Archon Quest: How to Solve a Murder

Chapter 11

At school, Elizabeth toyed with the key in her pocket. She tightened her fist around it, letting its grooves dig into her hand. As everyone talked around her in the hallway, she tried to figure out how to tell her siblings the truth of what she had discovered. How do you tell someone you think their father, the man who took care of them and yourself, might be a murderer?

"Liz!" a boy cheered, running into her back, "What's up?"

"Gabe!" she growled, pushing his shoulder, "Don't scare me like that! Ugh..."

He chuckled, "Sorry. I do that everyday, though. Hey—have you taken the Pre-Calc test yet?"

"Yeah, why? Forgot to study again?" she teased with a smirk.

"Maybe. Can you help?" he beamed cheekily.

"Just look over your infinity theorems and even you'll be fine."

"Okay, tha—wait. What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing," Elizabeth hummed, "Hey, where's Veronica?"

He looked at the ceiling, stuck in thought, "Uh...I think she has a surgery today."

"Oh, crap! You're right, I totally forgot," she hit her forehead.

He nodded, "Yeah, I think the gang is getting together at my house to give her a call. Wanna join?"

"Um..."

"You haven't hung out with us in, like, forever," he tried to nudge her.

"Yeah, I know, I've just been...busy..." she paused as Charlie passed her in the hallway. The older girl didn't spare a glance at her sister, simply walking by without saying a word. Elizabeth pursed her lips, "Um...I'll see what I can do."

"Isn't that your sister?" Gabe looked at Elizabeth's face, seeing her expression, "Oh, I get it. Giving you the cold shoulder, huh?"

"Yeah, but I deserve it," she sighed, "Anyway, I'm heading to the library. I've got a free period eighth hour."

Gabe's shoulders fell, "Aw, not gonna walk me to class? Alright, alright. I'll see you at my place tonight, then!"

"Hey—I said maybe!"

"I hear a yes!" he sang.

As Gabe retreated into the sea of people, Elizabeth rolled her eyes despite her smile. The smile quickly faded, though, when she realized how awkward the car ride home would be.

She was right, of course. After her calm eighth hour in the library, the bell echoed through the building, releasing the students for the day. When she climbed into Sammy's car, sat behind Evan in the passenger side front, she looked to her left to find Charlie. The girl was silent, staring out her window. Elizabeth shot her head to her nails, picking at the underside of them.

"Alright," Sammy rubbed his hands together before putting the car in gear, "So, how was school today, everyone?"

"Kinda boring. Mr. Smith was so mean today, though," Evan replied.

"Really? What'd he do?" Sammy urged, more interested than he should have been.

"Someone was complaining about how much work we had to do on the project, so he moved the due date up to Thursday. And he called the kid lazy, disruptive, and rude. He wasn't even complaining to him, he was talking to one of his friends!"

"Haha! I remember those days," the older boy barked out a laugh, "And what about your little girlfriend? Charlie Lee, right?"

"She's—she's not my girlfriend," Evan blushed, crossing his arms, "She's just a girl, that's all."