The Flower You Didn't See | Mystery

Chapter 28

He peered in through the window by the driver's seat, and saw her. Her head against the steering wheel, blood was pouring over her beautiful face from some wound on her head. He cursed at the air bag that had failed at its job, carried her to his car and drove to the nearest hospital.

Alex was in deep thought. John was slightly shaking his head. Mary looked a bit revolted.

Listening to the first hand explanation of witnessing what had happened to his daughter, John couldn't wrap his head around it. Ted's words had painted a vivid image in his head and his insides churned just thinking of what Ruby must have gone through.

"You want us to believe this?" Asked Alex. "So are you saying that you had nothing to do with the accident? That you were just casually following her, like you always do," Alex added with much revulsion, "and witnessed it happen?"

"If you didn't do anything to cause the accident, why did you escape that day after I came to the hospital? Why would you run today?" Asked John.

"Because I knew you'd react this way. None of you understand my love for her. I'd never hurt her. I admire her. I made sure she was safe, I made sure Lee paid a small price for how he treated her, I made sure she was happy and motivated. I want her to have all the happiness she wishes for," said Ted, his eyes gleaming with devotion. "But not with ass**** like you," he added looking at Alex.

"He is like an obsessive fan," said Mary, more to herself than to the two with her. She said to him, "But you said that she had gone to Sara's house that night."

Ted nodded slightly.

"But Sara spoke as if they hadn't seen Ruby in months, as if she was out of their lives after the scholarship incident," answered John.

"What's this scholarship incident?" asked Mary, puzzled. "Sara said that Ruby had tried to steal Lakshmi's scholarship," said John.

"I can't wrap my head around all this," said Mary rubbing her temple.

"Does this mean that Ruby was possibly drugged at Sara's house?" asked Alex. "Only one way to find out," said John.

**

Day 5

The small cute face with big eyes that usually was cheerful and smiled, the face that John had recognized from the photograph in Ruby's bedroom, the one with the beautiful pink flowers at the back, was now sitting in front of him rather nervous. Lakshmi kept glancing around, avoiding eye contact. She took a sip of water from the glass in front of her.

"Thankyou for agreeing to meet me, though I'm surprised to see that you are alone," said John. Lakshmi gave an unwilling smile. She said, "You threatened about having proof that we were lying to you about that night. You said you'll let slip to the college authorities that we have supplied weed. You didn't really leave me any choice now, did you?"

"Is Ruby still at the hospital?" She asked. John nodded, but did not know if Lakshmi was relieved or worried by this information.

John got into the matter immediately, "I need the whole truth this time. I need to know what happened the night of her accident. Why was she at Sara's house?"

"I'll tell you. But you have to stop asking everyone around college about this. And Sara doesn't need to know about this little meeting," she replied, her voice stern.

John nodded, though he had no intention of stopping until he found the truth.

"We had planned a party that night for a few influential friends and a few faculty. It was more of a classy gathering really. Sara would find calling it a party, rather inappropriate.