Chapter 14

MYSTIC HOLLOW

Homicide

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BY NAOMI INNOCENT

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CHAPTER 14

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"Would you guys stop giving me that look already? I've said all there is to say. We are so not involving my baby sister in this shit" Alex said feigning annoyance.

"Come on Alex, she's the only hope we have now in deciphering this journal" Elena said.

"She's not. We can look for an alternative. Seriously, she's just a kid that was just opportuned to know how to write in Latin, it doesn't mean she can read Latin language" Alex said bluntly.

"Just hear your self out Bennett, how is it possible for someone to know how to write a language without being able to speak it huh? Its through speaking before you learn how to write it" Laura said getting frustrated of Alex attitude already.

"Yh, its just like learning how to write in English Language without knowing how to speak it first. Come on man, that's just ridiculous" Peter added.

"I don't just want my sis to get involved in all these Mystic Hollow crazy things. Its just.. Its just....

"Come on now Alex, Nothing is going to happen to Bonne. I promise" Elena said as Alex scratched his head out of frustration.

"Lemme call her and ask her. They would probably be in their lunch break by now" Alex said as he punched some numbers on his cell phone.

The phone ringed twice before the receiver at the other end took the call.

"Hey Bonnie.. How.. " he didn't finish before she lashed at him.

"I've told you countless times not to call me during school hours. I'm playing with my friends just now. You are interrupting us" Bonnie said bitterly as Alex swallowed hard.

Elena and Laura gave each other a look as they stared back at Alex who was finding it difficult to talk to his kid sis.

Sometimes he just wonder if she was truly 8 or if he was the elder brother to her. She was just weird and bossy.

"Can I talk to you for a sec? I just want to ask a favor from you" Alex said as Bonnie's little giggle was heard from over the phone.

"And why should I do that? I wont! " Bonnie blurted out as she ended the call.

"Hello! Hello! Bonnie!" Alex said in vain as he lost signal of her. He dropped the cell phone on the table and clasped his hands against each other.

"You see? I tried my best" he said rubbing his palms on his face.

"It's not gonna be easy coaxing her. She didn't even wait for him to ask of the favor first" Elena said.

"Yh, we are going to do more than that. We'll meet her at home" Laura said as the warning bell was heard.

"Argghh, I hate trigonometry and angles" Peter said as they stood up and observed everyone running back to class.

"Yh, me too, it's just inevitable" Elena said as they took their bags and left for their class.

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AT THE POLICE QUARTERS

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Mayor Fedrick Bellos walked towards the Police quarters with his guards following him side by side.

He had rehearsed how he was going to shout the hell out of Sheriff Ruth. He was hoping he could change her if she couldn't do her job properly but then he could not. Just like the mantle of Mayor is in his family, that was how the sheriff is in the family of the Gilberts.

"The mayor is here"

"He is here'"

"I thought he was supposed to be at the Grill addressing the locals about the state of the town"

The Police and other officials whispered to themselves as they kept mute when he got close to them.

They bowed when he got close to them, most of the officials exchanged handshakes with him.

"Where's the Sheriff?" He asked one of the police officer who took him to the Sheriff's quarter.

The police official that took him to the quarter, bowed and left as the Mayor walked inside the room without the Sheriff noticing

She was with Manson and Crane, drawing a plan on their next move, the Mayor kept mute and watched them as they put their head together drawing something on the map before them.

"After Phillips death, there hasn't been any homicide, tomorrow would make it a week" Crane observed as he stared at the dates killings were done on the map and their locations.

"Yh, maybe the assassin is planning something very big, we have to map out our strategies too" Sheriff Ruth said and circled something on the map as Mansion noticed a present in the room. He raised his head seeing the Mayor, he bowed.

Ruth and Crane took notice of him too as they bowed.

"Seems you guys are really working your tails out.. " he said and sat on a comfortable chair as he placed his legs on the table before it that was filled with documents and photos of crime scenes and dead bodies photos.

"But your best is never enough you know that" he said as a smug smile curled round his lips.

"Leave us" he said to Mansion and Crane as they bowed and left, leaving just him and Ruth.

"What do you want?" Ruth asked him as he smiled sluggishly.

"To talk. About Mystic Hollow" Mayor said and stood up. He walked towards where she kept her liquor and poured into two glasses.

He handled a glass to her which she stared at without taking it.

"I don't have appetite to drink, I have more things in my head than drinking and PS I don't drink during working hours" she said picking up the documents and photos the Mayor pushed down with his feet and placed them on the counter.

"And why the hell do you have these drinks here?" Fedrick asked, gulped down his liquor and squeezed his face as he held hers in his right hand and placed his left inside his pocket.

"I want you to follow me to the Grill today, I would be having a live speech by 4pm" Mayor said and stared at her as she arranged the documents.

"You know you can't go to the Grill, the locals are mad at you. They might act violently towards you" Sheriff said as he smirked.

"As if you care" Mayor muttered to himself as he stared at the liquor, wondering how much ethanoic content was inside.

"You see, the locals feels you don't care about the homicide happening in town, because of your attitude. I know you do care but not everyone knows that. Because they ain't close to you. All they see you do is drink and be merry on TV and promise them the homicide would soon be over but then, they'll hear of another one before 24hours you gave your speech, they keep wondering why you won't involve the FBI" Ruth said sadly and almost yelling at him.

"I'm sorry sir" she said bowing her head as the Mayor smiled.

"You're beginning to sound like Emily" he said calmly as she clenched her fist and stared at the document.

"Well, I don't care about the homicide because you are going to take Care of it. That's your job, and as for the FBI, they're not getting involved with Mystic Hollow" he said and gulped down the whole content of the liquor.

"And what's your job?" She asked as she stared at him. He walked towards the liquor to pour another glass for himself.

"That liqour is very strong, you better stop taking it if you want to address the locals today" she said and stared at him as he gulped down the content of the glass.

"My job is to address the locals and tell them everything would be alright, while you solve crimes" he said and smiled.

"So ridiculous" she muttered to herself as she placed the arranged documents and photo inside the drawer.

"So what do you want from me?" She asked again.

"To talk. I want you to follow me to the Grill" he stated and stopped as he observed her contenance.

"I always follow you wherever you go. Why is this invitation so special. Or are you scared of the locals?" Ruth asked as Mr. Bellos stared at Elena's photo on the wall.

"I want you to do something for me" he continued.

"And that is?" She asked already frustrated on how he dawdled on his words.

"I'm going to address the locals today at the Grill and I want you to back me up and tell them this homicide is under control, that we would soon get the killer and we are seriously trailing him. I've told them that a lot, yet, we still hear news of the homicide. They are panicking already and I think they no longer take my words for anything. They would listen to you and keep calm if you tell them" he said as she scoffed and stood up from the counter she was sitting on. Folding her arms, she walked close to him and breathed down.

"They no longer believe you bacause you've been lying to them, you think the locals are babies or stupid? Of course they know we can no longer handle this homicide. They need to know the truth. You can't just be feeding them with lies. If I join you and lie to them and later they find out, what do you think they'll take the council for? Bunch of liars? They are indigenes of Mystic Hollow, they deserve to know the truth" she said in one breathe.

She observed that he wasn't making move of saying anything, then she continued.

"You're lying to them so they wouldn't see how incompetent you are. Face it! People are saying it already, your dad was a better mayor than you are or would ever be!" She said as she received a slap from him.

"Just shut up Gilbert, you have no right to judge me! And who's fault that people are dying anyhow huh? It's yours! You are just too incompetent to do your job. That's why I never liked a woman for this job!" He yelled at her as she held her cheek.

"Like it or not! You're following me to the Grill today" he said and scattered some documents on the table.

He walked to the door and stopped as he stared at Elena's photo again.

"She's cute though. Who knows if she's the next?" He said and walked out of the office as Ruth clenched her fist.

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TBC