2016

Tree Hill, North Carolina

(Three Nights Later…)

Jake Jagielski bounced the basketball against the hard asphalt. It was night and the court was lit by a single street lamp and of course the lights from the city across the river. It had been a long time since he had been there, a long time since he had held a ball as well. Still wearing the dress slacks and shoes from his earlier business meeting, he ran the length of the court, jumping at the right moment to dunk the ball. That sound was music to his ears and it proved he still had it. As it bounced and Jake turned to retrieve it, he saw the wheelchair maneuvering onto the court. The ball bounced a final time and Nathan Scott caught it.

"Maybe the glory days aren't behind you after all", he quipped, his face never smiling and his blue eyes as icy as ever.

"Nate…"

"You look surprised."

"I am."

"Surprised to see me or surprised that I can actually catch a ball."

"Look, man…"

He stopped short when he heard heels clicking towards them.

"Relax", came a soft voice that was Haley Scott's. "It's just me."

Nathan smirked.

"You know me, man. I never roll without my better half."

"Fortunately, neither does Jake", came another voice from the shadows as Peyton Jagielski identified herself.

"Well, well", Jake nodded. "Looks like we've got ourselves a little reunion here…minus two of course."

A lone, small figure emerged to make the group complete…almost.

"Make that minus one, Jagielski, although you were never that good at math anyway."

Jake smiled.

"Brooke, Brooke, Brooke. Long time no see. Looking good as always."

"And don't I know it?"

Nathan gave his sister in law a cold stare.

"She always did look good in black. It definitely suits you, Widow Scott."

"I guess I am a widow now and I'm sure you had something to do with it."

"Me? Get real, Brooke. You couldn't wait to get my brother out of the picture."

"Now he's your brother? How sweet. For the last few years you've been referring to him as asshole. Nothing like a bullet to the chest to change your tune and fill your own heart with some good old fashioned Scott family love."

"Guys, stop it", Haley intervened. "Come on. Don't do this."

"Haley's right", Jake spoke up. "I mean, what are we doing anyway?"

"Do you think it's a coincidence all five of us show up here tonight on the eve of Lucas' funeral?" Brooke questioned.

Peyton shrugged.

"We vowed on graduation night that in ten years we'd meet back here. Who would have known that it'd be under these circumstances?"

"Thank you for that little trip down Memory Lane, Blondie, but if we could skip all the nostalgia and get straight to the point", Brooke huffed.

"Is there a point?" Nathan twiddled his fingers.

"You bet there is, Brother In Law. You see, a very long time ago, we were three couples, six best friends. We loved each other, we trusted each other, we shared everything. But time, lies, and betrayal changed all of that. Things are different now, we're all different and now one of us is dead. Gunned down."

Nathan rolled his eyes.

"Are you reading a Perry Mason promo or what? Brooke, would you just quit with all the drama and say whatever is you're trying to say."

"My husband is dead. Your brother, brother in law and friend. And someone standing on this court, one of you four is the killer."

Nathan laughed out loud.

"My legs might not work anymore but my brain sure does. I see five people on this court…and one killer."

"Are you insinuating I killed Lucas?"

"If the Gucci heel fits…"

"For your information, I was on a plane on my way to Minnesota. When I left, my husband was seeing my flight off from the airport and making plans for us the following day. He was very much alive. Then I get a phone call in the middle of my press conference that he is dead, murdered in Tree Hill of all places. He wasn't even supposed to be here. Lucas had no business here. The only way he would be in this godforsaken hellhole, is if someone invited him, enticed him here. Someone with a motive and without a heart lured him to the docks and then took his life. Gee, I wonder who that could be."

"I wonder", Nathan rolled his eyes.

"Maybe it was the person that had been threatening him and engaging him in this ridiculous battle over money you forfeited your rights to a long time ago. How convenient that you live right up the street at Wrightsville Beach."

Haley stepped in.

"You know, Brooke, I am quiet about a lot of things but I refuse to stand here and let you accuse my husband of murder. Nathan is not a killer."

"That standing by your man act is really cute and noble but I give you a gold star for standing up here and saying that with a straight face."

"Unlike some people, I know what my husband is and isn't capable of."

Brooke scowled as Nathan smirked, eerily resembling shade of Dan Scott.

"Hales, you don't have to defend me, especially to the likes of her. Don't even play that game. It's a trap. Turn the attention to the estranged brother so the heat is suddenly off the unhappy wife who would be better off if her husband just disappeared."

"Guys…" Jake tried.

"Don't think you're off the hook either, Jagielski", Nathan sneered. "Who could blame you for wanting Luke dead."

Jake sighed.

"Unfortunately, I think everybody out here at one time or another wanted Lucas dead. But I didn't do it. I didn't kill him."

"Do you have an alibi?"

Jake remained cool.

"Didn't think I needed one."

"So the answer is obviously, no. Wow, buddy, the cops are just gonna love that one."

"I have nothing to hide."

"What about you, Mrs. Jagielski?"

Peyton looked at the waiting almost accusatory eyes of her husband and friends. It made her sick. Sick and angry.

"Why don't you all go somewhere and kick some shit?"

It was Brooke's turn to smirk.

"How eloquently put, but you always were the lady of the group."

"Screw you, Brooke!"

"Oh you have, sweetheart, in more ways than one."

"Stop!" Haley yelled. "My God! This is absolutely freaking ridiculous! I am not going to stand here and listen to this nonsense of accusations and bickering and…"

"Like it or not, Hales, Brooke is right", Nathan looked at his wife. "The victim was one of us and so is the murderer."

"How can you be so sure?" Haley asked. "How can any of you be sure?"

"Because it just makes more sense", Brooke explained. "Motive, access…yeah, Luke may have had a lot of enemies but he hurt a lot of people in this inner circle. We were all tight. The most damage was done to the people he claimed to love the most."

"Gee, read any good mysteries lately?" Peyton quipped.

Brooke rolled her eyes.

"I am glad that my husband's tragic and gruesome death seems to amuse you so much. Now, I know that one of you did it."

"You can't honestly, possibly believe that any one of us is capable of murder, much less murdering Lucas?" Haley asked in disbelief. "Nathan?"

"Hell yeah. I think it was one of us. My money is on Brooke."

"You mean the blood money my husband was killed for?" the widow retorted.

"Jake?" Haley continued.

Jake looked around.

"It's possible."

"Peyton?"

The blonde shook her head.

"I don't put anything past any one of you."

"I can't believe this", Haley sighed. "Look at us. Look what we've all come to. Lucas is dead. Have we forgotten that? Your brother, your husband, our friend. Someone shot him and took his life and left him on the Market Street Docks for Christ's sake! I haven't heard one word about sadness or grief or mourning. All I see is a bunch of pathetic, bitter adults pointing the finger at each other."

"Wow, Haley, nice speech", Jake nodded at her. "Now the question is, where the hell were you when Luke was getting blasted away three nights ago."

"How dare you! That is sick and vile and disgusting and I'm not going to even dignify that with an answer."

Peyton looked up.

"When you were in the hot seat, Nate, Haley rushed right to your defense. The tables turn on her and suddenly you're speechless for the first time in your life. What's up with that?"

Nathan shrugged.

"No, I don't think Haley killed Lucas but if she did, who's to say she wasn't doing humanity a great service?"

"Nathan Scott!" Haley screamed. "I am appalled that you would even think…"

"Nathan, did you kill Lucas?" Peyton asked point blank.

"I wanted to. I thought about it…but I didn't."

"Brooke?"

"No", she answered curtly. "I had absolutely nothing to do with my husband's death."

"Haley?"

"Of course not", she whispered.

Peyton turned to her husband.

"What about you, Jake?"

He shook his head in disgust.

"If I didn't kill that sorry son of a bitch four years ago when I should have, then no. Nothing in the world could make me do it now."

"You've asked a lot of questions tonight, Peyton", Nathan noted. "Now it's your turn. Did you off my brother?"

"I did not kill Lucas", she stated simply and stoically.

"Not that I was expecting to hear a confession but it's clear somebody here did it and everybody thinks so", Nathan grinned. "Can't you just see it? Eyes darting across the court, trying to figure out who had the balls to whack Luke?"

"Stop it, Nathan", Haley warned.

"You know, we're not the only ones who are looking at each other. So are the cops. Mark my words. They're biding their time until after the funeral but just wait, they're gonna be all over us like flies on shit. Watch."

"Then I suggest everybody lawyer up", Peyton advised. "I mean it. It's the smartest thing to do. Five suspects, five attorneys…the husbands and wives should go separate on this."

"Who voted you decision maker?" Brooke demanded, hands on hips.

"I'm just trying to help. We need to be smart about this. We should watch what we say now on to the cops and even each other."

"Are you saying we should stick together?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

Brooke threw her hands in the air.

"That is only like the dumbest idea ever!"

"She's right", Haley agreed softly.

"What?"

"Peyton is right. Let's say it is one of us. Nobody would ever admit it. And if cornered, they'd just point the finger in the other direction. Now I know I didn't do it and I am in terrible pain losing someone who meant so much to me, to all of us but at the same time I'll be damned if I go down for this or let one of you bastards try to pin it on me. So everyone says they are innocent? So be it. Innocent until proven guilty, right? And we'll remain innocent as long as we remain united."

Nathan shook his head.

"It's not ten years ago. I'm not trusting anyone here."

"Me either", Brooke piped in. "That's a stupid plan, Haley."

"It's a brilliant plan", Jake said. "And you'd be a fool not to get in on it. And the only reason you wouldn't get in on it is if you have something to hide."

Jake put his hand forward. Haley placed hers on top of his. Peyton followed suit as did a reluctant Nathan.

"What's it gonna be, Brooke?"

She cursed as she finally joined their alliance.

"I can't believe I just did that but it doesn't change anything. One of you still killed my husband and I don't trust any one of you assholes as far as I can throw you."

With that, she stormed off. Jake walked over and put an arm around Peyton, who tensed visibly at his touch.

"I guess we'll see you at the funeral", he said before they walked off.

Nathan and Haley were left alone, under the moon and artificial lighting of the River Court that had once been their second home, so full of life and wonderful memories. Staring at a man she had loved for so long, the man she had married and bore his child, Haley could only shake her head and walk away.

Nathan smirked as he was all alone. He bounced the basketball a few times then sent it sailing beautifully high into the air. It hit the rim and circled a few times like a tease of some sort before sinking into the net and making that glorious swishing sound. Grinning, Nathan wheeled away to the car that was waiting for him.

"Meeting adjourned", he laughed.

From a few feet away, parked on the service road that adjoined the one that led to the River Court sat junior detective Marvin McFadden in an unmarked police vehicle, lights dimmed so that they could not be detected. He sighed and nodded. It had been a good idea to bug the River Court after all as high technology microphones had allowed him to hear the entire conversation just as his binoculars had allowed him to view the interaction. Somehow he'd known that they would eventually show up there, all of them.

"Damn right, Nate", he leaned back. "Meeting adjourned...for now."