Through the Eyes of Prendle

Chapter 5: A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

"Go ahead," Lucas urged. "Take a look at it. This is the only opportunity you're going to have."

Swallowing hard, Prendle touched the folder with a shaky hand. She opened the front cover, and her eyes widened. She hoped Detective Findlay was messing with her, that he was only trying to scare her. Looking down at the contents, she could see he wasn't lying. John Justice had suspected her of something...but what?

The folder was full of pictures of her; some were at the same scene, taken from every angle. She flipped through every one of them, the fear in her heart growing with each one that graced her line of vision. Some dated back to when she was as young as sixteen, some a little farther back. She had always made it a habit to be at the crime scene when the guilty party was caught. She could never figure out why she did it. She always figured it was a way for her to make sure they got the right person. She had never told anyone, not even her mother. She didn't think anyone had ever noticed...until now.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Prendle?" Detective Findlay asked her. "Doesn't this seem suspicious to you?"

Prendle decided that her best defense was to play dumb. "Looks like John Justice had an obsession with me. Yeah. It seems suspicious."

Lucas stared at her. After several seconds, an amused smirk appeared on his face. "You're very clever. But you know that's not what I meant."

"No, I don't."

He set his jaw. "Okay then. Let me spell it out for you." He put his index finger on the folder. "Every one of these photos was taken at a crime scene, a different crime scene."

Prendle shrugged. "So."

"So?" He pressed his lips together. She was trying his patience. She wasn't this oblivious to what was right in front of her. "It means you were present at every crime scene for many years now, particularly the murder scenes, attempted or otherwise." He took one of the pictures from underneath the paper clip that held them in place and turned it over. "John left a note on everyone, the date, and the case number. I checked the first few. They were all murders."

She swallowed again, her nerves prickling all over her body. She felt sick to her stomach. Detective Findlay was right. She knew he was right. Prendle didn't understand why John had never informed her about it. If he had suspected her of wrongdoing, why hadn't she heard anything about it until now? "I don't know what you're trying to get at."

"Let me clear it up," Lucas interrupted. "I think Justice might have been trying to tell us something. Do you know some serial killers try to insert themselves into an investigation? They get off on it. They're there every step of the way. I think you could be responsible for these murders."

The color drained from Prendle's face. "You're insane. I'm not a murderer."

"They all say they're innocent."

She turned from him, shaking her head. "No." She folded her arms on top of her chest.

He exhaled deeply. "Mr. Franks told me that you threatened his wife.

She looked him in the eye again. "What? I never threatened Arielle. Is that what she told you?"

"No. It's what Richard told me. Arielle was standing there beside him. She didn't correct him."

Prendle bit her bottom lip. That hurt her feelings. She was used to it by now, but it didn't matter. It still made her want to cry. "Well, they're wrong. I didn't threaten her. Are we finished here?"