Chapter 71: Chapter 71

MYSTIC HOLLOW

Homicide

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BY NAOMI INNOCENT

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CHAPTER 71

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"Can't you see the setup I was trying to create? When Logan was attacked, the suspect was the Mayor. Logan talked of taking revenge on him and then, Sarah was killed. So who would you suspect?" She sniffed and took a look at the people staring at her.

"Of course, you would think the Mayor had a hand in the deaths and Logan tried to take his revenge on Sarah," Ruth said hysterically wondering how dumb they could be.

"Wow! Now I see where Elena got her knowledge from" Laura said calmly.

"To make all my plans go smoothly. After I tried to kill Sarah. Though I've been planning to kill her all this while. I've been going to the graveyard to study her. You know, Elena, you once told me Sarah was some kind of a psychic but I never believed it, until death was stopped at the Mall. Which I saw Peter's face and I knew he was your friend. From there, I knew you and Sarah had a hand in this then I began to believe and the only way I could stop you guys was to get rid of Sarah. I started mapping out my strategies to kill her so it would link to the Mayor or something. And then Logan happened. My plan went smoothly. After I tried to kill Sarah, it didn't work, we struggled, I stabbed her and we both went to 2033. I left her there and returned after destroying the time machine. She was good as dead so I faked her death. I burnt some stuff and dug a grave so they'll think Logan burnt her body. That same evening, I went to Logan's house" Ruth said and looked up at Elena who was listening attentively.

FLASHBACK (LOGAN'S HOUSE)

Sheriff Ruth knocked on Logan's door as she stood back waiting for the door to be responded to.

She waited for a response as she got none. She glanced at her wristwatch and adjusted her cap.

Logan had been indoors after that incident at the bank. He has been pondering on who would try to kill him.

He never knew the mayor would try to kill him because of some little argument they had.

He then concluded that what the locals were saying about the mayor was right after all.

Ruth knocked on the door impatiently.

A knock was heard from the door as Logan went to it, though he was scared. What if the killer came back for him? He thought.

"Who's there?!" He asked in fright.

"Sheriff Ruth. I wanna talk to you about what happened at the bank some days ago" Ruth said.

"Are you alone?" He asked peeping from the keyhole as he saw her shuffling her feet.

"Yes, I am! Come on, open up" He hesitate while she waited and a creaking sound was heard from the door.

"Hello, Logan" A smile was plastered on her face as he took a long look at her. He glanced around her and saw no one before his tension was reduced.

"Hi, Sherrif" He left the way while holding the door as she walked past him, observing the place.

"This is so going to work" she muttered to herself, after seeing the worried look on his face.

She walked to the sitting room with Logan and sat down.

"Liquor?" Logan asked as she shook her head sideways.

"Sorry, I don't drink while on duty," she said and observed how worn out he was.

He shrugged and poured two fingers of the cocktail into a glass cup as Ruth watched him with keen interest. He gulped down the whole content from the glass and poured another two fingers and emptied the content into his stomach.

He squeezed his face and finally dropped the glass cup on the table. He was about to pour another glass as Ruth spoke.

"Hey! That is enough! You are not planning to drink yourself to death, are you?"

He stared into space and started walking about the room.

"You don't understand Sheriff. I almost got killed"

"Do you by chance know who might be after your life? Have you offended or argue with someone lately?" Ruth asked taking out her jotter to jot down some things.

Logan kept mute staring into space as Ruth stared at him.

"See Logan, you have to answer my questions. I'm scared the killer might come back for you. I think it is related to the homicides recently" Ruth said as he swallowed hard.

"It was just the Mayor. We argued at the council" he said as she jotted it down.

"What was the argument about?" She interrogated. He stared into space as if he was pondering on what happened as he spoke.

"I brought up the issue about the curfew," he said as she smiled and nodded.

"Is that all?"

"Yes! He thinks I am crazy!"

"Now listen to me, Logan. I want you to leave Mystic Hollow. Go anywhere far, even if it is Mexico or Spain. Go visit your family" Ruth said as Logan gave her a quizzical look.

"How did you know my family is in Spain?" Logan asked as Ruth smiled.

"I'm the sheriff. It is my job. It would be best if you leave now!" Ruth said and stood up.

"I can not just leave Mystic Hollow. I work here, everyth--"

"Your life might be in grave danger. You don't want your wife to be a widow or your children fatherless huh?" She asked as he swallowed hard and nodded.

"You are right but--"

"Your life should come first before anything. Go visit your family and go out on vacation with them. You miss them right? I know you do. They miss you too! Leave town, change your cellphone number. Change your identity. Just leave and do not return"

"Thanks, Sheriff. I'm forever grateful" Logan said standing up as he walked to his room upstairs.

Ruth smiled and saw the newspaper on the table as she dropped Sarah's photo under it.

"Perfect," she said.

"This is too easy!'

END OF FLASHBACK.

"This is outrageous!" Emily blurted out.

"Shut the fuck up! You both are the same. You are both murderers!" Alex yelled at her.

"Alex, how long have you known about my mom?" Elena asked.

"Is this necessary, Elena?"

"Just tell me please! Don't you think I have the right to know?" He sucked air into his lungs and scratched his hair.

"That day at the bank. If you can remember, I chased after her before the building caught fire. I fought with her and you know Peter had already removed her mask. When I waylaid her, I saw her face behind the mask and the rest was history. That was why I was really sad when I came outside. I allowed her to escape through the roof while I remained there. When I came out, I saw her outside with her police officers and Peter gave the mask to her already" Alex said.

"Is that why Elen said one of us was going to get hurt in the mission?" Elena muttered.

"So it was Alex? He was not hurt physically, but by the heart" she mumbled. She had so many questions to ask her mother, she turned to look at her.

"You were ruthless enough to kill your officers? You killed Manson and the medlab technicians. How did that happen?" Elena asked.

FLASHBACK (OUTSIDE THE BURNING BANK)

"Kate, I don't trust anyone. Give this to Vera, they should run a test on it" Ruth said handling the mask to Kate who nodded.

"Yes, Sheriff" Kats responded and left as Rith turned to Elena who thought her mother was going to scold her.

"I'm proud of you, Elena," Ruth said and hugged her daughter as Elena shone her eyes.

That was exactly the first time her mom said that to her.

"You kids did great," Ruth said and glanced at Alex who frowned at her. She gave Alex a long stare as she nodded at him.

Vera and Manson had left with the mask already as Ruth eyed them seriously.

Ruth entered her car and left with Crane and Kate, later, after Vera and Manson had long gone.

They all pulled over in front of the Police Station.

"Kate" Ruth called her as they all alighted.

"Gather the squad and set a meeting right now. I'm going to check how the med lab technician is doing" Ruth ordered.

"Yes Ma'am!" Kate said as she and Crane walked to the Meeting ward and they met Vera there as they conversed.

Ruth made sure they were gone as she walked to the medical ward.

"Hi Sheriff" one of the police officers that were at the counter greeted her.

"Hi Olaf" she greeted back as she got to the medical ward and locked the door after her.

She lost her gun at Logan's office during the struggle with Peter, so she had to make use of her pocket knife.

She placed her hand in her jacket pocket and touched the knife, she wondered what Manson was doing with the Med lab technician.

"Hey Sheriff, what are you doing here?" Manson asked her as she smiled.

"I should be asking you that," Ruth said smiling as Mason placed his hands in his pocket.

"Maya is my girlfriend. Just decided to stay with her as she run the test on the mask" Manson said smiling, referring to the madlab technician as Maya.

"Oh, I never knew," Ruth said nodding as she thought of how she was going to kill them and take the mask.

She never wanted to kill him, but since he was here, she just have to do the needful.

"You never knew? Almost everyone in this station knows" Manson said smiling as Maya smiled too while going on with her work.

"Guess she's too busy trying to solve Mystic Hollow Homicide, that was why she never knew. She looks worn out too" Maya said as they all laughed.

"Yh, I seriously need to take a break. This homicide is weighing me down seriously" Ruth said smiling.

"Yh, you should"

"And you asked what I came here to do?" Ruth asked smiling as Manson nodded.

"To check up on her. You know the mask is our only proof right now and it is very precious to us" Ruth said as she finished mapping out her strategy on how to kill them.

"Yes, you are right" had said as she started walking to his back and had didn't suspect anything funny.

She went to his back and sliced his throat because he was the one that could defend.

Before Maya could scream, she sliced her throat too.

"And to kill you both too" she added smiling as they choked to death with Manson still struggling.

She picked Manson's gun and pulled the trigger on his head, thanking her stars that the medical ward door was soundproof.

She smiled and took the mask which she placed in her jacket pocket. She cleaned her hand stained with blood on Manson's cloth as she frowned.

"Damn it?" She said looking at the blood on her hand.

She walked to the restroom and washed her hands with soap and water. She washed her face too as she stared at her reflection in the mirror.

"Shit, they are right! I really look worn out" she mumbled and started drying her hands and face with a towel.

She walked to the door, opening it, walked out of the room, and went to the meeting room.

"Now can we start our meeting?" She asked smiling as she stared at the officers who were waiting for her.

(NOTE: All flashbacks are scenes I, NAOMI, skipped on purpose)

END OF FLASHBACK

Liam couldn't believe what he was hearing. He just hoped he get untied quickly because he was having a muscle pull already.

"I do not know why I am also apprehended" he whined but no one listened to him.

"You're a monster!" Elena screamed at her mom as she almost pull the trigger at her head then Alex held her hands.

Facing the gun down as the bullet pierced the ground.

"If you kill her now, you won't get to know the rest of the story. Control Your anger!" Alex yelled at her as she broke down in tears.

"Pull yourself together and be strong. I know how you feel. I can not even imagine my dad becoming a murderer" Alex spoke as she began to catch her breath slowly.

She wiped her eyes and paced around the place to contain her anger, when she was done, she stood at a spot.

"How did it go with Philips? You sent him and Vera to the patrol so you could kill him?' Elena asked as she sniffed.

She tried to adjust her injured leg before she opened her mouth to speak as they were all expectant.

"No. Phillips was one stupid cop. He never listens to me. He caused his death just like his little daughter, Jane caused hers" Ruth said as she cleaned a flicker of sweat from her forehead.

"What do you mean by that?" Emily spoke as Ruth huffed.

"Will you shut the fuck up?" Ruth told her as she frowned.

"You shut up! You motherfucking murderer!" Emily yelled at her.

"Well, you are not different from me your asshole.. "

"Shut the fuck up! The both of you!" Elena yelled at them both as they glared at each other.

"I do the questioning! If I do not ask you to speak, stay mute! You can only talk when I ask you to do so! Is that understood?" They did not say anything as she heaved a sigh.

"Good"

"How did little Jane cause her death?" Elena asked.

Ruth kept mute as the pain on her leg and hand was making her dizzy.

"Answer me!"

"Elena! Take it easy! I think she is badly hurt" Alex said as he was about to walk to where Ruth was.

"Leave her alone! She would manage"

"Hey, kids! You have to take me to the hospital before I bleed to death" The Mayor spoke.

They didn't respond to him as he huffed.

"Come on! Show some sympathy by stopping the bleeding from the wound at least" he kept on.

"Shut up! Soon you would talk, I said you are not allowed to talk until I ask you to do so" with that, she faced her mom.

"I asked you a question!"

"Well, that little kid saw my car where I parked it close to a crime scene. After I finished killing my target, I ran to my car in the hidden spot and found the kid there. Do you know what would happen if she spills? And guess what? She called me " Sheriff" when she saw me, and I could not take chances because that kid would recognize me wherever she sees me, So I had to do the needful and killed her and her mom died of shock. I don't blame her anyway, the doctor said she would never be able to conceive a baby, let alone give birth after she gave birth to Jane. The lady was having issues with her fallopian tube" Ruth said and frowned as she faced down.

"It was after Jane's incident that I began disturbing the Mayor for the curfew" she added.

"So you went about dressing like a man killing people? Changed your voice to be robotic and even wore an artificial chest? You murdered a full family, mom! You killed Jane and her father, Detective Phillips! What kind of a woman are you?!" Elena yelled at her.

"I didn't murder the whole family. Jane's mother died out of shock" Ruth protested.

"Shut up! You caused her death! She died because you killed the kid she would be able to have in her lifetime" Elena said.

"You said Phillips causes his death? How?" Laura asked.

"Are you all interrogating me now?" She gave a weak chuckle.

"The faster you answer our questions, the better for you. Because if we are not done with the questions, we are not taking any of you to the hospital. So do yourself good by responding quickly. If you do not survive before we finish the question, it is your funeral, not mine" Elena spoke, Ruth hesitated for a while before she finally spoke.

"The previous day before he died. He called me privately and asked that we should start patrol. He was hell-bent on murdering who killed his daughter. If I didn't approve of it, that would raise a suspicious brow at me and I could not afford that. So the next day, I agreed and called for a meeting. He said he would start the patrol and I assigned Vera to go with him. I instructed them to patrol at the South because I knew I had plans to kill at the North. That fool had other things in his mind and he chose to go to the North instead. When they spotted me on the roof, I was so shocked because I knew I gave them instructions. That night, they took me by surprise, and to save my skin, I had to kill him after he unmasked me. And tempering with the CCTV was very easy because I and my cops always plant them together. Even at the hospital when a boy was killed at Ward 15. When I met you guys there. I began suspecting you guys were up to no good. If you observed very closely. When I was on the ceiling. I went to the restroom and escaped through the roof. That was how I was able to change quickly in my car that was close by and came in as a cop" Ruth said as Alex walked up to her.

this story is written by Naomi innocent.

He tied her wound with the piece of cloth she had torn already, so the bleeding might decrease.

"When you kept telling me about Sarah, I had to trace who was in charge of her psychological illness because I knew that kid was having psychological problems. I was told the psychological record book was missing. So I had to go to the audio room" she said and looked at them as Laura's face was plastered with curiosity.

She remembered she stole the psychological record book.

"All these were happening in my town and I never knew?" Frederick muttered to himself.

"I was linked to Doctor Ethan Saltzman, whom I know is blind right now. I paid a visit to him in Bloomspring, asking about Sarah, but the old man refused to spill" Ruth said and spat out blood. She had lost lots of blood already.

"Sheriff... " Peter said and squatted beside her.

"Why all this hate? Why do you kill? Don't tell me you are just naturally wicked" Peter said staring daggers at her as she scoffed.

"Why don't you ask that monster over there?" Ruth said referring to the monster as Mayor Bellos.

"So what are we missing? Fill in the blank spaces" Elena was curious.

"It all started in 2004 when we built the time machine that was in this cottage. The time machine that took I and Sarah to 2033." She started the story as they all listened with keen interest and curiosity written all over their faces.

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TBC