A secret is a secret | ONC 2024

11 | The turn of events

This is bad. No, this is very bad.

I thought the case was going to be closed by the police department, according to the news outlets. The turn of events has led me to believe that the police know more than they are willing to be sharing with the public.

I don't like this at all, I thought that we were in the clear but I know that we aren't. I feel very stupid thinking that we were. I am way past feeling nervous like I was at the beginning of this interview, now I am freaking out inside.

"Officer Perez, are you saying that my client is a suspect in this case?" My lawyer spoke from beside me, stopping me from freaking out any further. "I did my research for my client's case and the reports say that the police department is closing the case."

The police officer took a new picture out of the file and placed it in front of us. I looked at the picture quickly realizing it was a screenshot taken from a security camera footage. The pictures were black and white but I could tell that was my boyfriend and I entering the hotel that we were staying in.

There was a timestamp on the corner that read ten minutes past midnight. It was only my boyfriend and I. Cyrus and Beck had stayed back on the beach getting rid of evidence that we were there. But now, I know that there is evidence that Beck couldn't get rid of.

Officer Perez looked at my lawyer after she had closed the file. "Mr. Davis, I am not saying that. My colleagues and I believe that there is more to the story." This time the police officer looked me straight in the eye instead of looking at my lawyer. "The hotel manager showed us the video footage from that night. As you can see in this picture, two young adults are walking into the hotel. "I am guessing this is you and your boyfriend?"

I wasn't sure if I could answer that question so I looked away from the picture and the Officer and I started looking at my lawyer. My lawyer looked back at me, slowly nodding at me, giving me the response I was looking for. "Yes, that's my boyfriend and I."

The police officer wrote down my answer before looking at me once again. "Miss Keegan, where did your best friends go?"

I took a deep breath before answering the Police officer. "Beatrice and Cyrus wanted to stay on the beach for a little longer before we returned home."

"Okay, that's the end of this interview." The police officer said as she started putting the evidence back on the file. "I will get in touch with you Miss Keegan and Mr. Davis if we have more questions. Thank you for coming."

At the same time, my lawyer and I stood up from our chairs. The police officer extended her hand in the direction of me and my lawyer to shake. "I hope you have gotten everything you wanted, Officer Perez." I shook her hand first then my lawyer shook her hand next.

After we finished shaking hands, the police officer walked towards the door and opened it. I walked out from the interviewing room, walking right behind me were the police officer and my lawyer.

"Good day, Mr. Davis and Miss Keegan." Officer Perez spoke as she closed the door behind us.

"You too as well, Officer Perez." Mr. Davis spoke for the both of us before she walked away from us. Once the police officer had walked away from the two of us, Mr. Davis looked at me with a serious expression as he spoke. "Miss Keegan, I know you're hiding something. You need to tell me the full story before the police department finds out the truth."

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Afterward, I agreed to arrange a meeting with my lawyer this upcoming Friday at his office. I walked towards my car, unlocking it before I hopped in. I locked my car, I retrieved my phone from my purse. I unlocked it, quickly opening my text messages. I entered into the group chat with my boyfriend and two best friends and began writing a text message.

Me: We need to meet up, as soon as possible.

Beck: Lenora, why?

Cyrus: Yeah, what's wrong?

Alf: Lena, baby, I am starting to get worried about you. What's happening? Did everything go okay at the police station?

Me: The interview took a turn of events. I believe that the police department knows more than they are willing to share and my lawyer knows that I am hiding something.

I didn't bother to read Beck and Cyrus's response to my text messages. I exited the app, closed it, then entered into the call app. I clicked on my boyfriend's contact information and I called him.

As my phone started ringing in my hand, I placed it on my ear. The line rang four times before I heard my boyfriend's voice on the other side of the line. In a better time, hearing his voice would have sent a wide smile to my lips. I looked at myself in the rearview mirror, the expression on my face read that the interview had left me emotionally tired.

"Hey baby, according to your text messages on the group chat. I am guessing that the interview didn't go well?" My boyfriend asked me as I leaned my head against the headrest.

"Hello, Alf." I greeted him, still looking at myself in the rearview mirror. "The police officer that interviewed me was called Officer Perez. The interview started with some basic questions similar to the questions that Beck was asked. Then about halfway into the interview, things took a turn."

"How come, Lena?" His voice tone changed into a worried one. Like the good boyfriend he is, Alfred was worried about me.

"It's a lot to explain over the phone. But I know that the police have a lot of evidence that they don't want to share with the public for some reason. I think that the police department believes that we had to do something with the death of the young man. I wasn't worried before but now I am super worried. Babe, I don't want to go to jail." This time I looked away from the rearview mirror and started looking at the surroundings.

"Where are you now, babe?" My boyfriend softly asked me. "If that's the case, Lena, you didn't do anything and they aren't going to put you in jail for something that you didn't do. I was the one who killed him by accident, not you if there is going to be an investigation. I will go to the police station and tell the truth. No more secrets, no more liars. Beck, Cyrus, you and I are in this situation because of me and I am the only one who can fix this."

"I am still at the police station in the parking lot, I haven't left. Why?" I responded to his question as I retrieved my car's keys from my purse. "Babe, I love that you want to protect me. Please, don't do something crazy like that, I don't want your life and everything that you have worked so hard on to go to waste just because you were protecting me."

"Lena, baby, come to my dorm room and we will talk more there."

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It turns out that some things can't be left a secret, no matter how hard they try :(

Final chapter word count: 1,244

Total book word count: 14,867