50 Words For Murder

chapter 8 : eliminate

eliminate
ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt/
verb

kill

"Caroline, please," urged Harry as he followed the attending doctor around the hospital. "He's my best mate and he's being accused of a murder he didn't do!"
"Right now his alibi doesn't hold out very good, Styles," said Caroline. "He was there at the time of murder."
"Someone could've struck him in the head before killing Cassie!" argued Harry. A bunch of nurses stared in their direction.
"Or someone could've seen him murdering her and then hit him in the head," offered Caroline.
"Dr. Watson, Styles, get back to work!" said Dr.Green, the head doctor of the ward.
"Aren't you supposed to be in the emergency ward?" hissed Caroline in annoyance. "I heard Dr. Parks is taking a very interesting lesson for your batch."
"Caroline," said Harry. "Just the details of the autopsy, please. Nothing else."
"I already told you, my sister doesn't discuss these things with me!" said Caroline. Caroline's sister, Stephanie, conducted the autopsy for Cassie's case. "And stop calling me Caroline! It's Dr. Watson, for you."
"Caroline, my friend Liam overheard a bunch of cops talking and he said Niall would be convicted for the murder if they didn't find sufficient evidence. His trial will be in five days," said Harry, pleadingly. "His fingerprints are all over the murder weapon but that's the only thing they have on him. He wouldn't hurt a fly! He didn't do this."
"An innocent college boy with hopes and dreams for a future would be wrongly convicted," he continued. "Imagine his family's fate. Imagine his future. Everything would be destroyed if we don't find evidence fast. The detectives are doing a horrible job. We're all he has."

Caroline looked around uncertainly. Then, she beckoned Harry to come closer.
"I swear I don't know anything about the autopsy," she whispered. "But I do know this. Two weeks ago, Cassie Cowell came to the hospital."
"For what?"
"To get an abortion."
Harry's eyes widened.
"She was a mess," explained Caroline. "Crying. Tripping. I saw her write down her name and immediately asked if her father knew about it. She shook her head and begged me not to tell a soul."
"Did she get it done? Who was the father?" asked Harry, urgently.
"I didn't conduct the abortion," said Caroline. "So I don't know the details. But I did overhear her say something to the doctor who was tending to her."
"What was it?"
"Watson, Styles!" exclaimed Dr. Green, again. "Get to work, already!"
"Just a minute, sir!" called out Caroline. They shuffled over some papers, pretending to look busy.
"I heard Cassie say, 'Just get rid of it. I don't want even the slightest trace of that monster in my body. I don't want a reminder of him growing in me."
"Who was she talking about?" asked Harry.
"Again," said Caroline. "I don't know. But the doctor said, 'If he forced himself on you, you should tell someone.' And then Cassie screamed and said she didn't want anyone to know or talk about this. She came out a few minutes later, smiling. And then she walked out and never came back in."
Harry stood still. So Cassie was pregnant with someone's child? Was it Andy's?

"Harry this is private information," said Caroline. "I don't want to lose my job for revealing patient details."

"Relax," said Harry. "If anyone asks, I didn't get it from you."

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Louis walked down the corridors to the principal's office. He went to the door and hesitantly rapped on it. He stared at the sign which read "Simon Cowell - Principal".
"Come in," came a voice from inside.

Louis stepped inside to see Detective Brooks and Cowell in the room. Brooks gave Louis a curt nod which he ignored.

"What brings you here, Mr. Tomlinson?" asked Cowell.
"I'm sorry, sir," said Louis. "But I needed a change in my schedule. My deepest condolences to you and your family."

"What can be done has been done, my son," said Cowell, wistfully. "Whoever this monster is, he got what he wanted."

Louis stood in silence, unsure of what to say. The Eagle smiled. "I will deal with the schedules shortly. Anything else?"