𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙛𝙞𝙫𝙚.

─☼☼☼─

"You have one new message."

Message received today at 4:34pm

Are you okay? It would be nice to not have to worry about you all the time. I can't know that you're okay if you won't speak to me. A text would suffice...literally anything at this point, Lottie. Please, just ease my mind.

─☼☼☼─

𝙎𝙊𝙈𝙀𝙃𝙊𝙒, 𝙆𝙄𝘼𝙍𝘼 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙍𝙇𝙊𝙏𝙏𝙀 smelled worse than that dead thing down in the sewer. That much was obvious as they sat in Shoupe's office, the gun on the table in front of them.

"Where'd you get this?" Shoupe questioned, eyes dancing between the gun and the four kids. Clear mistrust was evident on his features as he leaned forward slightly. 

Kie rose her brows, "I'll let you take a guess."

Letting out a deep breath through his nose, Shoupe glanced down at the gun. "So y'all are telling me this is the firearm that Rafe Cameron used to kill Sheriff Peterkin?"

Charlotte pulled at the dead skin around her nails, an unsettling feeling of dread washing over her as he spoke. 

"That's exactly what we're tellin' you!" JJ exclaimed. 

"And it's the exact same firearm that Ward just used to kill Gavin." Pope added, urgency in his voice. 

Shoupe's mouth opened, but words didn't come out right away. Instead, he shook his head before speaking again. "And where's that corpse again?"

"Didn't you look?" Kiara demanded as if it were obvious. Quite frankly, it was. This was Shoupe's literal job, not theirs. 

The interim-Sheriff shifted his gaze toward the youngest Carrera. "I checked the hospital. I went by his house. He was out." His voice was teetering on calmness, but it was as if he was anticipating the backlash he was about to receive. 

And receive it he did. 

"He was out?" Kiara gawked, in disbelief that the sheriff could be so naive.

"No shit!" JJ snapped. "It's because he's dead!"

Kiara was getting worked up, her hands flailing around as she spoke. "It makes perfect sense!" She exclaimed. "Listen to yourself!"

Shoupe sat up a bit straighter, "Just because he was not in his damn home does not mean he was a victim of homicide."

"This is bullshit." JJ muttered, pulling off his hat in frustration. "Come on, Shoupe!"

Ignoring JJ, Shoupe looked to the only person who had not said a word since they had arrived. "Charlotte, what do you think about all this?"

The girl looked up, her heavy eyes dragged up slowly to meet his own. Clearing her throat, she spoke. "What do you mean?"

He motioned out in front of him. "About all this? Do you believe Ward Cameron killed Gavin Barnstead last night using this gun? Do you believe Rafe Cameron killed Sheriff Peterkin that day on the tarmac?"