The Art of Lying [Jai Brooks]

-chapter 6-

Jai Brooks

Four Days After

"It's time to find out a bit more about the killer"

"I guess so" she replies hesitantly "you sure we won't get caught?"Apprehension is clearly expressed on her features. Truth, no I'm not sure and I'm nervous as hell. Who knows what we're going to find? I notice her leg shaking nervously as she knots her fingers in her lap. For a fleeting moment I consider putting the key back in the ignition and driving us back to ULA but we have to do this, we have to at least attempt to find a way out of this and staying out here could be the key. So I do what I'm best at. I lie.

"I'm sure. We just have to stay back" I reach over and open the glove box, as I do so my knuckle brushes her bare leg "sorry" I mutter awkwardly, I pull out a pair of binoculars and hold them up as if they were something genius "that's why we have these"

"You know what" she says "I never pinned you as the next Einstein but you just might be it" she nods in approval before letting out a light chuckle. I can't help but smile at her laugh. There's just something about her that's so, don't even think of the word beautiful Jai that is not in your fucking vocabulary, attractive, that's the word.

"Let's just call us partners in crime" I wink, she shakes her head and her head flies back in laughter. I open up the driver's door and hop out, I click open the boot and pull out my backpack, the tent and a large sleeping bag.

"What is that?" she asks eyeing up the large sleeping bag "please tell me that you're not expecting us to share that?" she laughs uneasily clearly all too aware of my reputation

"No, it's for you" I lie, of course I plan on sharing it, fuck being cold

"Oh great, thanks, but is it really necessary to stay out here?"

"I figured in the midst of night there will be less cops lurking around and we can snoop around without being seen" I explain my intentions, which by the way are innocent

"You promise we'll be back on time for first period tomorrow?" she worries

"I promise" I tell her

"Do we really have to share a tent? Can't I sleep in the car? I mean if you gave me more notice I could've grabbed Rachel's old pop up tent" she rambles what appears to be nervously

"Taking the tent of your murdered roommate, as a suspect of murder, to camp out at the place she was murdered, really doesn't seem like the brightest of ideas" I laugh

"Okay, but no getting frisky, I'm not into bad boy jocks that choose salt and vinegar chips over ready salted" she insults my choice of chips which naturally I am offended by

"How dare you" I gasp

"I have to be honest if this whole 'friends' thing is going to work" she nudges me with her shoulder making me laugh at her pre-school gesture

"Oh so we're friends now?" I raise my brow at her mockingly before slinging my backpack over my shoulder

"We're getting there" she smiles.

We take a long walk through the forest, attempting to use distinctive trees as a guide of direction. After a long walk and evidence of a gorgeous sunset beginning to set across the sky we find the perfect spot to set up camp. A spot cascaded by several varieties of trees, the looming blossom and coloured leaves scatter over the dirt, the trickle of Offmans man-made waterfall echoing through the forestry. Through a peak in the trees I can see police cars and caution signs scattered by the lakes, investigators and teams of forensics litter the lake bank.