EVERGREEN WOOD《COMPLETED✔》

HYPOTHESIS

Chapter 20

We head downstairs with agent Savvaro and officer Wild. As I slowly descend the stairs, the murmurs and whispers became clearer. My heart became heavier with each step.

This was all my fault.

I could see the cops with a metal detector at the front door. They were looking for the brand. As Cecil passed through the door, I could see the clear disgust in her face. No doubt she's wondering why she came in this party in the first place.

"Stay close," Noah said to me as we mixed in the crowd. I glanced around myself, watching every kid. They were having so much fun just a minute ago when I was looking for Alex. I wonder what Mr. Cove is going to think once he found out. I heard someone whisper, what's all this about?

Does that mean the police didn't tell them why they were being searched?

I could not find a possible reason for that. The anonymous would surely know that this was all about catching him. So why hide?

The crowd kept moving forward at a slow pace. The cops were doing a thorough check both for the drug and the brand. I caught a glimpse of myself in the full length mirror to my right. I could see my reflection pointing at me and say, this is all your fault. You didn't listen to the warning. You harmed Alex.

I turned my head forcedly. But my guilty conscience kept nagging me. If something bad like Genevie happened to him, I could never forgive myself. 

Suddenly someone from behind grabbed me and wheeled me around. I was facing Luke and his blue eyes.

"Where have you been?" His voice both angry and concerned. My brain didn't process his question. It was busy looking at his cracked lips. It was still raw. He had been a fight recently.

"Ryan, where have you been?" he was shaking me now. My brain ran a hundred miles per hour. Luke was having a heated argument with Alex. Luke was the one who was lactose intolerant. He was the one strong enough to tackle Alex.

He was the anonymous. He was the culprit.

He looked in my eyes clearly surprised by my expression. I could not let him know that I figured it out. He'll do anything to stop me. Might even kill me which he hadn't done with any of his victims. I had to get away from him. 

I wriggled out of his hands and took a few steps back. "Jenny?" There was confusion in his eyes for a moment which changed into realization. He stepped towards me get a hold. But I turned in the opposite direction and ran. I ran through the crowd and heard him calling from behind. if it weren't for all these kids, he would have gotten hold of me. I ran straight past the cops. They all tried to stop me. I ran straight to agent Savvaro.

"Luke. It's Luke. Noah, he'll go after Noah," I was breathing heavily. "Find Noah, NOW," I was screaming while tears filled my eyes.

"Whoa stop. I'm here," Noah put his arm around my shoulder.

"It's Luke. He's the culprit."

"We can't just assume that and arrest someone. We need evidence," agent Savvaro tried to calm me down. Clearly she thought I was out of my mind.

I steadied my breath. Noah removed his hand around my shoulder and I stood up straight.

"I saw Luke and Alex having a heated argument. I don't know what it was about. But the way it seemed, Luke was screaming at Alex about something and he just shrugged it off. But then Luke became more furious and Alex also started screaming."

"Did you see Luke hit him in the shoulder?" agent Savvaro asked me.

"No. They were just screaming at each other. But the people around me were even louder. So I couldn't hear even a bit."

"What happened after that?"

"I didn't see what happened next. I was chatting with some girls. But then Alex was on that table like nothing happened. he was excited and happy. I think he didn't give any shit about what happened between Luke and Alex."

"Where was Luke during the announcement?"

"I don't know," I couldn't remember seeing Luke anywhere around. When agent Savvaro looked at Noah he shook his head.

"Look Ms. Ryan. We cannot arrest someone just based on a hypothesis. But sure, he'll be on out suspect list. Is he a blonde?" I nodded and she said, "Ok then, we'll keep an eye on him."

"You don't understand, he knows that I figured it out. He chased me down here. That's why I was running. He's gonna come after me or Noah. You have to arrest him."

"Agent Savvaro, when Jenny is saying there's something fishy. there definitely is. She is not supposed to suspect a guy we knew from childhood all on a sudden. Just listen her out," Noah glanced at me to start.

"You said, the blood on the antique shop floor belonged to someone with A positive blood and lactose intolerance. Luke has both. He is strong enough to hit Alex hard and tackle him to ground. He is almost as tall as Alex. So he could've easily hit on that spot on his shoulder."

The look on her face said she was not convinced at all. She observed me for a while then said, "How is the relation between you and that Luke kid?"

"We were friends when we were in middle school. We had a circle of Noah, me, Luke, Ivy, Jason and Val. Jason moved to New York in 7th grade. In 8th grade Val went to Brooklyn and I went to New York. When I came back in 9th grade for my mother's illness, the circle was broken. But-"

"But we are still friends," Noah cut me off. I looked at him and he eyed to to stay silent.

"So there's no bad blood between you and Luke?"

"No. We just compete against each other in sports or debates or any other events. We are friends." I remembered Luke saying those words. 

We're friends Jenny, we've always been. 

I believed him that day. But today, everything has messed up. 

"We'll take Luke's blood sample and send it to forensic immediately. The result will arrive within an hour or so," agent Savvaro waved us off.

************************

Noah and I were sitting in the grass out side the house. A few feet in front of us stood the crowd of the party. They were all groaning and complaining about going home. But it was only around ten. If the party was still on, they would've stayed till 12 at the very least.

"All done," officer Wild called out as the last kid was checked. No sign of the brand or the drug. That means he had hidden it inside the house. The house will be sealed today and there will police on guard. 

Luke was standing with two cops to our left. He was eyeing me awkwardly. I shifted in my position. I could not make out what was in his eyes. It looked like concern for a moment. Then regret, then hollow and then rage. As much as I wanted the DNA report to be negative, my gut said it would be perfect match.

Alex's blue unconscious face flashed before my eyes. His only fault was trying to approach me. If he had gone for Hannah, this would not have happened. The culprit had to find another victim.

It was so easy for the anonymous to be Luke that I had to remind myself that he was my friend. He could have easily got something in Genevie's food which made her sick in the changing room. When the teams were being selected, he slipped in the dressing room and branded her and stuffed her in the nearest locker.

For the guy in the mall, he was strong enough to tackle that well built Bradley Steven Cooper. But that oil lamp did create an obstacle. He took out the brand from agent Savvaro's pocket like he used to take stuffs from other people's pocket for fun. he could do it without anyone realizing that they were missing something. 

And today. He somehow knew Alex would come upstairs after I ran out. He knew the upstairs would be empty because everyone was having so much fun downstairs. He had a fight with Alex who cracked his lips open and he hit him on the shoulder with something heavy. 

Agent Savvaro came to us and we got up from the ground.

"The result came," she gave a pause. "It's a match."