Some Things Can't Be Solved With Just Clues

Chapter 16.5: The Truth

Con and I glance at each other.

"Were you expecting someone?" I get up and walk to the door.

"No... " He follows me.

We both stand there in front of the door, before I take initiative and grab the handle and pull it open. My eyes widen at the person before me.

Rice.

The first thing I notice when I open the door was the fading black eye she had. Her arm was laying across her side, and I could tell she was in pain. I open the door wider and that was all the invitation she needs to enter Con's house. There's a visible, faint limp as she walks. She sits down on the couch exhausted, and doesn't look either of us in the eye - her gaze is firmly settled on the table and I open my mouth to say something when she interrupts me.

"That guy at The Funhouse? I knew him." Then she looked up and her voice faltered, "I told him that we should only take a little dose - he had brought a new drug that we didn't know anything about. We all looked at him funny, like he was out of his mind... well he was. Devan was there - the gang I told you about and then Kaz and I. We were all at the Funhouse just messing around and having fun when he started to mention the drugs... Kaz." She grits her teeth, "We started getting dizzy and Kaz started to act weird - he grabbed me and kept feeling me up and sweet-talking me. It was disgusting but I couldn't do anything because I was so out of it... "

She closes her eyes and then shakes her head, "Anyway - I didn't want to get caught up with him so I left him alone and went to search for the others and... " suddenly, Rice starts trembling... she forces herself to continue, "Then I found them and... the gang - they were all surrounding him - Devan and... they gave him the entire bag. Made him inject the entire bag," She corrects herself, "I don't know how much was left after we all had a turn. When Devan saw me he immediately brushed it off. He assured me he was alright, as if he could walk the drugs off."

Rice starts to whimper and sniffle. I places my hand on her shoulder, silently comforting her.

"I-I'm so sorry... " Con mutters.

"After that night - Kaz started getting angry with me and telling me he'd get back at me for leaving him. Not long after that, Devan's murder happened. I-I didn't think about it much at first. But when you guys came to The Funhouse asking about Devan, I started thinking of the night we were all taking drugs. I felt like I didn't deserve to own the Funhouse anymore so I made a decision and I started asking around trying to sell it. And then yesterday - I'd finally found someone so I just went there to say goodbye. But then Kaz came unexpectedly and he -"

"It's fine Rice." I say - shushing her. With this evidence, we didn't need to hear anything else, especially if it would make her even more uncomfortable than she already is.

"I'm sorry." Rice mutters - and she begins to whimper again, "I don't know if Kaz killed Devan - I really don't. Maybe if I had stayed with him that day, nothing would've happened... "

"No... Rice. Don't blame this on yourself. You were right to not stay with that freak." Con says - his voice irate. His hand, which is on the table, turns into a fist. I look at him, surprised at his heated comment.

"I... knew you guys were at the Funhouse yesterday."

Con and I look at each other, shamefaced, "Uhh... yeah - we were, how'd you-"

"When Kaz pushed me down, he told me he saw you."

"What did he do to you Rice? There was a lot of blood.." Con asks, remembering that horrible image.

"N - nothing... He just cut me."

"What. Cut? It didn't seem like that."

"Well... it was-" Rice looks at the two of us and quickly stands up, "I have to go." she says - closing her eyes and sighing.