what if the Rose doesn't bloom?

14.Suicide or murder

"Ben"
He heard the ring and looked on my screen.

"It's your friend again."
I didn't reply nor did I pick.

"Why aren't you picking up? Something's personal?"

"Hey Ben"
On the other side he asked me what was I doing.
He asked casual questions and I answered that.
I hung up and said

"Just a casual call from a friend. Anything else."

He smirked with an evil expression. I guess he felt jealous.
Finally I was back. This time he said nothing and went away.

The next day I was again waiting and this time more eagerly because today was the day when I'll get to know him.
The bell rang, I ran to the door and as I opened it went dark.
When I opened my eyes, I was all tied in a wooden chair. This was ridiculous. It was like a pavement, a construction site maybe.
I immediately screamed and heard a laughter.

A guy came from the left and held my chin up.
"Your voice will crack my darling. You must preserve it like your beauty."
I jerked his hand and tried to loosen the ties.

He then spoke
"Listen, I don't know you. And don't want to. Believe me I'll set you free if you just answer few of my questions. "

I stopped shaking. He said

"Good, now tell me. You met some guy yesterday, right?"

"A guy." I tried to confirm whom he's talking about."

"Ya, did you met someone?"

"I did met my classmates for some schoolwork."

"And?"

"What else? That's it."
He looked back to another guy standing behind him. And then asked again

"How do you know that girl you helped in hospital?"

"Which girl?"

He tightened his eyebrows and said
"Don't mistake my politeness to my weakness. You know whom I am talking about."
He picked out his phone and showed a picture.

"Poppy!"

"That's what you call her. So, you know her well. Then tell me."

I saw the picture, that was taken when she was attending the forest camp. They maybe are the guys she followed back then.
But then mentioned James too. I am going crazy over all this.
My silence made him a bit anxious. He stood up and asked

"Do you want me to use any other methods?"

What did he mean by other methods? I broadened my eyes and looked straight into his eyes.

"She is someone from my hometown, I just knew her and day randomly helped her."
I lied with all my strength.
I knew I wasn't enough for this.

"Only this! Your innocence is suspicious. But you have some convincing skills I guess."

"Try on. I answered what you asked. What else you want me to do. Just set me free as you promised. "

His chuckled and said
"Not so easily."

"Why? What wrong have I done?" I screamed.

He said nothing and I sat helpless. I wondered what James would be assuming. These guys had something to do with him.

After sometime, I heard some noise. Those strangers ran towards me and stood rounding me. I could see someone coming.

"Masked guy!"

I was wondering on when I felt something sharp over my neck. I looked, it was a knife. That leader guy said

"If I am not wrong, you are definitely here to save her. So, what if I glide my knife?"