How to Kill a Man in Thirty Seconds

Chapter 42: The Surprise

My heart thundered in my chest as I rushed out the gates, realization slowly beginning to sink in.

Morgan had something to hide. There was no way he would have flipped like that if he didn't. Something was in that room. And one thing was a certainty: The fire that killed Christian, had not been an accident.

The sound of running feet yanked me out of my thoughts.

I whirled around, hands raised in defence, "Stay the hell away from me!"

It was Morgan. He halted suddenly, right before he reached me. I realized his blue eyes were wide, as if he had realized the grave mistake he had committed.

"Charley," he started.

"What happened to Logan, that was you, wasn't it?" the angry words slipped out of me before I could stop them, "He was involved in the murder, wasn't he? And you couldn't stand the thought of him walking around, knowing so much he shouldn't, that you made him disappear altogether."

Intense emotion passed over Morgan's face but it disappeared as fast as it had come. His beady eyes gave away nothing.

Kimberly had insisted the physical evidence ruled him out. Well, fuck the physical evidence. The truth was written all over his face.

I should've stopped then, but I was fuming and didn't know how to.

"Did my father know?" I questioned angrily, "That you wanted his wife? You must have loathed him. He had everything you didn't. The business you wished was yours. The woman you loved. Did that make you jealous, Morgan?" I egged him, my words dripping with hate, "Is that why you killed him?!"

Morgan's face paled and he opened his mouth to argue but I cut him off, "I can't believe you were my godfather. I deserved so much more. We all did."

Emotion clouded Morgan's eyes as he stared but I couldn't decipher any of it. His face was ashen, his face unsmiling and something unreadable flickered in the pale blue orbs that were his eyes. Whatever it was, it agitated me.

Before I left, I spat out one final thing.

"I will find out what you did, even if it takes a whole goddamn lifetime," I promised, "So don't relax just yet, Walker. This isn't over. Not until I put you on the stand."

I had a lot on my mind the following morning. Inevitably, I didn't see the tall figure standing by the doorway as I rushed out.

"Kimberly!" I cried as my startled gaze landed on the detective, "I didn't see you!"

Her face mirrored mine. She blinked in shock, something flashing through her blue eyes.

"Sorry, Charley," she rushed, catching herself. She then chuckled, "I'm here to check the perimeter. Figured after that last gift, it wouldn't hurt to take precaution."

I nodded, but didn't miss the uneasy look she wore, "Thanks, Kim."

She shrugged, "Just doing my job, kiddo."

It was a long day. I hadn't forgotten Adrian and I's argument, and given by his absence in the classes we shared, he too hadn't. Perhaps it's for the best, I thought. But that didn't relinquish the deep disappointment that continued to lurk over me.

Perhaps I was in the wrong. Mason had clearly hit a soft spot, so maybe I ought to have been a little more understanding. I was still contemplating this as I trudged home that night.

Perhaps the countless missed phone calls from Oliver should have been a forewarning, but I hadn't the faintest clue of what I was in for until I reached home.

The house was fully lit and the front door wide open.

I stopped in my tracks. Suddenly, my heart squeezed tightly in my chest.

I saw that there was a police car outside and its engine was on, headlights blaring. An officer with an ashen face stood by it, a few others engaged in grim conversation by the front door.

Fear suddenly seized hold of me. No one was supposed to be home. I rushed forward, sprinting past the unsuspecting officers into the house.

"MUM!" I screamed, my heart beating out of my chest as my gaze searched the living room, "LILY!"

Flashbacks of the pictures I had witnessed at the courthouse rushed back to me. Photos of my father's corpse.

No. No. NO!

My gaze found my mother. She was seated on the sofa, my slumbering sister in her arms. The air rushed into my lungs again.

"Mum!" I cried in relief, and she stood quickly to embrace me as I rushed forward.

A throat cleared.

It was when I broke away that I noticed she was not alone. Kimberly was with her. The detective had risen to her feet and was sombrely watching our exchange.

"What's wrong?" I demanded, unable to keep the panic out of my voice.

"Charley, you better sit down for this," my mother told me, and I noticed then that her eyes were red and puffy, as if she had been crying.

My legs gave way easily. I sank onto the sofa.

"What's wrong?"

"Sweetheart," she said gently, taking my hand in hers. She squeezed it so tightly it almost hurt, and she gazed at me long, like it would take everything in her power to say the words that came next.

"The killer has been found," my mother said, "She has confessed."

I stared.

Seconds dragged by, turning into what felt like minutes. The words echoed in my mind, but they refused to sink in.

"Who?" my voice came out as a croak.

Kimberly stepped forward then and my gaze darted painfully to her. The detective's hands were crossed over her chest solemnly and her face was earnest.

"Her name is Mary Clark," she said.

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A/N- Waah that was super fun to write. So what do you think happened? Confused?

 I'm working on the next chapter and will be updating very soon.

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