Crime By Design

Chapter 1

Mill Hills was your typical small town – or at least it was, once upon
a time, until one summer night on Labour Day weekend, when
most of its population was at the town's bonfire. In the moonlight,
a beautiful blonde young woman named Amaya June stood on the
curb of the parking lot next to the park where the bonfire was being
held. As she waited for her loving father to pick up his little princess
from a night full of memories, she kept checking the time on her
phone. Ten minutes, half an hour, and finally an hour passed, but
still her father was a no show.
Getting more concerned by the second, Amaya called her father,
but her call went straight to voicemail. Even more worried, Amaya
decided to run home. When she arrived, she was out of breath,
worried as hell-fire, and not sober.
As she opened her front door, she was met by her beautiful,
overprotective mother, Elizabeth June, coming down the stairs in a
cheetah-print bathrobe. Her mother's expression was as concerned
as Amaya's.
"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Elizabeth asked, walking towards
Amaya while retying her bathrobe around her waist.
"Where is your father?"
With that, Amaya burst into tears.
"I think Dad is missing," Amaya sobbed.

Elizabeth walked towards her daughter and took her into her
arms to calm her.
"Why, do you say that?"
"I believe he's missing, because he hasn't answered any of my calls.
They go straight to voicemail, and you know him he's never five feet
away from his phone," Amaya said, stating her case.
"We'll find him. Everything is going to be okay," Elizabeth
responded, holding onto her daughter's hand.
Amaya nodded in agreement, but after a week, Gabor June was
still missing. Luckily there was a break in the case, but not the news
the June family was hoping for: A dead body was found in the woods
by a hiker and identified as Gabor June. The cause of death was put
down as a car accident – a hit and run. Despite everyone believing
that Gabor's death was an accident, Amaya did not believe it for
a second. She decided to make it her life's mission to find out the
truth, whatever it took.
From that night on, the previously idyllic Mill Hills was no
longer safe; it had forever changed. Now every time someone enters
the town, they can feel the darkness coming upon them.

I'm Amaya June, my life just flipped upside down, and despite my
efforts to move forward with my life, I unfortunately hit a bump in
the road since the entire town has their eyes on my family, watching
us to see if we'll crack under pressure, after the deadly accident. But
we brush it off and move forward. All we have left is each other, and
trying to move on is the only thing keeping us sane.
With the night closing in, I took a seat at my bay window, gazing
at a beautiful moonlit view. I was thinking about what to write in
the beautiful journal my caring father had given me. I took a breath
and exhaled deeply before writing another entry.

September 10
Dear Diary,
I hoped today would be different but unfortunately it wasn't. So here
I am, late at night, expressing my deep mourning. I try to put on a
brave face and act like this summer didn't happen. That's what my father
would have wanted. I try but I'm filled with grief and guilt. This year
will be different. It has to be or I don't know how I'm going to make it.

After writing my last word, I slowly closed my journal and tucked
it away in my nightstand. I exhaled slowly and then stood up. As I

walked down to the kitchen for a glass of water before bed, I saw my
beautiful widowed mother.
"How are you doing?" my mother asked.
"Like you have to ask?" I said.
"Maybe, go out with some friends, see Megan. You haven't seen
each other in months," she said, while pouring a cup of tea for herself.
"I haven't seen or talked to Megan since the accident, and for
good reason," I pointed out. I thought about how the last time I had
seen my friends, everyone pitied me and treated me like a delicate
item that could break. I hated it.
"Why not? You're young and beautiful. You should be living life."
My mother looked at me with sad eyes.
"I can't, okay? Everybody doesn't know how to act around us
anymore. Everybody has moved on and forgotten the fact I've lost
my father," I admitted.
"I know," she agreed.
"I understand that, but that shouldn't stop you from being a
young adult and having some fun with your peers."
"And where would I go to do that?" I asked, sipping on icecold
water.
"There is the Mill Hills Before-College Special BBQ, tonight. In
fact, I think it's about to start." My mother glanced at her watch.
"You should go. You've always loved that party," she said,
as she saw a small look of consideration cross my face. I knew I
couldn't disappoint my mother since she'd already been through too
much already.
"Fine, I'll go," I sighed, tucking a piece of my long, soft hair
behind my ear. I grabbed my black leather jacket and headed out
the door.