Well, it seems that the story has gotten better in the week. Also, Deadly Birthday to You had 6 views on Friday, which is more than any other day.

So, here it is. The last chapter. My favourite chapter of the story, and by far the best in my opinion. I hope it is a fitting end to my fic, and don't worry, I have not forgotten the twist. In fact there is more than one. Read and find out! And this chapter has over 2,000 words to compensate the jump in time from the last chapter.

It was hard for Frederic Andrews, Jack Passent and Timothy Rimon to face the fact that Phillip Rice was dead, and it was even harder for them to say it to the Arquioses.

"The Arquoises! I'm sorry to say that the serial killer has struck again, presumabely for the very last time. And the victim is Phillip Rice."

"What?" asked Lily, Alexander, Thomas and Conor.

"We are distraught at his death as he was a close friend. We shall hold his funeral in a few days."

"That won't be necessary." said Phillip Rice, entering the room.

"Wait, Phillip, you're alive? How can this be? You were dead! He told us you were dead!" Jeff Arquios said in complete shock.

"Happy birthday, Phillip Rice, even if I'm slightly late. And I love the jacket you're wearing! Who gave it to you? Or, if you bought it yourself, where did you buy it? I certainly would like to have one of those! And I am so glad that you are not dead!" said Conor Tryair.

"Why thank you, Conor. Anyway, the actual victim was Claude Fitzinkong." said Phillip Rice.

Once the officers had recovered from the shock of seeing Phillip Rice, Timothy Rimon was the first to speak:

"And how do you know that?"

Phillip Rice explained.

"I had realized that I was the intended victim a long time ago, but I wanted to find the identity of the killer, so here is what I did:

I went to this suicidal hospital near Andover where I met Mr. Claude Fitzinkong. He told me that he was intending to commit suicide so I asked him to meet me at my house on my birthday. Then, when he came, I told him about my plan and he agreed to be a part of it.

So I dressed him as myself and hid in the closet, where I could see what was happening but I could be sure that the murderer wouldn't see me. Then we waited for the murderer to come, whilst Claude Fitzinkong was pretending to be me. Then the murderer came and stabbed Claude Fitzinkong in the chest thinking he was stabing me, and I saw exactly who it was who killed Claude Fitzinkong, and the 25 others."

"Well, who is it, Rice? Who is the killer?" screamed Richard Dawson from outside.

By this time pratically all of the victims' friends and family were at the house waiting to find out who had murdered their loved ones.

"The identity of the murderer may come as a surprise, as he has unovertunable alibis for the murders of both Justin Banock and Ashleigh Dawson. He also as a strong dislike for me, and he was suspected by a officer at Christmas dinner. When I saw him kill Claude Fitzinkong thinking he was killing me, I was also surprised at his identity, but I had to realize the fact that the killer is..."

BANG!

Jeff Arquios lowered his gun, smiling as Phillip Rice fell to the floor, but was as shocked to see Phillip Rice get up seconds later as his family was shocked to learn of his guilt in the murders.

"...Jeff Arquios." Phillip Rice finished.

"How did you survive?" he asked.

"The jacket I'm wearing, dear murderer, is bulletproof."

"You, Phillip Rice, are a goddamn, interfering, lousy, little, creep." said Jeff Arquios as he prepared to grab the detective's neck.

Alexander, Thomas and Lily Arquios noticed this and pinned their father to the floor just as he was about to strangle Phillip Rice.

"So, you would favor some stupid detective who won't let you move on with your loves over your own father?" asked Jeff Arquios. He could not believe that his own children were tussling him on the floor to save a man he could not stand. "You have betrayed me."

"No, father," said Lily Arquios. "You betrayed us all, especially Richard."

"Jeff Arquios, you are under arrest for murder. Anything you say will be taken into account at the trial." Frederic Andrews and Jack Passent said as they restrained Jeff Arquios from harming Phillip Rice again. "Oh, and Phillip, that was a brillant plan!"

Jeff Arquios spat at the detective before being escorted out of his house. Phillip Rice overtook the colleagues and told the families about Jeff Arquios's guilt as the murderer.

As Jeff Arquios was dragged out of the house, Paul Banock walked up to him and punched him in the face.

"You deserve the death penalty, unfortunately that's abolished. But you will pay for Justin, I swear."

The father of three was dragged by the police officers, while the friends and families of the victims were booing him, throwing tomatoes and orange peels at him. It was pretty obvious that the man was hated by all of them.

There was one thing that no one knew. It was that Jeff Arquios was not actually the killer.

Yes, Jeff Arquios was not actually the killer.

Obviously he was the killer of Claude Fitzinkong, there was no denying that. But it stopped there.

You could think that Phillip Rice would stop seeing the Arquoises after he had found out who the murderer was. But Jeff Arquios sensed that his family was becoming very good friends with the detective that he couldn't stand. So he decided to rid himself of the man once and for all by killing him. And he decided to disguise the murder has one of the serial killer's. The plan backfired due to Phillip's clever plan, and he ended up framed as the murderer.

So no one will ever know who really was the serial killer: they will believe that Jeff Arquios was their man.

Almost three months later, 16 June 2013

Jeff Arquios was in prison awaiting trial for the murders, 25 of which he didn't commit. Meanwhile, his family, Conor Tryair and Phillip Rice came to visit him in prison for a little confrontation.

"Oh, hello, my dear wife and children. And salutations, Conor Tryair. Oh, it's you, you sick little creep." he muttered, referring to Phillip Rice.

"If anyone's a creep then it's you, father." said Thomas Arquios. "You are a sick man."

"You do realize that you are talking to your father! Apologize!" Jeff Arquios yelled.

"I will not apologize since a sick man is all you are." replied Thomas Arquios.

"Phillip, when is the trial?" asked Madeline Arquios.

"It is tomorrow, Mrs. Arquios. I will be in attendance. Oh, and by the way, Jeff, I had video footage of Claude Fitzinkong's murder."

"If I manage to win this trial, I will get you, you rat!" spat Jeff Arquios.

"With the video footage, I highly doubt that. I'll see you at the trial tomorrow."

When Phillip Rice left, Conor Tryair said:

"Well, it seems like your hatred was your downfall. But it totally makes sense now: you were afraid that he would find out that you were the murderer, so you tried to get him off your back, but when you realized that he would be a longtime friend, you decided to kill him to ensure that your guilt would never be known. It's funny how your plan backfired so marvellously!"

"GET OUT OF MY FACE!" screamed Jeff Arquios.

Conor Tryair, Alexander, Thomas and Lily Arquios left.

"I'm having a divorce, Jeff." Madeline Arquios warned her husband. "Goodbye."

She left her husband in his cell, turning her back to him.

The next day, Jeff Arquios was found guilty of the murder of Claude Fitzinkong, but not guilty of the murders of Justin Banock and Ashleigh Dawson, with the 22 other murders pending (the Richard Arquios murder isn't legally considered an actual murder, but as death by misadventure). He was jailed for life with 30 years without parole.

Madeline Arquios was successfully divorced from Jeff Arquios. Phillip Rice remained good friends with the Arquioses and remained in touch with the Banocks and the Dawsons, albeit not very frequently.

Paul and Ruth Banock went into a retirement home where they still are today. Everyone seemed to be able to get over the deaths of their loved ones eventually, but even one year on, they still cursed the man they believed had been the cause: Jeff Arquios.

September 23, 2013

"Could you bring Jeff Arquios into this room, please?" Phillip Rice asked an officer at the prison. "I need to talk to him."

Jeff Arquios was brought to the room and confined to his chair. The men had a metal cage separating the two, in case the prisoner was to do any harm to the detective, and left the room.

"So, Mr. Rice," said Jeff Arquios, saying Rice as if it was a cuss word, "why did you want to see me?"

"Because, Jeff Arquios," replied Phillip Rice, saying Jeff Arquios as if it was a cuss word, "I need to ask you some questions regarding the murders of Justin Banock and Ashleigh Dawson. You have uncontestable alibis for both."

"Oh, yes. Well, Mr. Rice, the truth is..."

"You're not the killer." Phillip Rice interrupted.

Jeff Arquios was slightly surprised at the detective's sudden interruption.

"How do you know that?"he asked.

"I came up with this idea a few days ago. You didn't commit any of the 25 first murders, but since you obviously wanted me out of your life, you decided to murder me and frame it as one of the serial killer's murders. Isn't that right?"

"Yes." Jeff Arquios replied.

"That plan backfired on you due to my plan and you were framed as the killer."

"Yes."

"Now, Jeff Arquios, do not except me to give out my conclusions. Because even if I did you would still be in prison for the murder of Claude Fitzinkong, I would have to resume my search for the actual killer and I honestly can't be bothered. I've had enough of the 30 Years Affair now.

"Isn't that your job?" asked Jeff Arquios.

"I'm allowed to have a break you know! Besides it wouldn't make the slightest difference for you, Jeff. You would still be rotting here with a life sentence. So enjoy the rest of your life and let me focus on more important affairs. I don't want anything to do with you, my would-be assassin."

"Oh please, you're joking!"

"No I am not."

"But it wouldn't look good on you if someone discovered that you knew of my innocence all along but withdrew the world of this, would it?"

"Everybody knows of your innocence for the murders of Justin Banock, since you were in the U.S.A., and Ashleigh Dawson, since you were at my house for Christmas dinner with your family."

"So you are willing to leave me to spend the rest of my days in prison when you could get me out of here?"

"Yes I am."

"Hiding evidence is punished."

"Did you actually pay any attention whatsoever to your trial and what I said? You've only been found guilty of the murder of Claude Fitzinkong: for the remaining 25, you have been found not guilty of the murders of Justin Banock and Ashleigh Dawson, Richard Arquios' murder is considered death by misadventure, and the other 22 murders are pending. And my theory is not evidence."

"And what about my family?"

"We're very good friends, I can assure you of that. But I don't think they would be excited to see you again." replied Phillip Rice. "Have a nice day!" he quipped before leaving. Once Phillip Rice had left the prison, Jeff Arquios was brought back to his cell and locked up.

So this is the end.

I want to thank the 17 people who viewed Deadly Birthday to You

Was this a good end? Let me know!

And as I switch the fic from In Progress to Complete, I find joy in having completed my first fic (even if it is short and not very popular).

I don't know what to do next, but I'll be back.

Thank you to all the readers and goodbye.

For now.