Toxic Snow | TBW #2 [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter Five

FIVE

“So he was just… Dead?”

Swallowing the spoonful of raspberry ice cream that I’d just shoved in my mouth, I nodded. “As a doorpost.”

“Man… that’s messed up.” Casey shifted against her pillows uneasily. “I mean, seriously. I thought the Black Widow was, you know, kind of one of the good guys?”

Less than ten minutes after my Dad and his team had taken our statements – He was the lead detective on this investigation. Go figure – and we’d been finally allowed to leave the Fieldson building, the news about the Black Widow’s “strange kill” was all over the city. By now, everyone who wasn’t currently living under a rock knew that the Black Widow – who they originally assumed was a semi-good guy – had now started killing innocents.

My Dad was bewildered. Sean and Kelly were looking for proof that The Black Widow was being framed. Milo didn’t know what to think. Casey was scared. I hadn’t spoken to Archer yet, so I didn’t quite know what was going on in his head.

As for me? I was pissed.

I didn’t like people dragging my name and reputation through mud.

But unfortunately, I didn’t really have time to do anything about it because as soon as our parents heard about the little incident they raced over to the scene of the crime. Milo’s mom dropped him home and my father, after he’d taken everyone’s statements, dropped me off Casey’s and ordered me to stay there until seven, when his shift ended and he’d be home.

I’d been crossing my fingers behind my back when I promised to that one. I had a two hour training session with Archer at six, so I fully intended on breaking my promise to my father and leave Casey’s home early. Until then, however, I was perfectly content in sitting in her bedroom, watching Not Another Teen Movie and eating ice cream.

It had been a long time since we’d had a little girl-time.

 “Kelly and Sean think she’s being framed.” I replied, sinking my spoon into the tub of ice cream on my lap. I had an entire tub to myself since thanks to Casey’s hatred of all things raspberry.

As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t tell Casey that Kelly and Sean were right. How could I without it leading to the whole “I’m the Black Widow, sorry I didn’t tell you” conversation? I’d already had that with one best friend. I wasn’t too eager to have it again anytime soon.

“Do you?” She asked, pushing her long, straight brown hair behind her ears. “Think she was framed, I mean.”

I shoveled another spoonful of the delicious raspberry goodness into my mouth, shrugging. “I don’t know Case. Maybe. I mean, it doesn’t really seem like her, does it? She’s been around for two years, and she suddenly kills an innocent man? Doesn’t really seem kosher, does it?”

She nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it seems really off base. What does your Dad think?”

I had to think about it for a moment. What did my Dad think? His face had been a mask of shock when the ME told him the cause of death. Mr. Roswell had been a good man – a humanitarian, a philanthropist and an all-round good guy. The Black Widow had no reason to kill him.

Did my father really believe that I’d gone dark side and started killing people off for fun?

I didn’t know.

And I wouldn’t know until I got home that night.

“I really don’t know, Case.” I answered after a moment’s consideration. “I didn’t get an opportunity to talk to him back at the Fieldson building so I have absolutely no idea what his thoughts about this whole thing are.”