Murder in the woods

Chapter 9

After a rough few weeks of counselling and therapy, I'm feeling much better and am allowed home. Chloe has barely said a word to us since that day, but Lara and I are still really close.

We've given our police statements and the autopsy showed death by asphyxiation. Chloe's mum - Sheila- must have taken my sleeping pills and then suffocated herself. But Chloe refuses to believe that it was suicide. I don't think it was either- there are some things that don't add up: the scream, the bruise, the fact that she was hidden by leaves. The police refuse to believe us that it was murder, apparently I imagined the scream, the bruise was an unrelated injury and the leaves must have just fallen from the trees.

Lara and I are planning on solving the case together, but Chloe won't talk to us so we can't get her involved. My report so far on the case is here:

Murder of Sheila Long 23rd July 2019

Clues on body -
• Large bruise on cheekbone, causing swelling to left eye
• No blood or other injuries
•Body submerged in leaves and twigs
Autopsy results-
• Death by asphyxiation
• Excessive consumption of sleeping drugs
Other clues-
• Scream heard by Skyla the previous night
• My medicines going missing
Suspects-
• Random stranger? But what would the motive be?
• Chloe's dad? He may have been angry that she left them again...
What we need to find out-
• Why was she at the campsite?
• Who had the motive to kill her?
• Why would they kill her?
People we need to question-
• Chloe (if she lets us)
• Brad
• Jonny
• Staff at the lodge
• Ruby- she may have heard the scream
• Chloe's dad- Robert

We are currently unsure of who the main suspects are due to a lack of evidence. We will gather evidence and write up all interviews here to build up a case. Hopefully, we will be able to find the culprit very soon.

Something just doesn't feel right about her death- something I can't quite put my finger on.

I decide to quickly message Ruby to see if she can answer any of my questions.

Hey, are you free to answer some questions please about what happened at camp? I'm trying to build up a case. xx

I don't know why you're asking me, I wasn't there that night in the woods so how would I know anything? You should just leave this to the police xx

I know, but I was just wondering if you had heard the scream from that night? It's really important to me that I solve this for Chloe, the police say it's suicide, but something doesn't add up. xx

I already told you that I didn't hear anything. If the police say it's suicide, it probably was.

Ouch. Someone's touchy. But why is she being so defensive? I think I'm going to add Ruby to the suspects list just in case- you can never be too sure...

Suspects-
• Random Stranger
• Chloe's dad
• Ruby