The Psychopath Maker

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Sirens illuminated the night while the police flooded the woods behind the campus. Sheriff Brad Washington walked toward Benny, Malachi, and Isabeth as they sat in the back of the ambulance. Washington had one hand resting on his holster as he removed his state-issued cowboy hat with the other.

"Why were you three in the woods during class?" Brad asked.

"We didn't have class." Malachi pointed to Benny then himself. "Seniors have Thursday's off. We study."

"What about you?" Washington looked at Isabeth resting on the gurney, with her back propped up and the paramedic tending to her arm.

"I..." She winced as the paramedic assessed the brake. "I saw them go into the woods..." She wanted to say with shovels but she didn't know what they were doing and didn't want them to get in trouble. "And I wanted to see what was up."

"What was up?" Washington leered at Benny.

"We—" Benny started but was cut off.

"We were burying Lemon." Malachi jumped in quickly answering. He didn't mind being a prankster but he didn't want any trouble with the law.

Washington shot Malachi a perplexed look, "What the hell is a lemon."

"It's a Bichon frisé." Isabeth heaved out. The pain was weighing on her senses but she could feel Benny's tension as he leaned against the ambulance door staring at his shoes. "Gidget has this dog. She hides it and thinks no one knows about it but the only one that's clueless is Mrs. Kathy."

Washington rested his cowboy hat under his arm as Malachi filled in a little more, "I think the dog die last night but strangely." Malachi twisted his face. "The corpse didn't smell after being in the truck overnight." He shrugged not giving it any more thought. "Is that all? Can we...." Malachi stopped. The image playing out behind Washington snatched the teenagers' attention.

The coroner rolled what was left of Brittany's body wrapped in a black body bag out of the woods on the stretcher. Behind the coroner, a deputy carried Brittany's inhaler in an evidence bag. The deputy came up to them, hand the bag to Washington and whispered something to him.

The deputy skittered away and Washington examined the inhaler while it rested in the bag, "Did Brittany have asthma?" He asked.

"Severe asthma." Isabeth breathed out. " But she'd do these ridiculous exercises to stay fit."

"She's kind of hippy," Malachi demonstrated using his hands. "Not that that's bad. I liked it but it's not so good in the fashion world."

The paramedic stood behind Isabeth as she scowled at Washington. "I need to get this young lady to the hospital. Her arm needs setting. Are you finished?"

Washington rubbed the beard running along his chin then he gave out an annoyed sigh, "You can take her." He waved the paramedic away like a fly at a springtime picnic.

The paramedic shooed the boys away from the truck and insisted Isabeth be buckled up on the stretcher.

"I'll meet you at the hospital!" A voice shouted from the distance and Benny looked around, it was Troy standing behind the caution tape. Isabeth nodded to him and Benny rolled his eyes as the paramedic slammed the ambulance doors.

The ambulance pulled off with the sirens screeching in the night.

After the ambulance rolled on the frontage road Malachi turned back to Washington, "Do you think it was an asthma attack?"

Malachi didn't spend much time with Brittany, no one did. She was always gone working on fashion shows are photoshoots. He was surprised that she was able to pass her courses, but somehow, she managed to get promoted every year. He applauded her.

Washing finished jotting something down in his notepad. He tapped the pen on his notepad, not one to spill details he took pity on the troubled boy.

"From the scene and the inhaler nearby, it seems that an asthmatic attack took her life but we have to wait for what the coroner puts in his report."

Malachi nodded as he watched Benny, who was watching the coroner and his assistant load Brittany's body in the back of the van.

Do you think Malachi suspects Benny of doing something?