Riverwood

Chapter 22

"Jake Collins is dead."

"What? No we were just with him, right here in this place. He's the killer." I say determined.

I refuse to believe Jake is dead, because that means the killer is still out there and this is nowhere near to an end. And I don't  think I can go on any longer watching the pile of dead bodies increase while the killer blames me.

"We got a call from an anonymous person informing us that there's been another murder and it lead us here. We found Jake murdured inside. This is a crime scene you can't be here. We'll talk back at my office." Detective Brock says calmly.

"We're practically living in a horror movie and no offense but our lives have recently been filled with blood and gore and crime scenes there isn't anything we haven't seen already." I say.

"Hannah, don't make my job any  harder. Wait for me in my office."

"I'm sorry but no. Unless I see a body I'm not gonna believe Jake is dead." Brea says tears streaming down.

And as if right on cue, the cornoror rolls out a gurney with a black body bag on it. Brea's eyes widen and she starts saying no on and on shaking her head.

"I wanna see him." She says.

"Brea that's not a good idea." Diego says.

"Me too." I say.

"Okay no, none of you is seeing him." He says.

"Diego I need to see it with my own eyes. We have proof of him literally being the killer. How could he be dead if he is the killer?!" I yell.

"What if he's not the killer what if he was telling the truth Hannah?" Randy chimes in.

"Then that means the killer is still out there and he wanted us to think Jake was the killer." Nolan says. "That makes sense."

"No Jake to be the killer. He has to be." I say.

"Why? Hannah Jake is dead why would detective Brock lie about something like that?! Why are you insisting on this?" Aubrey asks.

"Because!" I scream and start crying. "Because it means this isn't over and I want it, need it, to be over. I can't take  anymore people dying because this psycho wants to torture me for whatever reason."

Diego pulls me into a hug and lets me cry into his shoulder.

"Please let me see him." Brea pleads through her tears and detective Brock asks the coroner to unzip the bag.

Brea completly breaks down and throws her arms around Jake's lifeless corpse while the rest of us are lost for what to do in order to comfort Brea and ourselves. Jake isn't the killer and the last thing he saw before he died was us, his friends, accusing him of being a cold blooded psycho killer and then turning our backs and walking out on him. When all he wanted was for us to believe him.

An hour later, we're sitting at the police station to give our statements to Brock and tell him exactly what happened before the murder.

"You made me believe my boyfriend is the killer and now he's dead! Jake is dead and all because of you Hannah, I didn't even get to say goodbye." Brea says through her gritted teeth.

"Maybe Jake wasn't the killer Brea but he was still saving himself instead of putting an end to all this." I snap at her. "We're all hurting right now, he was our friend too and we all feel bad for what we accused him of but don't go blaming this on me anymore. Your boyfriend could've stopped this but he didn't, instead he tried to save himself. Not even you. Think about that before you point fingers. Jake is to blame as much as Paisley and the killer." I say and leave the waiting room.

With a sigh I place some money in the vending machine and get a soda.

"Maybe you should get a coffee instead." Nolan says behind me making me turn around to face him. "And maybe you shouldn't speak ill of the dead. They could come back to haunt you know."

I let out a chuckle. "They can get in line I have enough living people after me."

"Hannah, I know this is a stupid question but, are you okay?" He asks.

"If you know it's stupid then why do you ask?" I say then realize I was a little rude. "I'm sorry Nolan, I'm just-"

"I know, it's okay." He smiles. "At a time like this we're all paranoid all the time."

"It's just hard to be nice when you could possibly be looking in the eyes of a killer." I say.

"Exactly. You can't trust anyone. Hey maybe we shouldn't even trust each other." He says narrowing his eyes.

"Maybe not." I do the same. Then we both laugh.

"That was creepy." Nolan sighs with a smile.

"Hey. Detective Brock is ready for us." Diego says.

After we tell him everything we know, we drop everyone off at home leaving just me and Diego in the car. I kill the engine off in front of his house and for a few minutes we sit there in silence.

"Do you think Brea is right?" I ask so quietly that my voice is barely audible. "Am I to blame?"

"Hannah no." Diego shakes his head and turns in the passenger seat to face me. "Don't ever think that, or else he wins okay?" He cups my cheeks then places a kiss on my forehead.

"I just I can't do this anymore Diego. When is this gonna end? Is it gonna end at all? Or is this gonna go on until everyone I love and care about is dead?" I say with a broken voice.

"Listen to me." He rests his forehead against mine and when he speaks his warm breath feels nice agaisnt my cold nose. "We're gonna get him Hannah, he's not gonna win." He says then kisses me. And in that moment I feel invincible, like no one, not even the killer can harm me as long as I have him and as long as I'm in his safe embrace.