Hi everyone! I'm sorry its been so long... I kind of got caught up with other projects, so comments like the one I received asking where the next chapter is important, especially when I've been away for so long. Didn't mean for it to happen but I got on sort of an... Attack on Titan kick and started writing a story about it(Highly recommend it). I have attachment issues. I get attached very easy to big flashy new ideas. Anyway, here's the new chapter! Thanks for reading and enjoy the story!
Chapter 4
"This is your one and only chance to come clean with me. If anyone in this room, American or not, has something to confess about last night, tell me now. I will help you. We can figure this out together." Ms. Chancellor made eye contact with each of the other people in the room, "Anyone?"
She wouldn't look at me, but she eyed everyone else suspiciously, especially Jamie and Alexei. Noah, Megan, and Rosie weren't suspects. They had no idea what happened last night. They had no reason to do anything to Spence. Jamie and Alexei on the other hand, they had the ability, due to their backgrounds, dad being an army ranger and Mr. Volkov being ex-KGB, and the motive, proven by Alexei's black eye and Jamie's busted lip.
The only issue with Ms. Chancellor eyeing them like that, was it told me that even though I thought she could swear to their whereabouts the whole night, if they had left out the window, killed Spence and returned through the window, she never would have known. She can say they sat in my room all night, she was there for the most part. I found out later that there was a 90 minute period where the both of them were unaccounted for by everyone except themselves. For two well trained boys, practically men, that was more than enough time to track down Spence, do what they needed to and come back.
What if they had done it? What if my brother and his best friend killed the boy who... assaulted me? I didn't want to believe it happened, but it was possible, and I have to trust that since its possible, it might have happened.
"I didn't touch him!" Alexei was the first to say something. It was a half yell, more loud out of sheer offense that Ms. Chancellor thought he'd done it. If I were Alexei I would have been offended too. There was no way they would have found the body if the two of them had put their heads together to kill him.
Jamie nodded his agreement, "I didn't either, and besides the two of us were together, here, with Gracie all night."
Ms. Chancellor had made herself clear and we all knew it. This time for coming clean was now over if any of them had been involved. Judging by the fact that nobody said anything, no one had done anything. Ms. Chancellor was one of the few adults I sort of trusted. She'd shot the prime minister of Adria for me. I had to trust her.
"You all have alibis for the night?" she asked.
"Everyone nodded, except me. I didn't need to find an alibi, everyone knew where I was. Unconscious in my bed, the victim of a violent attack. As soon as word left the embassy about this, the whole town would be whispering.
Ms. Chancellor turned fro her spot in the doorway to look down the hall.
"As I told you, inspector, they are all innocent with the proper alibis to prove it."
Jamie moved from his spot by the doorway, sitting on my other side. I didn't want anyone else to touch me. If they did I was fracture, break, crumble to dust. I couldn't lose what little dignity I had left. I need my brother and our best friend. I grew up chasing them around the tops of walls, and now they were my walls, my last line of defense.
Jamie moving from the doorway made room for another man to enter, the inspector.
"Hello children." he smiled, taking his hat off and placing it on top of the dresser by the door. He pulled my mother's desk chair out and took a seat in the puddle of dust. I guess he hadn't noticed it. Before he'd sat down, he'd dragged it over to the left side of my bed, and put it where Alexei had been sitting on the ground.
His partner, was a pretty woman with dark hair, caramel skin, and a big scowl that never seemed to leave her face. He was friendlier looking, but he scared me more. I wanted him to back away. He'd invited himself into the last safe space I had, my mother's room. With her photos and her books and her clothes.
"Good morning, I'm sorry we bring bad news," the woman said, "My name is Shanyle Plusons and that is my partner-"
"Allibastar Yaneef." the man said, "We've already interviewed most of the children from the party, you are the lasts on our list."
"I'll take..." Inspector Plusons read off a list of names that she certainly didn't need. She knew who she was supposed to talk to, who she was supposed to distract, "Noah, Megan, and Rosie. With me please." she motioned for them to follow her out of the room.
Noah grabbed my hand, giving in a perfectly strong squeeze and a weak, sympathetic smile. Rosie and Megan leaned over to give me hugs before following Noah out the door.
"Alright," Inspector Yaneef settled himself into his chair, "Do you boys mind taking a walk with Ms. Chancellor?"
"I'm not leaving," Jamie said. It wasn't something to be debated either. This was sibling 101, never leave the younger ones alone with authority, you never know what they'll say.
"Neither am I." Alexei turned so he was sitting facing the inspector, an arm around my shoulder.
"I don't want them to leave." I said, gripped Alexei's shirt a little harder and grabbed Jamie's hand giving it a firm squeeze. I do not want to be alone with this man, any man really.
"I guess you have your answer." Ms. Chancellor told the inspector who shrugged his shoulders in the universal sign for 'what can you do?' She took Noah's seat on the other side of my bed.
"We'll start with you, Mr. Blakely. What was the fight about?"
"There was a fight?" I stage whispered to Alexei.
He nodded and the inspector played a video from his phone. Jamie had Spence pinned in the sand. Kids had made a circle around them, no, us. I spotted myself, laying in the sand, my shirt ripped, a bleeding head, bruises and scratches covering my exposed legs and forearms. Alexei's heavy flannel shirt was wrapped around me.
Noah Megan and Rosie were sitting in the sand around my unconscious body, and Alexei was jumping into the fray. The look on his face scared me.
Jamie screamed about killing Spence and Alexei was arguing he would kill him first. Lila broke the fight up soon after and sent everyone home. The video ended.
"Its up to Gracie," Jamie said, "This is her business. She chooses who gets to know." If I said no, then it would be cone of silence.
The inspector looked at me and I looked at Alexei. He pulled my fist from his shirt and held it gently, with a small nod. It was up to me. Would they talk or would I give the order for them to clam up?
"Spence arrived yesterday with my brother. The two of them followed me to a party last night, and Jamie asked Spence for help keeping an eye on me. I'd d heard about the ruins on the island and wanted to see them for myself. Spence followed me into the woods and ... and he... he um...assaulted... me."
That was a very diplomatic way to put it.
I continued, "If Alexei hadn't come to look for me after Noah saw Spence follow me... I don't know what would have happened. I'm not even sure if I would have survived the night."
"I'll ask you this once, Ms. Blakely," the inspector said, "Just to ensure we are all very clear about your version of last nights events. "Were you raped?"
I swallowed hard, tears welling and spilling over down my pale, bruised cheeks, as I told him, "Yes."
