Swell (Complete)

Chapter Thirty-One (Part Two)

"Don't come looking for me,
I don't wanna be found,
I just wanna be free."

....

"Adora, Debbie's on the phone." Dodge held the portable phone out towards her as she sat on the couch. Iain and her mother had gone on the hunt for security cameras and Adora frowned as she took the phone from her cousin.
"Hello?"
"Adora, look, I know a lot has gone down, but I was speaking to Tom earlier, and I have thought about something he said." Debbie started and Adora could hear the reluctance in her voice.
"What's that?" Adora asked quietly.
"Tom asked me to go to Ritchieville, because they're all being questioned about the death."
"Yea?" Adora closed her eyes, trying not to think of how Will had been waiting for her when she got home two days ago.
"Tom asked, if I could see if you wanted to come with me."
"What?" Her eyes opened to a frown. Why was Debbie asking for her to go to Ritchieville for Tom?
"For Marti and Will."
Adora's lips parted and she felt her shoulders sagging against the couch. They were going to be questioned about Elissa's murder, their runaway best friend and girlfriend. "I don't know if it's a good idea for me to go there."
"Adora, I know we aren't really friends anymore, but I know you are a good friend when shit hits the fan." Debbie was struggling to get the words out. "Marti and Will need someone like you right now. Could you imagine how you'd feel if you had been questioned about Brett's attack?"
Her stomach dropped and she felt her voice catch in her throat.
Her eyes began to burn at the thought of even being asked for an alibi over Brett's attack.
"Adora?"
She took a shaky breath in and went cold as she shuddered it out. "When do you want to leave?"
"I can come by in half an hour? It's a long trip, but Mum's happy to loan me the car for a day or two. I don't know where we'll stay, Tom was waiting for Marti and Will when we spoke. We didn't really get that far."
Adora closed her eyes and tried to fight the dizziness sneaking in. "We'll figure it out." She whispered. "I'll pack a bag and see you in thirty."
Dodge frowned as Adora lowered the phone. "What are you doing?"
"Debbie is going to Ritchieville, I'm going with her."
"What?" Dodge tilted his head expectantly.
A half smile turned her lips up and she tried not to think of how fatherly his reaction was. "Will and Marti are being questioned about the murder of their best friend."
"Yes, the girl who was found taped up in a hole, much like that doll yesterday. Right?"
Everything froze around her, and inside her.
She was back on the front porch, staring at the taped doll inside the beautiful box.
"Adora?"
Was it a warning?
Had her stalker actually followed the Taylors?
Was her stalker the person who had murdered Elissa?
"Adora?" Dodge put his hands on her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake.
She forced another breath through her body and felt her face pinching.
Was it a Taylor as the police were trying to find out in their old home town?
No.
None of the Taylors were murderers, Marti and Will had loved Elissa, they were kind and caring, soft and gentle people. They wouldn't hurt someone they loved.
But what about Tom?
His car had been the weapon against Brett, and he had been questioned.
She looked at the phone still in her hand. Debbie had provided him his alibi when he had forgotten, but had Debbie been telling the truth?
"I don't know what to do." Adora looked into her cousin's eyes and shuddered. "I want to be there for them. I really do. I mean, imagine being suspected of hurting someone you love. They wouldn't."
Dodge sat on the couch beside her and sighed. "Adora, I don't know what to tell you, I don't think they would hurt anyone either, but the fact is that doll..."
"I know." Adora tried to imagine travelling hours in a car with Debbie, she tried to imagine being in Ritchieville with Marti and Will as they had to deal with Elissa's death.
That doll was terrifying.
Would she be safer away from Wheeler Falls?
Her stalker knew where she lived, but was he still there watching?
"I want to go."
"Your mother will kill me." Dodge said softly.
"Come with us?" She asked with a crooked smile.
She watched him think about it, today was a public holiday, there was no school to miss out on, but classes would be back the next day, and if they went to Ritchieville, they wouldn't be coming home before school started.
"Do you still trust Debbie? Feel safe at the idea of being alone with her?" He raised his eyebrows.
"Yea." Adora thought about it before she nodded. "I do."
"I'm going to be a dead man." Dodge's shoulders slumped. "Come on, we'll sort a bag out and I want to make sure you have somewhere to go before you leave."