The school got canceled for the next day. The investigators had to search the woods and school for clues. The body was confirmed to be Ocean's. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. She had several injuries, but that's what the coroner said killed her. The coroner uncovered that she hadn't been dead for twenty-four hours.
Saint Cassian's was back in succession the next day. The rumor mill about Ocean was going strong once again. Some people thought she had a boyfriend from college who went crazy. Some people thought she was involved with drugs. The craziest theory involved her faking her death as a part of some big government cover-up.
After school, Penny arrived in the choir room. To Penny's surprise, everyone was there. She was shocked when Father Marcus didn't cancel practice. He sat at the piano, plucking notes on the piano.
"Drink?" Mischa asked. It took Penny a moment to realize he was talking to her. "It's a morning period. I always drink whenever someone dies."
"You're just always drinking," Noel snapped.
"Can we not fight right now?" Constance asked. Penny took a seat beside Constance. Penny was now more suspicious of that text she found on Constance's phone. If she couldn't get answers from Constance, Penny would have to go to Mischa. He felt less approachable than Constance.
"I think you should go to the police with what you know," Penny whispered.
"I know nothing," Constance whispered.
"I saw the text you sent Mischa," Penny whispered. "I'll go with you if you need support."
"I can't," Constance murmured. "They said they'd hurt someone else if I did."
"Who are they?" Penny whispered. Choir practice began before Constance could give her answer.
"Mischa?" Penny called. Mischa was standing on the sidewalk after practice, looking at his phone. He looked up when Penny called his name. "Sorry to disturb you, but this is urgent."
"It's fine," Mischa said. "I was just texting my girlfriend."
Penny had a few classes with Mischa in the past. She had heard all about Talia. No one believed she was real, or that she wasn't a catfish. "Do you want to see a picture of her?" Mishca asked.
"Sure," Penny said. Mischa pulled up a picture of Talia on his phone. Penny thought she was a beautiful girl. She was brunette with hazel-green eyes. The photo he showed Penny looked like it was a model from any magazine. If she was a catfish, the person could've just looked up 'pretty Ukrainian girls' and picked a photo. "She's beautiful."
"One day, I'm going to travel to Ukraine and make her my wife," Mischa announced. He slipped his phone into his pocket. "You said you needed to talk to me? You said it was urgent."
"What does Constance know about Ocean?" Penny asked. "I didn't mean to snoop, but I read a text between you two."
"Can we talk somewhere else?" Mischa asked.