Chapter 2: Phone Calls and Tear stains
Suggested Track: Shattered by Trading Yesterday
Abbey stared at the computer screen in front her, her fingers clicking away as she typed up her homework, occasionally stopping to sip her iced tea. All was quiet, until Bloodgood walked in and pulled up a chair.
"Did you call Heath?" Bloodgood asked, pushing the phone towards Abbey.
Abbey shook her head. "No, I not call him yet. But, now would be good time to."
She picked up the phone and dialed, and Bloodgood said, "Put him on speaker phone so I can speak to him, too."
Abbey nodded and tapped the speaker phone button. After two rings, Heath answered.
"Hello?" His voice was quiet and hoarse. He had definitely been crying.
"Heath, is Abbey. I want to know what happen with you. Everything okay?"
There was a silence before Heath took in a deep breath. "My…my sister was killed."
Bloodgood took in a gasp, exchanging a concerned glance with Abbey. Abbey stared down at the phone with worry.
"I am…I am sorry to hear that happen," Abbey said, her voice full of sympathy. "If there anything I can do, please be telling me."
"I will," Heath sighed, clearing his throat. Bloodgood leaned in.
"Heath, I'm very sorry for your loss. Please tell your parents I said that. Just remember, if you want to talk about it, you can always see the school consoler or me. Our doors are always open."
"Okay." Heath's voice trembled. Then, he hung up.
In his room, Heath leaned his head against the wall, still clutching the phone in his hand. He closed his eyes, a single tear slipping out. Why did this have to happen? Who would be so cruel as to take away his only sister?
The police were downstairs talking to Mr. and Mrs. Burns, and Heath had already told them everything he knew: Harmony was spending the evening with her fiancé, Jared, and he was going to take her home. However, when Jared was questioned, he said that Harmony said that she needed to go to the grocery store, so he dropped her off there. That was the last he saw of her.
Somebody knocked on Heath's bedroom door.
"C-come in," Heath called out quietly. "It's not locked."
The door squeaked open, and Jared stepped in. Jared was a normie with long brown hair. He came from a rich family, but he didn't look like it. He wore a leather jacket over a green T-shirt and baggy jeans. He was a shy, quiet boy.
"Hey, buddy." Jared said softly, coming in and sitting down on Heath's bed with him. Heath wasn't too fond of Jared, but he let him sit anyway.
"Hey, Jared," Heath sighed, looking up at his sister's lover. Jared's eyes were red from crying, and in his hand he held a bunched up tissue.
Jared sniffed and put an arm around Heath, pulling him close. Heath had been hugged several times today, but Jared's hug made him super uncomfortable.
"She really cared about you, you know." Jared told Heath gently, and Heath nodded.
"I know," he said simply.
Just then, Heath's phone buzzed. He picked it up, seeing a text from Clawdeen.
"I'm really sorry" it read, then the pone buzzed again.
"Abbey just told me"
Heath texted back. "I think I'm gonna be ok"
"good. My mom says if your parents need anything, they can call."
Heath got so distracted by the texts that he didn't even notice Jared had left and closed the door behind him.
Meanwhile, at the Stein residence, Frankie's phone began to buzz. She picked it up, seeing a text from Jackson.
"we have to find out who killed my cousin"
Confused, Frankie texted back. "you mean like a murder mystery?"
"yeah" He responded.
"Jackson, this is real life. Not a Fearlock Holmes book."
"I know, but it would make me feel better if we knew."
"Fine. Meet me tomorrow at the Die-ner."
"ok"
