Framed [COMPLETED]

Chapter 20

Casey still insisted on getting ice cream at the ice cream shop after I was released.

I stand at the familiar counter, half expecting to see Jake walk in and order my ice cream.
"Welcome Carrie's Ice Cream Shop, how may I help you?" The girl said in a monotone voice, obviously bored.

"Can I order a black cherry vanilla ice cream in a waffle bowl?" I ask. She nods and starts to scoop the ice cream.

"Do you have a membership?"

"No."

"Would you like to buy one?" Her eyes narrow.

"No thank you." She lets out a sigh and punches some numbers in.

"Sign here."

I sign my name and she stares at it.

"You're that girl?"

"I guess."

"Wait a minute." She comes back with a familiar business card and slides it across the counter.

"Some guy told me to give it to you." My hand shakes as I take the card.

I turn it over and see Jake's handwriting:

I'm sorry, meet me at the river bank to say goodbye.
         -Jake Green, second in line leader of Salvation

The girl is gone when I look up. I walk up to the table dad and Casey sit at.

"I got this card from Jake. It says to meet him by the river to say bye. I don't understand."
As if on cue, dad's phone rings and I hear a half, boring conversation.

"The police found a body by the river. They're going to ID it." Dad says.

"You don't think it's-" I start.

"It can't be. He's dead." Casey interrupts.

We walk towards the river, only five minutes away. An officer ropes of the area with yellow tape with a bitter look. She tries to smile as she sees dad.

"Sheriff Newman, I'll lead you to the body. We believe it is Jake Green but we need someone to make sure before we send him to the coroner. It seems that the person died around an hour ago. A gunshot wound to the head, Dead Mercy tattoo, and a Salvation scar on her hand."

We walk down the hill and step on the sand of the river bank. She shows us to a body lying still. I gasp and run up to the person. A detective takes my hand and try's to keep me from touching the person. He turns the body over with little effort. Jake.

"Jake Green." I say.

"You know him?" The detective asks.

"He tried to kill me yesterday. SM shot him in the head when he wouldn't." How did his clothes get changed?

The detective gives an officer a worried look.
"He wasn't wearing those clothes though, he had a state patrol uniform on." I inform them.

"Thank you, ma'am. May I have your name?" The graying haired detective asks, taking out a notepad.

"Olivia Newman. My dad is Sheriff Newman of Glenson."

"Fine man, thank you very much miss."

"No problem."

Casey pulls me to the bystanders side of the yellow police tape flapping in the nonexistent wind.

"You okay?" He asks worried.

"Yep. I'm fine."

"Okay. Dad wants me to take you home. He's getting a ride from a friend."

"Casey, I can't leave. Jake is dead. I'm a witness. People want me dead."

"We need to go. Mom's plane is landing at five."

"No. Can't we just stay at Isabelle's?" I ask. Casey thinks on the idea.

"I guess we could. But only for tonight." I smile and Casey starts dad's car engine. He hands me his phone to text dad that we're heading to Isabelle's and we head out of the historical district.  The ride is awkward, both of us thinking about what we just saw.

                                  •••

Isabelle warmly let us in her cool house. Casey fell asleep on the couch twenty minutes after we settled in.

I miss seeing him. I wish he didn't work on the other side of the country. He was my partner in crime, sneaking in and out of the house, keeping each other's dark secrets, and practically being my best friend! Now the brother I grew up with is grown up and mature.

I walk up to the loft and sit next to Isabelle.

"I heard about Jake. I'm very sorry." She says placing her Tom Clancey novel on the coffee table.

"It's fine. He almost killed me, don't forget that."

"I still worry about you though." She pulls me close.

I look at the huge book on the coffee table.
"That morning you and dad were arguing. What did you mean 'you were one of them'?"

She looks at me with concern.

"It was nothing. It's too much for you right now."

"No, I want to know now."

"I don't know..."

"Please! Isabelle!"

"What do I get in return?"

She's serious. I think for a second.

"Homemade dinner and desert?" Is all I can think of.

"Deal." She smiles a little and pushes her red hair behind her ear.

"My boyfriend in high school joined Salvation when we were dating. He slowly went out of my life and I wanted to know why. So one night, I followed him to a meeting. And Seth's wife asked what I was doing there, so I told her I was joining the gang. The worst decision of my life. So then I went through the full initiation and my boyfriend came back into my life. Then your mother helped me get out of the gang."

"But the scar. Why don't you have one?" I ask.

"I joined before they started the scars and luckily left before too." She picks the book back up before I can ask another question. "Go rest."

I am pretty tired since all my adrenaline burned off. I go to the guest room and fall asleep right when I hit the bed.

Vote and follow! 2 more chapters!! What do you all think??
-Angela