The Dancer | Wattys2018 | COMPLETED

8 - The Second Interview

Italics - Officer

Bold - Madison

"Madison Perelli?"

"Yeah."

"You were also interviewed when your parents were murdered. Correct?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Funny, we've seen you twice in about a month."

"If you're suggesting that I'm the murderer, I'm leaving this room."

"Just curious as to why you're so heavily involved in two murder cases now."

"Three, both my parents are dead."

"Their case is counted as one."

"I was hoping maybe you'd notice a different pattern in these murders, instead of my involvement."

"Patterns such as?"

"Fifty seven dancers murdered in the past seven years, all of which have left children behind."

"We have noticed that. And the FBI have been on this murderer's case for years now. They're trying."

"Not hard enough, clearly."

"That man found in your apartment. Do you know who he was?"

"No, never seen him before in my life."

"What were you doing at your apartment with that boy, Tyler Ashborne?"

"My friend, Alessio, was attacked in my apartment earlier yesterday when I was at school, by a man with green eyes, specifically looking for me."

"Alessio, what was he doing at your apartment?"

"Alessio is the son of my parents' friends. After my parents were murdered, Alessio offered to come over to this state and help me out."

"Maybe he's the murderer."

"Talk to him. But I'm pretty sure he wouldn't slash himself in the head with a knife and then write in blood, welcome home Madison, and kill another guy, before picking me up from school, only to spend the rest of the day by my side, helping me in these damned crutches."

"How did you come to be in those crutches?"

"Fell during dance practise."

"Okay, back to why you were at your apartment with Tyler at one in the morning."

"Yeah, so, I know Sebastian Ashborne from dance practise, and obviously I was too afraid to return to my apartment after what happened with Alessio, and so Sebastian offered a place for us to stay."

"The Ashborne brothers have green eyes, just like the so-called attacker did with Alessio."

"Their mom was a dancer and she was murdered. They're innocent."

"Maybe you're all in it together. Murdering your parents and acting innocent."

"Listen woman. I loved my parents. They were the only family I had. I didn't kill them. Tyler offered to drive me to my apartment to get my things, and viola there's a message on a wall in blood and a dead man in a chair. I'm in flipping crutches for God's sake, you really think I'm capable of murdering someone? I fainted when I saw the guy. Tyler, the cocky soccer player, was crying. Start looking elsewhere, because it ins't us."

"Who is it then?"

"I don't know. There's a rumour going around that a man who was once a dancer himself is murdering these dancers. It could be him."

"And why would it be him?"

"I don't know honey, you're the investigator, not me."

"Okay, I believe this interview is now over."

"Well thank God."

"Madison, one more thing."

"Yeah?"

"The dead man in your apartment? Dylan Ashborne, Tyler's dad."

*** Author's Note ***

Hope you enjoyed it! I want to dedicate this chapter to @AverySummers who made this amazing cover for The Dancer, and my other book, Our Bucket List. You should all check out her book, 12:01