River's Creek

Chapter three

The North side of River's creek was home to the rich suburban neighborhoods. Everybody on that side has money and deep connections. Nowadays, you have to fight to see who's worthy of the top. All my life, I was Jackson White. Son of the powerful White family. Part of the rich side of River's Creek, I was nothing but a gold statue. Set with high purpose in life and something shiny that everybody wanted. But it wasn't just me. It was Erin too. In their eyes, she couldn't do anything wrong. She was also meant to be a shiny statue to flaunt. So when she vanished, everyone was in panic. Dad used his money to buy leashes for the police station. But the search for Erin was filled with nothing but dead ends. I thought I was supposed to stay and grieve with mom. But I needed to do something. I needed to find her. I did the best I could to retrace her steps the night she disappeared. She was supposed to go to cheerleading practice and back home. But instead she went to Richard's. I thought we were heading somewhere when we decided to find Richard. Only we found him brutally murdered in his house. Emma told me not to worry but I couldn't. I just couldn't get that murder scene out of my head. Especially when finding her clothes there. Was she into something dark before she disappeared? Why murder Richard? My phone was filled with messages about my sister when I woke up. But I just shut it off. I went downstairs to get some breakfast. And of course the news was talking about Richard's murder and connecting it to Erin's disappearance. The cops still believe that it had something to do with the school. And this only gives them more motive. The missing case was now turning into a murder case. Possibly homicide. The news are speculating that Richard has something to do with Erin's disappearance. The school was now ground zero for the investigation. And close relationships are now under the spotlight.
"Mr White."
Officer Page ended up showing father Erin's clothes. It only made him more angry. And made mom more depressed. I haven't seen her smile since Erin disappeared. She tortures herself by watching the news everyday. I wish there was more that I could do.
"There's something else." Page says.
"What is it?"
"We searched through his phone and found messages between him and Erin. It appears they had a relationship."
"Anything else."
"He had a conversation with another person before Erin's disappearance."
"Do you know who?"
"No. It's from a blocked number."
"Great. So back to a fucking dead end."
Dad stormed into his study. And officer Page went back to their job. I went into the kitchen to fix my own breakfast. A quick sandwich.
"Erin was at Richard's house the day she disappeared and now he's dead. Whoever is doing this is out to end our family and is covering up the loose ends. You need to end this."
I stopped fixing my breakfast to walk closer to my father's study. I could hear his conversation from the other side of the wall. He was on a phone call angry. Who is he talking to?
"If this continues, too much will spill. Just Fix this."
He ends the call with a sigh. He then storms out of the office to talk to the police. Someone was after our family. I need to figure out who he was talking to. We were never allowed in father's study. He hates it when we mess with his work. But I have a feeling that it's something else. I went back upstairs to go into my room. But I ended up passing Erin's room. A cold presence was left in the room. I haven't stepped foot in here since she was kidnapped. I didn't want to mess with anything. But instead I walked in, observing everything. There has to be something. The cops came to search her room but still came up empty. There has to be something. Since they searched through the obvious hiding areas, maybe Erin had some secret places. I went searching until I found something crazy. Erin was hiding something in her shoe. Wrapped in tissue was a pregnancy test. How did the cops miss this? It would explain why she went to Richard's urgently. He got her pregnant. Did someone else find out and kidnap her? This was getting confusing. I grab my phone to call Emma but she isn't picking up. There was a time where Emma and I wouldn't hang out together. But things became different when Erin disappeared. And I was surprised to find Emma searching for Erin when they barely knew each other. Not to mention that she was finding more things than the cops. Emma is a sweet but shy girl. It was clear that she doesn't like attention. But she's very smart and I know she can be fun. But I wonder why she's not answering. I hid the pregnancy test in my pocket and headed downstairs. But I was interrupted by my dad. And he wasn't alone.
"Hey."
"Carrie."
She came and hugged me. I only gave her a half hug because I didn't want her to know about the pregnancy test. Carrie has been my girlfriend for a while. But sometimes I feel it's because she's rich and nothing else. Our parents were the ones to set us up. Almost like a political relationship based on money. Carrie doesn't care because she loves being a rich girl. I just don't want that to be my only purpose.
"Is everything alright?"
"Yeah. Just caught me at a bad time."
"Are you going somewhere?"
I didn't want her to learn anything.
"No."
"We can hang in your room."
I look back at the cops in my house.
"How about we go for a walk?"
"Okay."
"I'll meet you outside."
I rushed upstairs to hide the pregnancy test. I then join back with Carrie for a walk.
"How are you doing?"
"I've been better."
"I know it's suffocating but they will find her Jackson."
"It's been nothing but dead ends lately."
"There hasn't been something like this in years. The town used to pride themselves on it and the cops got lazy. It's going to take time."
"Time is what we don't have."
"Learning about Richard was worse. Knowing that creepy guy was praying on Erin enough to be involved in this is sick."
"That's one word."
"Maybe we could talk to the others. If the school became ground zero because of Richard, then someone is bound to know something."
"That's a good idea."
We walked to the park where everybody was hanging out.
"Carrie. Jackson. Come chill."
We both joined the others in relaxing. But I couldn't get comfortable. I needed to use this time to find Erin. I need to tell Emma about the pregnancy test.
"Hey."
Carrie softly brushes my hair with her fingers.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah."
"Try to take your mind off of it."
"I will."
She kissed me before giving me a small smile.
"Hey Jackson, Erin probably got taken by them freaks." Chad says.
Rene slams his shoulders.
"Shut up."
I looked at him curiously.
"What do you mean?"
"The freaks that live outside of town. I even hear that some of them are witches."
He continues to make creepy ghost noises and Rene slaps his shoulder again.
"That doesn't exist."
"I'm not trying to be a jerk. I'm telling you what's out there."
"How do you know what's out there?"
"Because I'm the one that's opening my eyes. This town isn't what you think it is."
"I didn't suspect you to be all Mr. Paranoia and conspiracy." Rene says.
"We can't stay blind to what's out there forever."
"Sure." Rene says in disbelief.
"I have to go." I said, rising to my feet.
Carrie rises to her feet.
"Where are you going?"
"I have to go handle something important. But don't worry about me."
I kissed her on the cheek.
"I'll catch you later."
I walked off before they could follow me. I need to get in contact with Emma. I was happy when she answered on the second ring.
"Hey."
"Are you free?"
"Yeah. What's wrong?"
"Meet me at the library."
"Okay."
I hung up quickly and made my way to the library. But Chad's words still stuck with me. Our town wasn't what it was. The police pride themselves that there has been peace for years. If anything, that's the strangest thing about this town. I was not going to believe Chad about the "witches". That has to be a lie.
"Jackson."
I got off the wall as Emma came walking.
"I'm glad you could make it."
"What's wrong?"
"The cops searched Richard's house and showed everything we saw to my parents. Even Erin's clothes."
"That's good."
"Maybe for the cops but it crumpled my mother and angered my father."
"Did the cops find things we missed?"
"No. And if they did, it was told to my father."
"Of course."
"There's more."
"Which is?"
"I found this in Erin's room."
I pulled out the pregnancy test from my pocket. Her eyes went wide.
"Did Richard?"
"Yeah. I think he got her pregnant before she disappeared."
"Maybe that's why she's gone. Did she run from shame?"
"If so then why did we find Richard dead? It doesn't make sense."
"Unless."
"What?"
"What if there was someone else?"
"Someone else?"
"Maybe there's another person that knows this and took Erin."
"Who had a strong desire to kill Richard. This isn't good."
"Yeah."
Emma suddenly started acting strange. Not to mention she looks beaten.
"Are you okay?"
"What do you mean?"
"You look battered. Like you haven't slept in days."
"It's nothing."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I'm fine."
She tried to smile but I saw nothing but pain. But I shouldn't intrude.
"Do you know anybody who had a crush on Erin?"
"There's a lot of boys in that subject."
"We need to narrow it down."
My phone suddenly rings. It was my dad.
"I have to go."
"Okay. I'll talk to you later."
"Yeah."
I left the alleyway to head home. When I got there, there was a dark cloud over the house. Darker than usual. I opened the front door to the cops talking to dad and mom. Mother was looking more distraught. Father isn't showing any expression. He was trying to keep himself together, but was struggling. I was hesitant to walk in.
"What's going on?"
Mother left the room to break down. Father does a heavy sigh.
"Jackson. They found Erin's body."
My heart stopped abruptly. Those words made everything around me stop. Erin was dead.