Riverside

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Waiting for Marilyn to call was making me feel very anxious. She was currently interviewing Edmund right now to see if he did have part in the murder. He couldn't refuse to not talk to a lawyer about it or he would be extremely suspicious.

I mean, more than he was already.

When Ronnie and I told Marilyn about Edmund, she wasn't sure he would have anything to do with the next one. However, there were still no leads and this was the only one we had.

My cell phone rang and I quickly picked up my phone and looked at the caller id, my heart beating faster when I saw Marilyn's name across the screen. I answered it. "So?" I asked.

"So, I think we have our killer," Marilyn said.

"Wait, really?" I asked. "How do you know for sure?"

"Because one of the workers there ended up giving me a record of the sign in and out times," she said. "All the workers, Edmund included, always has to sign in and out, even if they're going on a break. And the night of the murder, he signed in a bit before and after the murder, giving him plenty of time to do it."

"And the motivation is there," I said. "Maybe he wanted to see his son but Enid wouldn't let him. That would explain why Enid and Charles were shot in the heart and their son wasn't, because he didn't want to instantly kill his son."

"What about River?" I asked. "Did he know about River?"

"Nope," she said. "None of the workers did. He tried playing it off. The first thing he said to me was 'I never knew Enid had another son. I can't believe he would do something like that'."

I couldn't believe it. We were so much closer to getting River out of prison for good.

"So what do we do?" I asked. "How would we know for sure?"

"He's going to get a phone call requesting his presence in the next hearing," Marilyn said. "Then I'll be able to question him more thoroughly and either he'll crack under the pressure or it will be quite obvious that it was him and not River. I think River might be out of prison by next week."

I smiled. "Thank you so much for this. It hurt me so much to see him in there when he lost his family and he didn't do it. I don't know how to thank you."

"Hey, it's my job," she said. "The only thing River will have to worry about is finding a place to live."

At first, I was confused, but then I realized what she was talking about. River no longer had a home and he definitely wouldn't have been able to pay for one right now.

"I think I have a solution," I said. "Thank you again, so much."

"Like I said, it's my job," Marilyn said.

After we hung up, I walked downstairs and to the living room where both of my parents were sitting. "I have a favor to ask," I said, so Dad paused the TV and looked at me.

"What kind of favor?"

"A big one," I said. "But first, I have a confession. I'm the one who hired Marilyn to act as River's lawyer."

Mom and Dad didn't say anything. They just both looked at each other for a bit before looking back at me, both with furrowed eyebrows. "What do you mean you're the one who hired Marilyn?" Dad asked.

"Exactly that," I said. "I hired Marilyn to prove River's innocence."

"River isn't innocent, Arden," Dad said. "I was at the crime scene."

"Yeah, the crime scene where a gun wasn't found and he was crying over his brother's death," I said. "You drove me home in the backseat with River that day, remember? He was crying when I saw him and he wanted to write someone on a piece of paper for me to see so I let him. It said 'It wasn't me'. And I believed him."

"Because you're too trusting at times," Dad said.

"I know I am, but just hear me out," I said, so I told Mom and dad everything. Me going to the prison to talk to River, how he wasn't talking at first, and all the way up to who the murder really was. Or, most likely was.

Dad and Mom didn't say anything for a while. Dad seemed to be thinking for a bit. "Come on, say something," I said.

"Well....It does make sense," Dad said. "River was crying when we arrested him and from your point of view, everything makes a lot of sense. So, that man that you and Marilyn think did it will be in court on Saturday?"

I nodded. "Yeah, he's going to be requested there so he can't skip out and Marilyn is going to question him more where we hope he'll crack under pressure or the jury will see it was really him. Anyway, my favor is if River gets out on Saturday, can he stay in the guest room?"

"Why?"

"Because he doesn't have a family," I said. "There's no way he could continue living in the house and paying for it when he has no job. And he said I'm the only friend he has so as his only friend, I think it will only be fair if I help him out."

"Well, if he really is proven innocent, then it wouldn't be fair to turn our backs on him," Mom said. "Of course he will be able to stay here."

"With a few rules, of course," Dad said. "Doors stay open, stay out of each other's rooms, and if I see him even take a single glance at you...."

"Oh, relax," Mom said. "I think the fact that you're a cop will scare him enough."

"Damn right it will," Dad said. "I'll make it pretty clear to him that I'm one and he shouldn't forget that."

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I'm so hungry but there's nothing to eat. I WANT PRINGLES, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY PRINGLES SAVE MY SOUL. 

Lol. cx

I never know what to write for Riverside author notes. cx