Horowitz Incorporated

Eugene Horowitz sat nervously twitching at his desk. Being nervous was something unusual for Eugene, anxiety was something he had experienced as a child, but not for many years since. He had thought he put his childhood and past behind him. He was 24 now and the CEO of a Fortune 500 multi-million dollar company. He was successful and rich beyond anyone's wildest dreams. He played golf with the mayor and other powerful friends, the elite of Hillwood. He had an entire staff and set of employees that he could order around, who cowered in fear when he walked past their desks. But right now it he was, old Eugene, who was cowering at his desk, his hands trembling as he bit nervously at his pen.

Reporters and police officers were banging at the door to his gold and glass penthouse office, shouting for him to come out.

"Mr. Horowitz! Mr. Horowitz! Could we please speak to you?"

"There's been an accident, with your fiancee Rhonda!"

The voices were loud and demanding, as if they didn't give a damn they were talking to a CEO.

"Mr. Horowitz, it's the FBI! We need to talk to you."

"We only need to ask a few questions!"

Sweat accumulated at his brow. He knew what had happened.

Rhonda was dead. How could he not know, it was all over the news. Of course he was the main suspect.

He bit at his lip nervously, threatening to make it bleed.

Finally he reached out his hand to the phone on his desk and pressed the number 1 button on his speed dial.

It ringed for only a short moment before his personal assistant, Lila Sawyer, picked it up.

"Lila," he breathed into the phone, "I need you get me out of here!"

He heard Lila's soft voice respond to him, with utter loyalty and dependability, "Of course Mr. Horowitz. I have already contacted your lawyers and we have a limo waiting for you on the ground floor. Just tell me when you're ready to leave, sir."

Eugene exhaled in relief before standing up and getting his briefcase. He was the main suspect in the murder of Hillside's most prominent socialite. He never imagined this happening in a thousand years.

~/~

Arnold looked in shock at Helga. He couldn't believe what she'd just said.

"Helga, what did you just say?"

Helga took a deep breath, but her voice was still shaky as she answered him, "Rhonda's dead."

That's what he thought he heard but he couldn't believe it. His chest grew heavy and his heart skipped a beat. Back at PS 118 Rhonda was the most popular girl in school. She grew up to be the most popular woman in Hillwood, but now she was… dead.

He led Helga by the hand to the sofa and sat her down, before sitting down next to her. Arnold could tell Helga was on the point of crying.

Instinctively he reached out to grab her hand but she pulled her hand away.

"I'm alright Arnold!" she spat.

Arnold knew better than to argue with her.

"O-kay... Just tell me what happened." he pleaded softly.

"I was walking home from work when I saw a big crowd of people and the police outside of the Gates Hotel. I stepped closer to see what was happening and there was..was R-rhonda...on the pavement... with her head cracked wide open like a splashed watermelon."

Helga began to sob. The tears ran down her face in heavy, salty globs, "She was still beautiful. Even when she was lifeless."

Arnold felt a wave of nausea overtake him.

"How could this happen...Rhonda was so young, she was about to be married; they just announce the engagement today. Who would do something like this?! It's sick!"

"I don't know Arnold. I don't know." she whispered softly. Her eyes were puffy and red.

Arnold hated seeing Helga upset. In all of the time they had lived together, he only saw her cry once and that was because her mom started drinking again. Helga Pataki, in all the time he knew her, was as strong as steel...but this crying young woman before him was almost delicate. Almost as delicate as the pink bow she used to tie back her long blonde hair into a ponytail...he was secretly glad that she still wore her bow and that some things about her never changed. Unconsciously, he felt a need to wrap his arms around her and comfort her as if she were a little child again.

Helga fell on Arnold's shoulder and began to cry. The intimate gesture made him tense up.

As he stroked her blonde hair and wiped away her tears he couldn't help but feel more sorry for Helga than his dead past friend.

"Helga," he stammered, "I know she was your friend but I don't want you getting so upset by this, there's nothing we really can do now. We're just going to have to trust the Hillwood police to get justice for Rhonda."

He hated himself for saying this. He only wished he could do more. He hated being unable to do anything while Rhonda's killer still roamed on the streets of Hillwood where they get another victim. But he was a news reporter not a detective….he couldn't do everything could he? He couldn't save the world all the time, no matter how much he wanted to. If only he had some answers….

~/~

Eugene Horowitz was in the back of his limo with his assistant Lila. He loosened his tie, to tense to maintain his normal confidence.

"I didn't kill my fiancee Lila." Eugene said abruptly. He rolled down the window to allow himself to get some air. He was almost hyperventilating and frantically searched his limo for a paper bag in case he had to vomit.

"I would never think you would be capable of something ever so horrific." Lila smiled. Smiling was hardly the reaction to the situation Eugene needed, but then again Lila always seemed to be smiling, like she was floating through life.

How could they think I killed her? How do I get myself out of this mess?

"Don't worry, Mr. Horowitz," Lila said sweetly and checked out her mobile phone which was brimming with texts from the media and police asking for Eugene, "We'll find a way out of this. You're only one of the most important people in Hillwood and friends with the mayor. And you have the most powerful lawyers behind you."

"Where are we going Lila?" Eugene asked. "Thanks for getting me out of the office today by the way. I couldn't face them all right now."

"No problem, Eugene, I would do anything for you. You know that, right? This is more than just a job for me." she patted his knee. Eugene glared uncomfortably between Lila and her hand on his knee. What exactly was she playing at?

Suddenly the limo came to an abrupt halt, tossing them all forward.

"What was that?" Lila exclaimed as she fell out of her seat, she hadn't been wearing a seatbelt.

The chauffeur answered them through the intercom, "There's some police officers up ahead that are making a road block and checking all the cars."

Lila grimaced, "Then drive around them!" she shouted into the intercom speakers, "What do you think we're paying you for?!"

The limo driver nodded before taking an illegal U-turn to get them out of the road block.

I didn't kill her. I didn't kill her, Eugene kept thinking to himself. Even if he didn't kill her that didn't matter. All of Hillwood thought he did.