Lindsey's P.O.V. ~
"What happened?" She asks.
"They're not answering any questions. Just leave us alone, okay." Tatum says, turning me around.
"No, it's okay, Tatum. She's just doing her job. Right, Gale?" I smirk, turning back toward her.
"That's right." She smiles, thinking she won.
"How's the book?" I ask.
"It'll be out later this year." She smiles wider.
"I'll look for it." I turn away.
"I'll send you a copy!" She says, excitedly.
This angers me. I turn and throw my fist forward, connecting with her face. Once again, I've punched Gale Weathers. She falls back into her cameraman's arms.
She looks up at me, putting her hand on her cheek. I glare down at her, before Dewey gently grabs my arms and pulls me away. About an hour later, I'm showered and laying down in Tatum's room. Her room has two single beds in it. Mainly because we were here so much growing up. Sid and I didn't care about sharing a bed so it was perfect for us.
Tatum lets me borrow one of her nightshirts to sleep in since we weren't able to grab our bags.
"God! I loved it. 'I'll send you a copy.' BAM! Bitch went down." Tatum sits up, turning toward us. "'I'll send you a copy.' BAM. Linds-Superbitch!" Tatum punches at her bunny.
I giggle slightly. I look down at my hand to see my knuckles are turning purple from the punch. I hear the door move so I look to see Dewey holding up an ice pack.
"I thought you might want some ice for that right hook." He says, tossing it toward me.
I catch it and put it on my hand. "Thanks, Dew."
He smiles slightly. "I'll be right next door. Try to get some sleep."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" Tatum says.
Dewey walks out before Tatum turns to Sid.
"Do you really think Billy did it?" She asks.
"He was there, Tatum." Sid says, playing with my hair.
It's always calmed her down.
"I knew this guy was too perfect. He was destined to have a flaw." Tatum says, laying back down.
Mrs. Riley walks in the door, after knocking.
"Telephone, dear." She says, sending us a comforting smile.
"Who is it?" Tatum asks.
"It's for Sid."
"Dad?" We both ask at the same time.
Mrs. Riley shakes her head. "I don't think so."
"Take a message." Tatum cuts in.
"It's alright. I'll get it." Sid says, getting up and walking into the hallway.
I stare at my hand until I hear Sid yell. I sit up quickly and run over Tatum's bed before running to Sid. Her hand is through her hair and I run beside her. I turn the phone so I can hear everything.
"Poor Billy - boyfriend. An innocent guy doesn't stand a chance with you. Lindsey is the smart twin, between you." The voice says, causing my heart to pound.
"Leave us alone!" Sid starts crying.
"Looks like you fingered the wrong guy...Again." The voice says, before chuckling deeply.
"Who are you?" Sid cries.
"Don't worry. You'll find out soon. I promise." The voice says, before hanging up.
I pull Sid into my arms as she cries. The next morning, I'm walking down the stairs of the Riley home.
"Billy was released. His cellular bill was clean. He didn't make those calls." Dewey informs us.
"Someone called us, Dewey. I'm not making it up. Linds was there!" Sid says, pointing toward me.
I sit down at the table.
"I know. We're checking every cellular account in the country. Any calls made to you guys and Casey Becker are being cross-referenced. It's gonna take time, but we'll find them." Dewey says, holding out a cup of coffee to me.
I take it while Sid sighs.
"Dewey, it has to be fast! Look at Lindsey's face! Someone has to pay for this." Tatum smarts off.
He nods. "I know. There's not much we can do right now. Billy was clean."
"I'll say this again. It wasn't him!" I say, standing up.
I turn around walking out of the kitchen. Dewey takes us to school after they finish breakfast. Dewey whispers something to my sister before reporters start bombarding us with questions. Dewey gets them to leave us alone, but Sid stops before looking toward Gale's van.
"I need to talk to someone. One sec." Sid starts walking toward her.
I quickly follow behind. Gale is putting makeup on the cheek that I decked last night. I smirk to myself seeing a hint of blue underneath.
"Stop right there." Gale says, pointing toward us.
"I'm not here to fight." I roll my eyes.
"I want to talk to you." Sid says.
"Kenny. Camera. Now!" Gale calls out.
"Off the record." I snap toward her.
"Forget it!"
"Please. You owe us!" Sid says.
"I owe you shit!" Gale
says.
"You owe our mother." Sid snaps slightly.
Gale stands up. "Your mother's murder was last year's hottest court case. Somebody was gonna write a book about it."
"And it had to be you with all your lies and bullshit theories." I glare at her.
"What's your problem? You got what you wanted. Well...Sid did. Cotton Weary is in jail. They're gonna gas him. A book is not gonna change that."
"Do you still think he's innocent?" Sid asks.
"He was convicted in a court of law. Sid, your testimony put him away. It doesn't matter what I think." Gale says, eyeing my sister.
"During the trial...You did all those stories about me. You - you called me a liar. Linds was the best, but I was the liar."
"Because Lindsey doesn't think it's Cotton. She knows it's not Cotton." Gale says, glancing at me. "I think you falsely identified him."
"Have you talked to Cotton?" I ask.
"Many times." She nods.
"Has his story changed?" Sid asks, curiously.
"Not one word. He admits to having sex with your mother, but that's all." She answers.
"He's lying. She wouldn't have touched him. He...he butchered her. Her blood was all over his coat."
"He was drunk that night. He left his coat at your house, after your mother seduced him…" Gale says.
"I saw him leaving wearing it." Sid snaps.
"But couldn't it have been someone else you saw wearing that coat? The same person who planted it in Cotton's car, framing him? The same person who really killed your mother?" Gale explains slightly.
"No, Cotton murdered my mother." Sid says.
Tatum walks over. "Nice welt, sweetie. Come on, girls, lets go."
"You're not so sure anymore, are you?" Gale smirks.
"I'm sorry I mangled your face again." I say, turning Sid around.
We walk straight into school, not worrying about what Gale is yelling at us. I go to the bathroom and sigh. I glance up at my face to see a huge bruise on my cheek. I have a black eye and a swollen lip. I tear slightly before quickly walking out. I look down at the ground before bumping into someone.
I jump and look up to see Billy.
"Oh thank god." I hug him.
"Oh my god. What happened to you?" Billy asks, hugging back before looking at my face.
He sees it's way worse than it was last night.
"The killer last night." I whisper slightly.
Before he replies, we're bumped into by my sister.
"Jesus, shit!" Sid says, looking at us.
"Hey, hey. It's just me." Billy says, putting his arms out toward her.
She pulls away from him, before gently pulling me to her side.
"What? You don't still think it's me?" Billy asks. "Linds at least gave me a hug."
"No...I don't...It's just...someone was there. Someone tried to kill us." Sid says.
"The police say I scared him off. It wasn't me, guys."
I go to speak but Sid cuts me off.
"I know. He called again last night at Tatum's."
"See, it couldn't have been me. I was in jail, remember."
He reaches out toward her. The bell rings so I turn to my sister.
"I gotta go. I'll see you at lunch." I kiss her cheek.
I hug Billy to show Sid that he's not the one. How can she blame him? He was gonna save us. He hugs back and sighs before I walk to my class. I sit in my normal seat before I start taking notes. The class is almost over when Principal Himbry comes over the loud speaker.
"Your attention, please. Due to the recent events that have occurred and until it comes to a resolve - effective immediately - all class are suspended till further notice. The Woodsboro Police Department has also asked me to announce a city wide curfew beginning at nine o'clock tonight!"
All the kids start cheering and packing up all their stuff. I sigh and grab my bag. I quickly run out of the room, searching for my sister. I find her outside with Tatum. When I reach them, Stu runs over, holding out flowers. He passes one to each of us.
"Cause school is...is - out" Stu says, in a funny accent. "Is this not cool or what? What happened?"
"For once, Stu, drop it." Tatum says, holding her flower to her nose.
"Okay, but whatever you did - the entire student body thanks you!" Stu shouts.
Tatum smacks his arm and he chuckles.
"And to celebrate this impromptu fall break, I propose we have a party. Tonight. My house."