The Heavy Snow

Chapter seven

From now on I just cannot be bothered to write in the journal everyday. Instead I have just started shoving everything into a medium sized box that I hide under my bed. For the past two days all I can think about is two things, 1. I have a month and a half to get Andrew Barnes out of jail and 2. Pamela and Mark are hiding something just like Beth was.

"Mom I am going out."

"Where?"

"Don't worry I went to visit Andrew yesterday and I am going again tomorrow. I am going to the mall with Gina so try not to have a nervous breakdown while I am gone."

I did not give her the chance to argue with me because I knew what she would say and then we would just start fighting and then I wouldn't speak to her for a few hours and then everything will go back to normal and trust me it is such a boring daily routine of mine. In a way this whole investigating thing had made my life a whole lot more interesting......

I lied thought. Of course I am not going to the mall with Gina. I am going to the park to find Alex.....

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I just ate a breakfast burrito the whole way to the park so I looked fairly normal. As soon as I stopped the car I could see Alex reading a book while leaning against a tree. When I approached him he looked weirdly happy.

"Hi Poppy! I haven't seen you for a while."

"Can I talk to you about Beth?"

"Why?"

"Ok here is the thing me and Chloe were helping Beth's parents to find out who the killer is but Chloe has fled the city to protect us but she has something we need. I recently found out that Beth had been keeping a secret. Andrew Barnes is innocent and you know it to so just tell me what the secret was and do not lie to me because Andrew told me you know."

"Beth was sleeping around....... she was cheating on Andrew."

"With who?"

"Pretty much half the guys in school. I told her it wasn't right, and one day she rejected a guy and she ends up dead the next day."

"Who did she reject Alex?"

"I don't know....... I didn't see his face."

"God damn it! Gina told me the killer is one of the Andrews from school but it is not Andrew Barnes!"

"Try talking to Andrew Forbes from my chemistry class..."

"If I talk to too many people the word of what I am up to will get around and that can't happen so I need to do it some other way."

"Well I won't tell anyone and Andrew Forbes goes to the country club. I can get you in....."

"Thanks Alex."

"I will pick you up from your house at nine on Thursday."

"How do you know where I live?"

"You had that house party in tenth grade....."

"Oh yeah... see you Thursday."

Well at least I am making some progress and at least I will have the time to visit Andrew tomorrow to discuss what I have just found out. Beth cheating on Andrew obviously isn't what her parents are trying to hide.... they are hiding something even bigger.

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When I got home my mom just pissed me off even more.

"I am asking you nicely not to visit Andrew Barnes tomorrow....."

"Why don't you want me to visit him mom?!?!"

"Because he is a killer!"

"No that's what you think.... he is not a killer and I will visit him tomorrow whether you like it or not and I will walk to the prison if I have to!"

"Why can't you see how reckless you are being?"

"I am doing all of this to find my best friend mom!"

"She wouldn't want you to do all of this!"

"Mom she would not want anyone to give up on her!"

"What would your father say about your behavior!"

"He is hardly here anyway and he would tell me to do what I have to if I think it is the right thing to do! After all people do learn from their mistakes don't they."

"I know that Poppy but these are mistakes that are too dangerous for you to make and the sooner you realise that the better."

"Mom I am almost eighteen years old. I am not a child anymore and the sooner you realise that the better!"

Before she could get another word in I stormed up to my room so I could have some time alone which I admit I really needed. I have to make these mistakes to help Chloe or she will never come back home.... either that ot the killer will find her eventually. I am starting to have doubtss about the stuff I already know but that is because I have found out more things that contradict what I already know. It is almost as if Beth's parents are trying to stop me from finding out the truth by leading me in a completely diffrent direction. No they won't have anything to do with their daughters death would they?

Regardless, from now on I am doing this on my own because I cannot risk anyone else getting hurt because of me.

I was about to fall asleep when I remembered pretty much the msot important detail ever. When I was eight years old a little girl went missing....... she was found dead in the same Lake but the police covered it up. After a week of the story being on the news it just disappeared without a trace and so did the parents. I hear they moved away to a neighbouring state. My mom knew them and she hasn't said anything aabout them for the past nine years. If the whole city is covering this up.... if my mom has aything to do with this I will never EVER forgive her.

"Poppy can I come in?"

"Go ahead....."

"Look Poppy...." she said as she opened the door. "I am juust trying to protect you. When that little girl went missing I thought something strange was going on so I investigated it. The killer found me and almost killed me.... that was not a car accident. The killings are a family thing.... last time it was a grown man and no i assume it is his son. Do not carry on with this Poppy."

"Mom why the hell didn't you tell me before! We have to bring them down!"

"How though Poppy!"

"The new killer is one of the Andrews in the same year as me at school... I know that much but it is not Andrew Barnes mom."

For about two minutes we both sat there in silence and I just watched her thinking.

"Poppy... tell me everything you know."