💀 One crown. Five contestants. One fair competition. Or not. 💀
Delta Heights School, an all girls boarding school has just gotten spine-chilling. A harmless blackmail turns deadly when one of the five contestants for the Ms. Delta crown, an annual...
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The Sheriff stroked his chin repeatedly while looking over what was probably the notes from their previous meeting. This time there was no jacket to protect Hanna from the cold, which was very unusual since it had been warm only a few hours ago. It seemed that the atmosphere was reacting to the recent death by stepping up the temperature such that it was biting.
The Sheriff and his deputy looked so comfortable in their jackets while she struggled to keep from shivering, at least enough for them not to notice. It was childish of them if they thought leaving her to the cold was going to make her spill everything. As long as it didn’t implicate her and it didn’t affect the Ms. Delta competition she was ready to spill.
“Is it some twist of fate that you happened to be the first and only person present at two murders which happened in less than a week?” The suspicious tone of the Sheriff wasn’t lost on her and she rolled her eyes at his show, but did not give him an answer. “Silence means consent.” He drawled, leaning forward and fixing his gaze on her. “So you do agree that it was just a coincidence that you were at both places?”
“You are very much aware that I was at the abandoned science lab because I got a note to meet someone there.” Hanna muttered under her breath.
The Sheriff heard her alright. “And yet you have no idea who that person was. Perhaps it is the same person who asked you to meet her at the old storage tower too.”
“I highly doubt that Kellan sent me the first note and killed Becca. If she did she wouldn’t be dead by now.”
“So someone did ask you to meet her at the storage tower and that person was Ms. Jackson.”
Hanna slapped herself mentally for falling for the Sheriff’s games. She kept her mouth shut and refused to look at him.
“Once again, silence means consent. So tell us, why did Ms. Jackson ask you to meet at the tower? What was it that she had to tell you in secret that she couldn’t just do it on the safer part of campus?” The Sheriff closed the file in front of him. “Does it have anything to do with Ms. Davison’s murder? Did she know the killer’s identity? Was she going to tell you?”
Hanna swallowed. Here was an opportunity to tell the Sheriff everything. He had better resources and could find the killer much faster. She didn’t even have the slightest idea who it was and she clearly had no idea how to find her; the Sheriff and his officers were better equipped for the job.
But on the other hand, telling the them would mean that Principal Knox and the school heads would probably find out too. Which would also mean the discontinuing of the competition and a probable suspension for the remaining candidates, for harbouring information concerning a cheat and a murderer. And also was the fact that the killer most likely still had it out for Hanna. If she tattled to the Sheriff and the killer found out, she was as good as dead.
After weighing her options, she finally made a decision. Looking at the Sheriff in the eye she said, keeping her voice as steady as possible, “I don’t know why Kellan asked to meet me there. My guess is that it has to do with the competition. She might’ve wanted a collaboration or something.”
“You both were rivals; why would she want a collaboration?” The Sheriff sounded doubtful.
“It’s not entirely impossible. We would work together and eliminate the enemy but still keep up the rivalry.”
“So you’re saying your meeting had nothing to do with the previous murder?”
A tricky question but Hanna was not going to fall for it. “What I’m saying is, I don’t know why Kellan wanted to meet up, and I’ll probably never find out now that she’s dead.”
The Sheriff nodded and leaned back in his seat without a word.
“I guess you must be done with me. I’ll take my leave then.”
She was quick as she exited the Bali hut and made for the school auditorium where Principal Knox was certainly giving a speech to the school.
…
She was very late but no one paid her any heed as she walked into the auditorium, not even Principal Knox, except for Victoria who motioned to the empty seat beside her. She had just settled in her seat when she heard Principal Knox’s next words of dread.
“… the Ms. Delta competition has been put on hold.”
Hanna froze and her eyes somehow managed to find Maya and Miley in the crowd and exchanging surprised glances with them. Murmurs from the students filled the auditorium.
“We have lost two of our students both of which were contestants in the competition, so it does not make any sense for us to go on with it; our remaining contestants aren’t enough and we must also be in a reverent disposition for our just passed students. All proceeds from the sale of tickets will go to the fundraiser as planned and …”
The rest of the announcements were lost on the girls as they each thought of what they were going to lose. Hanna was so out of it that she didn’t hear her own name even as it was said through the speakers. It took some shaking from Victoria her before she came out of her reverie.
“What?” She said distractedly, as she slowly become aware that all eyes were on her.
“Principal Knox called for you.” Victoria whispered as silently as she could.
Hanna looked at the principal as she stood on the podium in all her glory.
“Ms. Mills, meet me backstage right after here. The rest of you are all dismissed, and you all better go to your rooms.” Hanna felt Principal Knox’s eyes on her even as she said those words. Then she stepped down the podium and Hanna followed her principal through the crowd of students.
Backstage, soundproof from all the noise and shuffling, Hanna stood and faced Principal Knox, arms behind her back, awaiting whatever punishment she was going to get.
Principal Knox folded her arms and looked pointedly at her. “You disobeyed school rules and snuck out way after lights out but I let you off the hook with a warning, thinking that you wouldn’t make the same mistake and I wouldn’t have to worry. But no, you skipped an important school function – which is against the rules – and snuck out again. You’ve found two dead girls at both times Hanna, for crying out loud. Ever stopped to think that it could’ve been you? And not them?”
“I’m sorry Principal Knox, I just –”
“Forget it. I was going to go with suspension but with the midterms coming up you need to be on campus to study and write the papers. So detention after classes for two weeks sounds like the best punishment I can give; you’ll have time to study and hopefully it’ll also give you some time to think about staying away from trouble. So, no extracurricular activities for you for starting tomorrow, during and after the midterms. I hope I am clear.”
“Yes Principal Knox.”
“Good. Now get back to your Dorm.”
“Thank you.” Hanna said in a rushed voice before doing as she was told.
The compound was free and Hanna rushed to her to her Dorm before anyone could see her. She was lucky that the doors were still unlocked and she hurried up to her room. Vicky was already asleep when she got in and after locking up she got into her own bed and turned out the lights. It took a while before sleep came and when it did all she could dream of was Kellan’s empty eyes and the limited edition heels on her feet.
A/N: Thanks for reading. Hit that star and drop your appreciated comments. Till next time. 🌸🌸🌸
