"The Cut"

Chapter 48- The Final Cut

Chapter 48- The Final Cut

Early the next morning, Grace's eyes flew open at the sound of her cell phone buzzing like a honeybee against the coffee table in the Vaughns' living room. She sat up and looked at the enormous wall clock which read half-past six. She yawned and glanced over at Evan, who was still asleep, one arm draped over his forehead.

"Gawd, he is the most adorable thing I have ever laid eyes on!" she thought.

 She reached across the table as her phone buzzed a second time. She had already missed two texts from Bailey. Grace could only imagine how the rest of the evening had gone. She leaned back into the couch, and stretched her feet out to the floor. She focused her blurry eyes on her tiny screen.

 When she swiped across the phone with her thumb, her jaw nearly dropped at what she read:

GRACE! CALL ME ASAP! 9-1-1......9-1-1..... 9-1-1

 The second message repeated:

CALL ME!!! IT'S AN EMERGENCY!!!

 Grace straightened up immediately. She hit "call" on Bailey's name.

"Evan! Wake up. Something's happened!" she shouted. His eyes flipped open.

"Hey. Beautiful. What's goin' on?" he asked sleepily. He reached for her hand.

"I don't know. Bailey's been trying to get through. I'm calling her now. Evan. Get up!"

 She drummed her fingers on her thigh and Bailey finally picked up. Her voice was ragged and strained. Grace gestured for Evan to sit up. He scooted into an upright position as best as he could.

 His ankle was even more swollen and colorful than yesterday!

"Grace! Thank Gawd. Where are you?" Bailey began in a hyperverbal state. It sounded as though she'd been crying. She cleared her throat and Grace could hear muffled voices in the background.

"I'm at Evan's! Where are you? And what is going on, Bail?" she urged.

 Evan threw his hand out. Grace shrugged. She placed the phone between them.

"Bailey, I'm putting you on speaker. Evan's here."

"Good. I'm glad. Listen, I hope you two are sitting down."

 Evan and Grace exchanged glances.

"We are, Bailey. What in hell has happened?" Evan asked and commotion in the background seemed louder. They could only assume that Bailey had spent the night at the Morrison's, as she'd already planned.

"Guys, something awful happened last night." she paused, trying to gain control of herself.

 Evan cut in. "Yeah, we heard. Katie puked in the hot tub after you and Chase cut out. What's up with that?" he interrogated. Bailey disregarded his question.

"EVAN. GRACE. This is NO joke. I mean it. The cops just arrived. They're questioning everyone."

 Grace felt a pit forming in her stomach. She finally accepted Evan's hand. He squeezed it tight.

 She could hear Bailey take a deep breathe in the midst of the ruckus. She awaited the news.

"COACH FULLMAN WAS MURDERED LAST NIGHT."

 There was complete silence. You could have heard a pin drop on the tile floor. Grace couldn't even think straight. It suddenly felt like the room was spinning in circles.

 Bailey started to wail, "Oh my Lord, you guys, who in the hell could have done this?"

"Bail, calm down. Where did they find him?" Evan asked.

"In th- the faculty parking lot." she stuttered. "He was beaten over the head and his throat was slit! He was there alone. His truck was parked next to his body."

"Oh my Gawd." Grace mouthed. She couldn't produce an audible sound.

 Evan threw his head back and ran his hand through his messy bedhead. He continued to hold Grace's hand tightly. His thoughts raced as he began a mental list of possible suspects.

RACHEL.

 Coach Fullman's wife must have found out and somehow hunted him down.

CARSON.

 Chase had just broken up with her and Coach Fullman was still with his wife. She was lonely and isolated, and her parents were never around! It was certainly plausible.

ANOTHER WOMAN.

 There was no proof that Carson was the only affair that he was having. What if there were others? Faculty? Administration? PTSA members?

 Evan's head was ready to explode with the possibilities. Bailey interrupted his thoughts.

"Guys, I know you were both there all night. But the police won't let anyone here leave until they get some answers. They may question everyone on the team. Evan, are your parents home?"

 Evan could hear his father whistling as he came down the stairs.

"Yeah, they're both here. Nobody left the house last night. Grace and I watched movies and must have fallen asleep. They'll vouch for us. We'll vouch for them. Look, whatever they need is fine. We're here." he said as his father entered the kitchen.

"Good." Bailey said. "Answer your phone if it rings, you two. I have to go." 

"Morning!" Steve Vaughn announced and he stared at the tears streaming down Grace's face.

 She sniffed and wiped her cheeks with her sleeve. He rushed over with a box of tissues; he put a hand on her shoulder. He stood next to her as Evan asked one final question.

"Bailey,wait! Have you talked to Carson?" Grace looked at him and her eyes widened.

"NO. I think the cops are at her house, too, Evan. Guys, I gotta go. They're taking each of us into separate rooms for questioning. I'll be in touch when I know something. Just. Hang tight." she said over the speakerphone and the call ended. 

 Steve looked down at Evan and Grace.

"What in the hell is going on here, you two?" he inquired.

 Just as Evan was about to speak, his mother entered the kitchen. She looked around the room at the expressions of her husband, Evan and Grace. The corners of her mouth turned downward into a frown.

"Well, don't just sit there, Evan. You heard your father. What's happened?"

 Grace grabbed a tissue and dabbed her eyes. She held her phone in her hand.

 Evan spoke softly. "Mom, come in here." He waited for her to join them in the living room.

 "Coach Fullman is DEAD. I mean murdered. He was killed last night in the school parking lot."