20th October, 2015 (Two Weeks after the Murder).

10:45 PM.

The rain in Atwood was always unique; it either fell heavily enough to shake rooftops, or light enough to be a slight drizzle. There was no in-between. That night, as the rain pounded heavily on the rooftop and the bakery seemed to shake, Ian helped Alyson clean up.

As he wiped down tables, his mind wandered to the conversation he had with Bob. He wanted to bring up Bob’s suspicions, but at the same time did not want to because it seemed ridiculous to him, and didn’t want to appear offensive. He decided to tread carefully, as he and Alyson were still on thin ice.

“Have you heard from Bob recently?” he asked her.

“Yeah, we talk sometimes on the phone. Why?” she asked as she cleaned a table rigorously.

“He mentioned something interesting about Bethany.”

“Oh? What did he say?”

“He said he and Bethany kissed once,” he said as he waited for her reaction.

“Oh,” she said as her shoulders deflated a little.

“Did you know about that?”

“I didn’t. I had no clue, but now that I think about it, I should have figured it out.”

“What do you mean?” he asked as he tried to wipe down a stubborn brown stain from the table he was cleaning.

“Bethany always wanted things she couldn’t have. Kissing Bob must have been an ego trip for her because I’m completely certain she did not find him attractive.”

She continued wiping her table but stopped, “On a second thought, I’m surprised she never told me about it. Knowing her, she would have looked for an opportunity to brag about it just to get under my skin.”

“Are you sure you had no clue that happened?” he asked. The stain was beginning to piss him off.

“I just told you didn’t I? Why are you acting weird?”

“It’s nothing,” he replied with a reassuring smile.

“You’ve been wiping that table for the past thirty minutes,” she said with a smile.

“The damn stain won’t come off,” he replied frustrated.

“It’s been there for a couple of years now. I think it’s permanent.”

“Then get another table. Why are you still keeping this?” he asked as he attempted to remove the stain with a fingernail. He felt like he was going crazy.

She shook her head fondly, “Thanks for helping me with this though. I’ll repay you with a cup of hot chocolate to warm you up.”

“You know I’m not doing this for that. I’m doing it because I like you,” he stated frankly.

“Careful. We all know what happens to people who come close to me,” she warned.

“Why are you so pessimistic all the damn time?”

“Well if life fucks you in the ass several times over, I’m sure you’d feel the exact same way.”

He slammed the rag on the table, “You know what? That’s it,” he said.

He walked towards the door and opened it. A cold gust of wind got in from the action as Ian stepped outside into the rain. He was completely drenched in seconds, but walked calmly to the lawn and turned to face her.

“Come here,” he called out loudly, to be heard over the roaring thunder. The cold air was not the only thing that made Alyson shiver.

“Are you crazy? You’ll get sick,” she said as she walked slowly to the door.

“I said come here,” he repeated. She stepped into the night, and wrapped her arms around her body because of the cold. She was certain they were going to regret stepping into the rain in a few days.

“Life hasn’t been fair to you. It’s true, but you have to stop feeling sorry for yourself. I want you to scream for me,” he said.

“Are you calling me pathetic?”

“I’m saying you’re a strong, confident woman who has been through a lot more than other people. But the only way you’ll get over what has happened to you isn’t by keeping your feelings in, it’s by letting go. So, yell out loud.”

She rolled her eyes, “Ahhh,” she said sarcastically.

“No. I want you to scream your frustrations out. Yell at the world. Like this,” he said, and then gave an earth shattering yell.

“AHHHHHHH, this is so weird,” She screamed.

“AHHHHHHHHHH!”

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” she yelled. It felt good to scream into the night. She screamed until her lungs couldn’t take it any longer. It did not take long before her tears, like her yells, mingled in the rain. They screamed together for a long time. She gasped in surprise as he grabbed her head and placed his lips on hers. As he kissed her, she could feel the pent up emotions she thought she had gotten rid of all those years ago bubbling back to the surface. For the first time, she acted against her better judgement, and closed her eyes as she kissed him back.

Right there, under the rain, Alyson felt her once shattered heart start to piece itself together. She felt more complete than she had felt in a long time.

*****

21st October, 2015 (Sixteen Days after the Murder).

11:30 AM.

As Ian walked into the Police Chief’s office, he was surprised that such a small city could pull of such luxurious accommodations for a government official. In contrast to his office, and most offices at the precinct, it was, in a word, grand. Granted, the Chief was ranks higher than him, but this office was even more extravagant than the one for the Chief in New York, which had considerably more resources. It was uncanny.

It was strange he had never been there, and found it even more surprising that he had been summoned out of the blue. The chief, a large black man of about fifty, was sitting behind his huge desk. The walls were wooden paneled, and the office was so large, there was a different section styled like a living room, with four comfortable-looking yellow couches facing each other, and a round table. There was also a fireplace, and huge shelves on all sides of the office, filled top to bottom with books. An air conditioning system was of course, present.

“Detective McNeil,” the chief called out in a very deep voice.

“Good evening Chief.”

“Have a seat.”

“Brief me on the Cooper case,” the chief said as soon as Ian sat down.

“Well, Bethany Cooper was found on the lake approximately two weeks ago. She was beaten up badly and strangled. We found no evidence of sexual assault. The investigation was launched immediately, and the DNA found under her nails was a match for her boyfriend, Nathan Fields. We arrested him for questioning, but eventually released him. He is not to leave the city during the course of the investigation, and until the samples of DNA taken from his room and car comes back, he remains a person of interest in the case,” Ian said, but from the chief’s expression, it was clear none of it was new information to him.

“Any other suspects?” the chief asked.

“In the meantime, no.”

“Okay. I do not consider myself as someone who beats around the bush, so I will tell you this as straightforward as I can. Round up this case as quickly as possible,” the chief said as he rested casually on his seat. The man tried to act like he was relaxed, but Ian noticed his fists were clenched tightly on the desk, like he was worried about something.

“What do you mean sir?”

“The Mayor has expressed… concerns about the direction the case has taken. You know the Mayoral election will take place in a few weeks I presume?” the chief said.

“I do.”

“And it looks bad when the frontline aspirant’s son is involved in this messy business. His girlfriend getting mysteriously murdered a few weeks to the election was bad enough, you see?”

“I see,” Ian said with disappointment, as the implication of what the chief was saying hit him. He wondered why he was always put in situations that made him go against orders, because he had no intention of following the chief’s directives.

“Do that for me okay? I would hate to put the case in more… competent hands. You’re dismissed,” the chief said.

Ian calmly stood up to leave, but it took every inch of his strength not to throw his badge on the table. He did not think Nathan Fields was guilty, but was curious as to why the mayor was interfering in the investigation. What did Sam Fields have to hide? The mayor clearly did not know him well, because the attempt to stop him from delving deeper only heightened his hunger for the case – It was clear the case was more complicated than he had originally thought. He resolved to figure it out no matter what.

*****

26th September, 2015 (One Week to the Murder).

10:45 PM.

“I dare you to chug hot sauce for 15 seconds,” Kristina said to Rick, who quickly complied.

“1, 2, 3, 4, 5…,” everyone counted. It was one of those parties, just for Bethany’s close circle, which were as raunchy as they were exclusive. Most people would have killed for an invite, exactly as Bethany wanted.

It was considered an honor to have any of Bethany’s parties thrown at one’s house, when in reality, she usually threw them at other people’s houses because she barely had the money to throw them in hers. The more expensive the setting, with the decor, lighting and food, the more it was considered a success. If Bethany found it lacking, it was usually the end of the person’s stay in her inner circle. She loved seeing her friends scram and scrape, trying to please her, running things by for her approval. She okayed Cuvée Jean Philippe Crémant De Limoux Rosé for a party once, with feigned nonchalance, when she did not even know what that meant!

“I’m the bos-,” Rick started, but started coughing from the hot sauce. The party laughed as they waited for the heat to subside and Rick to make his selection for the next dare.

“Iris, this is for you baby. I dare you to kiss David, with tongue…while looking at Lucas.” The whole party howled, because Lucas was Iris’s boyfriend, whom she started dating after her bitter break up with David.

“No uh, I can’t. Pass me the bottle,” she said. The bottle of vodka was passed to her and she chugged, which was the punishment for missing her dare.

“Nathan, I dare you to give Bethany a lap dance,” Iris said. It was an unspoken rule that Bethany’s boyfriend was not to be dared to do anything with another girl. Nathan was off-limits. Period.

Nathan smiled as he approached Bethany. The party clapped as he sat on her thighs, and gave her a slow lap dance. He made it comical, lifting his shirt slowly and making weird faces as he moved against her, so everyone could laugh.

“Bethany I dare you to do a head stand as you kiss me,” Nathan said.

The party giggled as Bethany did her dare and sat down.

“Bethany your turn,” Sherylyn urged.

“Iris, I dare you to go home,” Bethany said, and the party fell silent. Bethany was clearly punishing her for missing her dare. Everyone waited, anxious.

“Come off it Beth,” Nate urged as he smiled awkwardly to diffuse the tension.

“I’ll drink,” Iris offered as she reached for the bottle.

“The drink’s almost finished. There’s not enough for you,” Bethany said, swiftly grabbing the bottle and holding it away from her.

“Fine.” Iris stood up, and walked to the door.

“You coming?” She asked Lucas as she turned back.

He looked around, as everyone waited with anticipation at what would happen next, “I’m good here, just go without me.”

“Asshole,” Iris cried as she stomped out the door. Almost everyone present pulled out their phones to update their social media with the latest development. It seemed Liris was in trouble.

“Well since she’s gone, I should probably dare someone else then.” Bethany looked around at their faces. To her, they all looked desperate as they stared at her in anticipation. Pathetic wannabe’s, all of them.

“Gigi, I dare you to take off your wig and boil it in a pot like spaghetti. Since it looks like it anyway.”

“Bethany that’s not funny,” Nathan said, as he made to grab the drink from her hands. Everyone knew that Gigi had health issues which almost made her bald. She had to wear a wig to cover it up.

“Well someone needed to tell her,” Bethany said as she dodged his attempt, and took a swipe of her drink again. She felt more than a little tipsy.

“I believe she’s what was in mind when they defined the term ‘a mop of hair’,” Bethany joked as she laughed. A few people at the party awkwardly laughed with her.

“You know what, the dare game is boring. I much prefer truths, you know, let’s spill some secrets,” Bethany said. The room became deathly quiet, as not a single person dared to move. No one wanted to become the latest victim of Bethany’s cruelty.

“Kristy, do you mind sharing to us how Lucas gave you gono last year?” Bethany asked as Kristy turned an embarrassing shade of red.

“Or Rick, how’s the bankruptcy your dad filed a few weeks ago? Are you sure you’re not gonna lose this house? Maybe you should get a trailer ready.” She drank again.

“Bethany, you’re drunk,” Sherylyn said as she tried to grab the drink from her.

“Of all people to talk Sherylyn, I think you should shut the fuck up. Pathetic boyfriend stealer.”

At the look on her face, Bethany continued, “Or you think I haven’t noticed how you ogle my boyfriend every chance you get? I am not as stupid as you, bitch. What is it that attracts you to him, his money or his father’s position? Stupid ass social climber,” Bethany said as she stood up shakily, and had to grab the nearest couch to steady herself.

“Look at me Sherylyn,” she announced as she turned around slowly.

“No guy can ever choose you over me. This is me without makeup, whore – bright, beautiful Bethany. You’re just trailer trash. The only way you’ll ever be with Nathan is over my gorgeous dead body.”

Bethany sat back slowly and addressed the party, “Sherylyn’s greatest fear is being thrown in prison. She doesn’t want to be a jailbird. How cute. Well here’s a fact, honey, it’s in your DNA.”

“Fuck you Bethany,” Sherylyn replied, humiliated.

“No, fuck you.” Bethany suddenly turned to face her, eyes filled with rage.

“If you EVER look at Nathan like that again, I will destroy you. Your current failed life will seem like a fucking dream to what I would do to you. Is that clear?”

Sherylyn looked away, embarrassed.

“I asked you a question, bitch. Is that fucking clear?” Bethany asked with such calmness, the temperature in the room seemed to drop.

“Yes.”

“I didn’t hear you.”

“YES,” Sherylyn yelled.

“Good. Now relax and enjoy the party.”

In that moment, Sherylyn had never hated anyone more than she did Bethany.

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