Bass Case

Chapter 24: Clues

When I exit the building, Brenda is nowhere to be seen. I text her as I move to make sure that nothing had happened to her. "I'm fine," she texts back, "Still being interrogated..."

"Thank you. I succeeded. Get back to me when you can." I reply before making my way back to the car, swiveling my head from left to right, making sure that I was not followed. I drive home with my heart pounding furiously. I did it. I did it.  I actually managed to grab the case. Then an ecstatic smile slowly curls onto my face as I let out a victory cry in my car. I rush into my apartment, locking the door shut behind me. I text Angelica to find Brenda for when I pick them up, but first, I'm going to find out what is in this case. I hastily put the case flat on the wooden desk. Then cautiously I open the black case as memories flood back of the murders. Fear strikes me about what I may see inside, but I need to. For all their sakes.

The moment of truth.

I unlatch the hinges and slowly open the case. My eyes widen at the images that I see. Pictures of all the victims and more, followed by receipts upon receipts for bass cases. A picture of Anika's bright smiling face is the first thing that I see in the case on top of a pile of others. A sheet is stapled to each picture with information on each person.

Anika Light: age 20
Violist
Dead

Derek Drayer: age 20
Violist
Dead

Josh Deller: age 20
Violist
Incarcerated

Darrel Yo: age 18
Violist
Dead

Haley Harman: age 18
Violist
Dead

The two freshmen.

Dillan Yondo: age 23
Violist
Dead

Must be from the concert.

Sarah Dahara: age 20
Cellist
Hospitalized

Sarah...

Brenden Wu: age 21
Trumpet
Dead

This must be Mr. Vibrato's student...

All of the students seem to have one thing in common. They're all violists except for Sarah and Brenden. But why? Perhaps the murder has something against violists..., but Sarah is a cellist and Brenden was in band. How do they fit into all this? Then behind it all there is a picture of one more person that has yet to be hit. Dana Lionheart. But why would Mr. Forte target her? She's by his side constantly... I see why. She's with him right now though! When does he plan to do this? I search frantically for some type of clue but to no avail. I know that I don't like her, but I still can't allow her to be killed by a psycho murderer!

I rush out from the house, grabbing the brief case and make my way back to the school where I find Angelica and Brenda awaiting my arrival. They stare at me questionably as I run past them, throwing the case into Brenda's arms, ordering Angelica to drive to the house. "But what about you?" Angelica calls out.

"Just leave me! I'll be back!" I shout, not even making the effort to face them. I run and run as fast as I can. The security on the outside of the building has depleted, but they still take notice of my desperate speed. One of them stops me from entering freely. "Please!" I beg them, "I have reason to believe that one of the students are in danger!"

"Well another student came earlier, and it turned out to be nothing..." says the guard who must have questioned Brenda.

"Well this one is something! It has to do with the murder! He's in the building. It's Mr. Forte! You have to stop him!"

Then came the scream. "AAAAAHHH HELP! PLEASE!"