Two Truths, One Lie and a Murder.

Chapter 13

Sunday February 4th 2018

I snatched the brown box from the cold doorstep. Carmen was next to me as we stared in awe at this small package, already knowing what was inside. We had been waiting nearly a month for this, and it's amazing how much can happen in that time.

The investigation was over - the case was solved, but not without us hitting main stream media first. Our faces were on multiple covers of London newspapers with titles including , Teens solve teachers murder. Ambassadors daughter cracks Anne Booker case. Children save school. We had even had people coming up to us at school, asking us to help them find their lost belongings and solve various feuds.

That seemed so long ago now. I had kept each and every article about us, every newspaper cover, but not without a row from my father first. "You're damaging my reputation, " He said. "You're giving us a bad name," He said. How could he tell me what to do? He was half way around the world, which was partly why I was at Carmens house for the February weekend.

I say house - I should really say manor. Her Father is a Lord you see, so they live in the countryside of Dorset, with acres of land around them. Even though it's smaller than my house in Iran, it's refreshing compared to Edenham. All the furniture  is antique or victorian, and all the walls are some type of beautiful textured wallpaper.

We run through the different hallways until we reach the TV room, the one room that is more up to date. We bounce onto the white plush sofa and proceed to open the cardboard box. Inside we find a single DVD, and a short note from Det. Harper.

Shaw & Carmen

As promised I have sent you a dvd of Estelle's interview. I have also sent a copy to Alex, Samantha and Kelsey. Thank you for your help in this case, but if you get invloved in something like this again, I will personally have you all arrested :).

Kate. 04467 9472

Carmen smiles at that, but it quickly turns to an annoyed frown as I snatch the DVD from her hands and slide it into the video player. I click play on the remote and we settle down as a slightly fuzzy image of a Scotland Yard interrogation room comes into view. I can see Harper in her black pant suit opposite Estelle. I'm surprised at Estelle's appearence - she looks tired and disheveled. She's wearing a grey tshirt and jeans, and her hair looks like she hasn't brushed it in weeks. She looked slightly dazed as Harper began to speak.

"Adelene Estelle, 42, Grand-est France, French teacher. Correct?" Harper rattles through the various details and Mamzelle Estelle nods miserably at them all.

"Right then. Let's start the questions," There's a short pause. "Did you kill Anna Booker?"

"Yes," She began to cry, and me and Carmen froze, like we hadn't expected it.

"Why?" Harper carried on, like she hadn't just had a suspect confess to murder.

"It was... It was an email," Estelle replied, her voice shaking.

"We went through your emails, there was nothing suspicious in there,"

"It was self deleting. Me and William both got it," She was refering to Mr Chamberlain, "It told us if one of us got the place of Headteacher and appointed the other one as deputy, we would get £200,000 between us," She wiped a tear away.

"Why would someone give you money to become headteacher?"

"It... It said we needed to run the school by a programme they would set up,"

"Any idea what that programme was?"

"No,"

"So you killed Booker,"

Estelle began to cry again. "100,000 each! That's more than I've ever had. I was going to move back to France. See my family." She took a deep breath. "William gave me the gun that morning and told me to meet him in the woods that afternoon. When he came he was chasing Anna and screamed at me to shoot,"

"Adelene, who sent that email?!" Harper's voice was more serious now.

"It said at the bottom AlphaOne," Estelle said quietly.

Harper nodded, with no reaction. The DVD ended.

Me and Carmen were left silent. We knew Estelle had confessed, but we didn't know the motive, and now things were more real than ever before. I looked at Carmen before I grabbed my phone and punched Harpers number into messages.

You: AlphaOne?
04467 9472: Looking into it. Don't stress, probably just a scam.

I sighed. It didn't sound like a scam. Harper new more than she was letting on.

Carmen had seen the text as well, and she shook her head. Getting up, she slide the disc out of the player.

"Forget it, Shaw. We can deal with whatever AlphaOne is another time. It's all over now." She made a point of putting the DVD back in it's box and placing it all the way at the back of the drawer in the tv cabinet. "Milkshakes?"

I smile and nod. Carmen was right. Whatever was going on, it's over now.

The End.

But wait.

There's a epilogueee 😌

I also have a new story out now called The Street Corner Killer, so please check that out!