Chapter 54: Chapter 54

MYSTIC HOLLOW

Homicide

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BY NAOMI INNOCENT

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CHAPTER 54

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"This can't be happening! It's a joke right?" Elena blurted out, so not interested in whatever the news caster was saying on the TV.

The warning bell was heard as they wondered what was happening, it was just lunch break and it wasn't time for classes either.

"Lunch break is not over yet, why the warning bell?" Alex asked glancing at his wristwatch.

"Great! The Mayor's daughter is dead, probably killed by the killer and they're asking us to go home already?" Rhoda said packing her books as Thelma and Anna stayed beside her.

"When Jack James died, they didn't send us home" Anna said staring at Agnes, Jack's sister who was walking with her friends out of the cafe.

"Great! So much for being the mayor's daughter" Thelma chipped in.

"Come on, let's go" Rhoda said when she was done as they conversed and walked out of the cafe.

"I don't believe this stupid news" Elena said standing up as she walked towards the back exit door of the cafe.

"Where are you going?" Laura asked standing up, dropping the sandwich she was eating.

They all lost appetite when they heard about the sad news.

"I'm going to the cemetery to see for myself" she yelled back at them as students hurried out of the cafe.

"Wait up" Peter said as they all went with her.

They walked through the damp grasses till they got to the cemetery and saw it was a crime scene already.

Police dogs and cops were there as they searched for her body.

One of the Police dogs started barking at a particular stuff as Crane followed it only to find a scarf that belongs to her, soaked in blood.

"Let's get out of here" Peter said dragging Elena as they left and went back to the cafe which was almost closed.

They took their bags from their class before heading to Alex's house.

*.

Ruth showed her badge to the guards outside the Mayor's building before she was allowed to in.

How she hates this place.

She knocked on the already opened door as she walked inside, the Mayor and some of the council members were seated, Emily was there crying with her friends consoling her.

She looked round the room and observed everyone.

"You Came here for interrogations or to laugh at me?" Emily snarled at her.

"What are you talking about? Can you please put your emotions aside and let me do my job? I am more pained for loosing another live in Mystic Hollow" Ruth stated.

"At least the locals would shut up. Now my daughter is dead, they'll be happy! But this town won't be at peace. I will declare war in this city!" Emily screamed as her husband walked up to her to console her.

"Don't touch me! I'll make sure I kill all her stupid personal guards! What's their job if not to take care of my daughter!" Emily yelled as Zoe bowed her head.

"I'm sorry ma'am. She refused us, that's why we didnt-- " Zoe didn't finish her speech as Emily threw her heels at her.

"Shut the fuck up you slimy piece of shit!" Emily yelled as her friends held her, guiding her to her room as Chris came out of his.

"Mayor, do you have anyone that might be plotting against your family?" Ruth asked ready to take down statement as he shook his head.

"None that I know of" he said calmly.

"When last did you see her?" Ruth asked as he shook his head.

"In the morning when I was leaving for the council meeting" he stated.

"I saw her that evening Elena came to the house. She left with Elena" Chris chipped in as everyone glanced at him before looking up at Ruth.

"Which Elena? Do you know the surname?" She asked frowning.

"I don't know for sure. But she's my classmate, I think it's Gilbert or Lambert, something of that nature"

"My daughter left with her?" Ruth asked perplexed.

"No, they parted ways when they got outside and Elena left before Sarah" Zoe corrected as Ruth gave Chris a look.

"And who are you please? You're new here right?" She asked.

"That's Chris Liam, Malcolm's little boy" Fredrick said as Ruth got stunned.

"Malcolm? Havent heard about him for ages since he retired unexpectedly" she said.

"My dad died last month" Liam said.

"Oh, sorry about that. It's nice of the Mayor to bring you in. I'll be on my way now" she said and nodded as she made to leave.

"Ruth!" Emily called her as she stopped, turning back, she faced Emily.

"Can I have a word outside?" She said.

Ruth nodded and they both walked outside, she was wondering what she wants to talk about. She knew they don't like each other.

"You're gonna find who killed my little girl right? You're not gonna mix things up with sentiment as the sheriff of this town?" Emily asked as Ruth scoffed.

"I don't know what you're talking about and about your little girl, I'm gonna see what I can do. I'd like to leave now" Ruth said and walked away.

She got outside the mansion as she entered her car.

She dialed Kate's number as she picked at the first ring.

## "Hello Sheriff?" She said from over the phone.

##" Where are you?" Ruth asked as she ignited the engine.

##" Still at the cemetery with the dogs and the team. Couldn't get anything but just dugged up mud. We don't know where they came from, seems like a fresh grave is round here, don't really know for sure but we've gotten a lead" Kate said.

##" What If the killer doesn't want them to suspect him and he had to cut all traces? Like burning or burying all traces? Just find out something" Ruth said as she started driving with a single hand. (This story is written by Naomi Innocent)

There was a brief silence between the both of them, it lingered for three minutes before an excited voice was heard from over the other end .

## I think we've gotten something!" Vera shouted so loud that Ruth heard her and Kate raced to them.

##" Hello? Kate? What's going on? "

#" It's vera, she got something with her dog at the woods. It's a bottle of gasolin, matches and lots of ashes. Oh my God! I think her body was burnt to leave no traces. Maybe if she was buried, the killer might be traced with his Killing technique or something" Kate summarized.

## "This is serious, I can only think of one person' Ruth said.

##"Yh, it might not be our killer this time around"##

##" Yh, me too. Someone that wanted revenge against the Mayor's family" Kate added.

## Keep on with the good work and make sure to keep the people posted, do not give all details out, the Mayor might want to keep some stuff secret. Make sure you discuss it over with him before giving out info. I'll be right back, I have someplace to be, tell Vera to meet me at Logan's apartment" she said and ended the call, she reversed the car and headed to Logan's apartment.

She alighted at the parking lot, walking to the door, she knocked on it several times but no response.

"Hello? Sheriff here!" She said and kept knocking but no response then she realized the door was locked.

She took her phone from her pocket and dialed Kate's number.

## "Guess our hunch was right after all. Logan's gone"## she said

## Think he bolted?"#

##"Yh, maybe he panicked and got lost before the news was out"##

##"But why would he do that?"##

##"we don't know for sure, we're still estimating. Is vera coming?"## she said she saw Vera alighting from the police van.

##"Oh, she's here already"# she said and ended the call.

##"Kate told me you've gotten a haunch"# Vera said walking up to her.

##"Yeah. Logan might be our man"#

Looking at the building one more time, she decided to break into the house. She succeeded in breaking the lock as they got in.

They started surveying the room, it seemed someone left in a hurry because things were scattered.

"Call the train station, ask if anyone by the name Jeffery Logan left and by what time" she instructed.

"Sure Sheriff" Vera replied.

Ruth searched round the house and went upstairs but found no one. She walked back to the sitting room and sat on one of the couches as she saw some photos on the table.

They were too busy to notice it, by this time, Vera was done with the call.

"What do we have here?" She asked taking the photos and they happened to be Sarah's pictures.

"There's one JEFFREY LOGAN that took a late night train to New York at 8:15PM last night" Vera explained.

"That was after Sarah's death. He did bolted." She kept mute for a while and handed the photos to Vera.

"I think we've gotten our man. He would be in New York City by now or must have left in another name. We can't get hold of him now" she scratched her hair while Vera stared at three photos of Sarah. When she was in class, cemetery and walking to school.

*.

"But who would try to kill Sarah? She's so harmless and quiet" Elena said worriedly as she sat on the sofa while Laura walked back and forth their front.

"I don't know, all these sounds so crazy and unbelievable" Alex blurted out.

"Just yesterday, I saw her. We were together at her house when Liam--"

"Wait, what was he doing there?" Peter asked.

"Liam? He stays with the Bellos?" Laura asked unbelievably.

"Yh, thought I've mentioned it before" Elena said with a shrug.

"But why didn't Sarah see her own death? She saw others but why can't she.. This is so not funny" Peter said.

"I watched the news, her body was burnt to leave no traces" Laura said sitting down now.

"Is this what she meant when she said someone would get hurt? Maybe she didn't really know who would get hurt" Elena muttered to herself.

"Did you say something?" Alex asked jerking her back to life because she was lost in thought.

"It's Sarah, when she told me about Logan's death, she said one of us would get hurt but didn't mention who. I thought maybe it might be me, Laura, Peter or Alex. When I asked her who, she said she doesn't know. Maybe she saw it but didn't see it clearly or know who it was, I don't know, I'm just confuse" Elena explained.

"Speaking about Logan. Remember her dad tried to kill him?" Laura asked.

"So, he must want revenge and took it out on Sarah!" Peter yelled.

"But Sarah saved him! Why would he...?

"He doesn't know Sarah does saved his ass. But if our haunch is right, then the Mayor really do have a hand in this. That's why Logan decided to take his revenge" Elena stated.

"Mystic Hollow is one big Mystery town filled with secrets we don't even know about" Alex said calmly.

"We have to look for Logan now" Peter said as they all stood up.

"Maybe I should track his cell phone again" Laura said as they all walked to the basement.

She sat on her seat and started operating on the systems as Alex, Peter and Elena stood at her back and watched as she do her job.

"Elena, dial the number" she said as she dialed the number and placed it on her ear.

Elena removed the phone from her ear with a frown on her face.

"What is it?" Peter asked her as she breathed down.

"It says the line does not exist" she said bluntly.

"But that's the number we used in tracking his cell phone at the bank" Laura said frustrated already.

"Yh, maybe he changed it. This all makes sense. He's gone" Peter said.

*.

TBC