Guilt: A Fractured Minds Novel

Chapter Thirty-Two

"The one and only. Look kid, why don't we just meet up right now?" At his words I pause for a moment. Do I really want to meet up with him? For all I know he could've killed her!

"You still there?"

"Yes, I am."

"You know where Charlie lives. Right?"

What does Charlie have to do with anything?

"What "skeletons" did Tori have?"

Tapping her fingers against the steering wheel she slowly says, "You know about her boyfriend?"

"Nicholas was a crappy boyfriend if I ever saw one. What about him?"

"He wasn't that bad of a boyfriend. After all I would know considering-"

"That you guys used to date?"

Disgust laced her voice as her head snaps in my direction and ask,"What?"

"Why in the hell would you think that Nicholas and I were dating?"

Shaking away thoughts from early today I reply, "No, I've never been to her house before."

I hear him mutter something along the lines of "of course you haven't" before giving me her address. Quickly grabbing a pen and some paper I right down her address.

"Why is this important?" I ask confused as I stare at the numbers and letters that are hastily written down.

"Because one) I live a few houses down and two) she's hiding something."

"Okay. Everyone hides something right?"

"What is this "share your innermost thoughts" day? I don't really give a crap about that. The only reason I even called was because-" Although he suddenly stops speaking I can hear muffled voices talk in the background.

"I've got to go Kid. Listen I need you to meet me at the address in twenty minutes." With that he hung up. Slowly pulling the phone away from my ear I stare at the address that was given to me. I want answers don't I?

~

Lacing up my shoes I grab the notebook and slip my phone into my bag. Throwing it over my shoulder I walk into the kitchen and grabs my keys. Not looking back I run out the door barely remembering to shut the door behind me. Quickly jogging down the sidewalk to the driveway I unlock my car before getting inside. Once the car is started I back out of the driveway before driving out of my neighborhood.

What is Nicholas hiding? Why is he willing to help me? As the thoughts change in my hand I glance down once again checking the street signs as I drive past. Where is her street? Just as I'm about to give up I spot the street that I've been searching for. Turning down the street I glance at the house repeating the address in my mind. Matching the given address to a house I pull over to the side of the road. Turning off the car I study the house in front of me.

It was the smallest thing that I've ever seen. Long ago white was painted over the red brick, yet after years of sitting here I can see that it flakes off. A small slab of concrete serves as the front porch leaving no room for chairs. The doorway stares back me as if taking my gaze as a threat. All the while dying plants that line the side of the house are pleading for water.

Tearing my gaze away from the house I can only think, this can't be where Charlie lives... In front of me is a car that I see Nicholas is leaning against. A cigarette between his lips he meets my gaze only to beckon me out of my car. Hesitantly I press the red button for the seat belt to release me from its grip.

It's now or never. Opening my car door I slide out of the seat. As I turn to lock it the cool breeze tugs on my hair. Shutting the door I hear footstep from behind cause me to turn around. Black hair gelled upwards towards the sky in a way that stalagmites would envy. A dark grey shirt with some sort of logo shows his upper body quite well. Wearing a pair of jeans and black converse.

"Nicholas." I greet coldly as his dark brown eyes study me. He smirks as words tumble from his mouth. "Well hello to you too. Come on kid. We've got some things to talk about."

He turns the other way only stopping when he sees that I'm not following. Taking his cigarette out of his mouth he breathes out before saying, "I swear if you waste my time with-"

"I'm coming, but I just wanted to know where we're going." Shaking his head he takes a step onto the sidewalk.

"Somewhere you've been before." Is all he says. Letting out a breath of air I start walking in order to catch up with him. Once he sees that I'm coming with he turns the way that he was walking. Away from my car and Charlie's house. Away from the familiar. He takes a drag before starting.

"Why have you been looking for me?"

"I want answers-"

He cuts me off, "Of course you do. Everyone does these days."

"I want answers on Victoria's and yours relationship."

"Now why would you want to know information about that?"
Quickly coming up with something I spit out, "Because I miss her and I'd like more to remember her by."
"You talk like she's dead." He notes the embers from the cigarette burning bright. I shrug in resonance not wanting to dive deeper into that side of things.

"My sister mentions something about you taking her out on a date before she went missing. When was that?"
"A day before she-" His voice goes quiet as he says, "-before she disappeared."

I remember tori was gone the few days before she went missing, so she must've been with Nicholas.

"Did you see her the day of?" I ask making a mental note of their date.

"Of her disappearance?" There was a short pause, "No." Narrowing my eyes at the crooked sidewalk in front of us I know that he's lying.

"Really?"
"What is this an interrogation? Look kid. Your sister and I went on a date that night. Okay? Fine, you caught me. Are you proud? Do you want a gold sticker?"

Turing to him I punch him in the arm as hard as I can.

"You're a jerk, you know that?"

"There's no need to get violent now."

"You were with her the night she died?"

"Yes."

He very well been that last person alive and there's no doubt in my mind that he's the killer. After all he was cheating on her with someone else, if she found out then they'd break up. The argument turned heated and he killed her