt like time has stopped. I assumed I would finally relax but I didn't. I was involved in this mess for so long that I felt scared not knowing what would happen next. The interrogation felt like it took years but in reality, it ended even before anybody showed up. 

Alan told me about it and it appeared that Richy really told everything. The district attorney was also other and after everything was finally revealed. I was congratulated and praised for my bravery but it felt wrong. For the longest time, I thought this was personal. I made it personal. Hannah and Richy made it personal. But now, it felt like everything was happening around me but not actually to me. 

Hannah was arrested the moment she stepped foot at the police station. We all talked to Alan and Ashton but the legal procedure took days. In the end, as the details of the case unfolded, Hannah's fragile mental state became apparent. Recognizing that Hannah's actions were driven by fear, guilt, and deteriorating mental health conditions, the authorities made a decision that surprised many.

Given Hannah's history of mental instability and the overwhelming emotional turmoil she had been experiencing, the authorities chose to show her mercy. They concluded that she had been driven to desperate measures by her own demons and decided to grant her leniency. Instead of facing criminal charges, Hannah would be provided with the necessary mental health support and therapy to address her underlying issues. Richy, on the other hand, faced a different fate. While he had been a trusted friend to Hannah, his actions in aiding and abetting the cover-up were deemed to be a conscious choice rather than a result of mental instability. Richy was arrested.

Sitting in the car outside of the police station, Anabelle and I watched as Richy was led away by the authorities. We knew that Hannah understood that her actions had consequences and that Richy had sacrificed himself to protect her. Though she was spared from legal repercussions, the weight of her choices would forever haunt her.

Anabelle drove me back home after Richy was sent away. She informed me that she will be staying with Phil. I noticed that Jake prepared a dinner table for us. The room was dim and romantic due to the candle lights. Jake went all in with the cooking. The table was filled with various dishes. Jake took his seat across from me after pouring some wine for the both of us. It appeared that he was acting like everything was normal and none of this happened.

We consciously avoided talking about Hannah or Richy. I knew he had a lot to process and I knew it would take a long time but right now, we pretended that everything was normal. The dinner passed nicely. Jake was definitely struggling to converse but he bared through it. I wanted to continue talking but Jake excused himself to our room.

I grabbed my wine and walked outside. It was cold, silent, and dark but I enjoyed it. I sat on the ground and checked my messages. 

0 new messages.

I closed my eyes and for once in a very long time, I breathed a sigh of relief. It was over and we could all finally take the time to heal. I knew it would take longer for some of us but alas, we could all be normal people not living in someone's messed up murder-mystery story. I stayed there for a few more minutes before walking back inside and to my room. Jake was on the bed, staring at the ceiling until I walked in. He lifted himself on his elbows and smiled at me.

"I will be in the shower," I said as I started to walk towards the bathroom while slowly taking off my clothes and dropping them. I took off my makeup and brushed my teeth. I then went into the shower. The hot water was relaxing every muscle in my body. I then stepped out and wrapped myself up.

I walked out of the bathroom all relaxed. I just dropped myself on the bed.
Jake was wearing an oversized shirt and sweatpants. He then sat on his side of the bed and took his laptop. I dried myself and walked into my closet. I wore my most comfortable underwear and threw on a nightgown.

I returned back to the room to find Jake focused on his laptop. 

"Are you doing something important?"

"No, no, just some minor things," he said without looking at me.

I sat next to him only to realize he was not doing anything. He was just staring at all the files we created during our investigation. And it hit me once more, just like it hit him. It was all over. We figured it out.

So now what?

I tried so hard to not think about it. I hoped in time everything would be normal. I would go back to being a journalist with Anabelle and Jake would continue doing what he does. But I couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness inside. And I had a feeling Jake and Anabelle were feeling exactly the same.