Deadly Reunion (10 page)

“
Hope was still sitting at this table. We argued again. I asked her what had happened between her and Crystal, but she wouldn’t answer me. Instead, she stood up, and walked out of the gym. I followed her out into the hallway and saw her walk into the girl’s restroom. I decided to wait at the gym door. I figured Crystal would have to pass that way, eventually. A couple of minutes later Hope came out, and Beth rushed up to her. When I saw Beth’s face . . . I . . .” Tom trailed off.

“I didn't see you here,” Beth said.

“No. I saw you crying and knew . . .” Tom lowered his head. “I just knew something had happened. I felt sick and walked back into the gym and sat down.”

S
heriff Bellamy turned to Hope. “Is that true, miss? Do you remember speaking to Mr. Lake here?”

Hope looked at Tom with a qui
zzical expression on her face. “Yes, I think so. I remember telling him to go to hell. I definitely remember that. I also remember seeing him when I came out of the ladies’ room. Beth’s back was to him, that’s why she didn’t see him. I’m sorry. Everything is such a blur.” Hope brought her hand up to her head. “I think I may need to see a doctor after all.”

*  *  *  *

Grace stood outside next to the ambulance. She wasn't quite sure what to do. She wanted to go to the hospital to keep an eye on her sister, but she also wanted to be in the gym to keep an eye on Kyle. After Hope said she wanted to see a doctor, Grace had immediately insisted the police stop questioning her, and asked that she be transported to the hospital. The police called the emergency personnel to come into the gym. After that, the police then turned their attention to Kyle.

“
Hope, I've called Mom and Dad. They are going to be at the hospital when you get there. I will be along after I find . . . my . . .” Grace sighed and patted her sister's foot. “I'll see you soon.”

“You
aren't going to ride with me?” Hope asked, shocked that her sister was abandoning her.

“You
’re going to be fine. Don't worry.” Grace waived as the emergency technician closed the door.

T
here's nothing to worry about. Sure, when Kyle admits that they aren't detectives, she'll be embarrassed in front of her friends, but no one is going to really care after Crystal's terrible accident tonight.

Grace looked back at the retreating ambulance. Was
it really an accident, though? The police weren’t treating it as an accident. Grace shook her head. This is silly. Of course, it was an accident. The lights went off. Crystal couldn't see where she was going, and she tripped. The police are just being thorough. Once Kyle gives his statement. They can go home.

Don'
t worry, she consoled herself. He's telling the truth. Of course, he's telling the truth. He's in there right now. He's being very cooperative, and saying, “My real name is Aleksis Dragovich. I’m a magician and part time—recently out of work—administrative assistant for the Straker Toy Company. I often go by my stage name, Kyle Drake. I am not now nor have I ever been a detective.” He wouldn't lie. Not to the police. No, not Kyle. Absolutely not.

*  *  *  *

“All right, Mr. Drake, let me get this straight. You flew in from New York this morning. You needed to speak to your assistant, Ms. Holliday . . .”

Kyle smiled and vigorously nodded his head.

“About a client.”

“Yes, she is a good detective
, but absolutely horrible at paperwork.”

Sheri
ff Bellamy sighed. “For the last time, please don't interrupt.”

“Sorry.”

“You ate and drank a little. Ms. Holliday took you on a tour. When she went back for this re-count, you started to explore the school. You overheard two people arguing.”

“Definitely.”

“But you didn’t see who was speaking.”

Kyle shook his head. “I’m pretty sure one of them was Crystal
. . . or maybe her sister, Melodie. They both sound alike.”

“
Right, but you didn’t actually see Mrs. Lake go into that classroom or Mrs. Baker, for that matter.”

“Well, no
, but—”

“
But you can’t say for certain it was either one of them.”

“No,” Kyle said slowly, “whoever it was, was whispering
, but it sounded like her. Kind of . . . or maybe their Aunt Diana. They all three sound very similar.”

“
Uh huh. And you didn’t see or hear the other person, either.”

“No.”

“And you don’t really know what they were talking about.”

“Not really. No
. But it did sound suspicious. The person I could hear obviously knew something they shouldn’t know.”

“
Such as?”

Kyle hesitated. “I’m not really sure.
I think one was accusing the other of blackmail.”

“Blackmail?
Over what?”

Kyle shrugged his shoulders.
“I’m not really sure.”

The Sheriff sighed heavily
. “Right. So, after that, you ran into Mrs. Lake in front of the library, and spoke with her for a few minutes. Right?”

Kyle nodded.

“Great. Now, what did you talk about?”

“Well, we weren't really talking. Mor
e like chatting, you know. You see what we are doing here,” Kyle said, motioning between the two of them, “is talking, but chatting is really a wholly different—”

“Fine!” Bellamy shouted. “What were you chatting about?”

“Her crown and her shoes mostly. It was really a quite pleasant chat. But that isn't important. Her shoes—”

“I'll decide what's important,”
Bellamy snapped. “How long did you two
chat
?”

“A few minutes. Not long. She mentioned winning the re
-count, and then she placed her shoes in the trash can.” Kyle sat back smiling.

“
Is that when Hope Holliday arrived?” At Kyle's nod, Bellamy continued. “What did she and Mrs. Lake
chat
about?”

“Mainly photography.”

“Photography?” Bellamy asked doubtfully. “Is that what started the fight?”

“Yes
. Hope took a picture. Apparently, Crystal didn't think it was very flattering and wanted it back. Hope didn't want to give it back. So Crystal lunged at Hope, and they both went down the stairs.”

“A lot of fuss over a picture, don't you think?”

Kyle nodded and leaned in conspiratorially. “I think they're both rather vain.” Kyle sighed at Bellamy's lack of reaction. “Anyway, the fight only lasted a second. Neither one had fallen very far. By the time I got to them, they were both hanging on to the bannister. Crystal got up first and walked away. I ran down the stairs to check on Hope. The right side of her head was bleeding pretty bad, so I went into the restroom to get some paper towels. When I came out, she was gone. I eventually found Crystal’s family in the gym and told them what happened.”

“Did you see Adam Phelps when you went back to the gym?”

Kyle shook his head.

“What did you do then?”

“Well, Grace and I decided to meet up at the trophy case.”

Bellamy sat up straighter.
“Why there?”

“Because
that was the one place I knew how to get to,” Kyle explained. “I went downstairs, but it was dark, so I started back up the stairs.”

“Did you see anyone?”

Kyle hesitated. A murder had been committed. He was certain Crystal had been killed. He didn't know these people. He didn't really care about any of them, but Grace did, and he cared about Grace. He wished he had time to speak to Grace and Hope before the police questioned him. Knowing Grace, she would want him to cooperate and Hope did have a pretty solid alibi. After all, she was arguing with the assistant DA at the time. Maybe.

“Did you see anyone?” Bellamy repeated louder.

“No.” Kyle rubbed his hands across his eyes. “I didn't see anyone, but I think there may have been someone hiding in the girl’s bathroom next to the trophy case.”

“Why do you think that?”

“I heard a noise. It sounded like something fell, but I didn't see anyone. I don't know what made the noise, but I am pretty sure it came from downstairs near the bathroom.”

“Did you see the trophy case?”

Why would they be asking about the trophy case? “Earlier, but not at that time. It was too dark. Why?”

“What did you do then?” Bellamy asked
, ignoring Kyle's question.

“I heard Grace calling and I went back upstairs. We walked down the hallway
, but stopped when we heard three loud banging noises that sounded like it came from downstairs. We ran back down the hallway, and that's when I saw Crystal's foot at the bottom of the stairs.”

“How long did it take you and Grace to leave the staircase, walk down the hallway
, and back again?”

“Less than a minute
, but more than enough time for someone to push Crystal down the stairs.”

“What makes you think she was pushed?”

“Her shoes. She took them off because she said the heel was coming off. I watched her place them in the trash can. When I found her body, she was wearing those exact same shoes.”

“So
what? She must’ve changed her mind and went back to get them.”

Kyle shook his head. “She said
the heel was broken. But that's not all. Someone was hiding in the bathroom.”

“Before?”

“And again, after I found the body.”

Bellamy leaned forward. “Did you see who it was? Did you actually see someon
e go into or leave the bathroom?”

Kyle shook his head. “No.”

“Then what makes you think she was murdered, and she didn't just fall?”

“I'm a detective and
my many years of experience in this business are telling me that she was murdered.”

*  *  *  *

Grace paced the hallway in front of the administrative offices. She had been standing there for thirty-five minutes. Ever since she discovered that the police had set up shop in the principal's office and was still questioning Kyle.

Grace stopped and stared through the glass doors leadin
g to the administrative suite. What is taking so long? What else could Kyle have to say to them? He didn't see her fall. He doesn't know how she fell. So, why is he still in there?

Grace leaned back against the stone wall and looked at her wa
tch again. Forty-five minutes now. That's it. She opened up the door to the main office.

She had never been much of a
troublemaker, so she wasn't really familiar with this part of the school. She looked around the main room. The front of the room was taken up by a large imposing desk, where old Mrs. Andrews always sat. Behind the desk sat the secretary's offices with a hallway on either side leading to other offices.

Diana's office, she remembered
, was towards the right, down the hallway, and at the end. Whereas, the principal’s office was down the left hallway.

Grace walked through the little door
, past Mrs. Andrews’s desk and made a left. As she turned, she ran into Adam, who was coming out of one of the rooms. “What are you doing here?” she asked, surprised to see him.

Adam stared at her for a moment before speaking. He looked behind him and softly closed the door.
“I was looking for the police. I wanted to know what happened to Crystal.” Grace tilted her head. She had never seen anyone look so guilty.

“They're not in the vice principal's office, Adam,” Grace said
, automatically knowing that he already knew that.

Adam shrugged. “Principal. Vice Principal.
I knew it was one of their offices. What are you doing here?”

“The same.”

“How's Hope?”

“Mom called a few minutes ago. The doctors want to keep her overnight, but they think she is going to be okay.”

Adam grinned.

“What's so funny?”

“Hope
, that's what's so funny. You saw that performance she put on for the police.”

Grace grabbed his arm and shushed him. She motioned for him to follow her back out. The last thing she wanted was for the police to believe Hope was bein
g anything less than truthful. Not that it mattered. Crystal fell. It was an accident.

As soon as they were back in the h
allway, Adam started laughing. “My favorite part was when she allowed one tear drop to slide down that pretty face of hers, as she whispered, 'I don't know why Crystal was angry with me'. My second favorite part was when she did her Camille act.” Adam lifted the back of his hand to his head and mocked 'I think I may need to see a doctor now.' Seriously, I need to get her in my next movie.”