Black Hill High

Chapter 26

A blanket of awkward tension has been spread across the room as the pair have a showdown with their unexpected rival. Officer Nichols directs a menacing gaze at Amelia. She raises her head to look menacing, but the thought of getting into trouble has her shaking uncontrollably.

"I'll ask again," He doesn't take his eyes off Amelia. "What are you doing in my house?"

"The better question is why you're so obsessed with this case. I thought you and your incompetent colleagues have already sentenced my brother." Jake moves in front of Amelia to block her from the hatred and directs it on himself. "You have just as much explaining to do as us."

Officer Nichols clenches his jaw and inhales deeply through his nostrils. His shoulders drop with a deep exhale and his face relaxes.

"Fine," He relents. "I'll explain everything."

He leans against the doorway and folds his arms across his chest as another strained silence falls upon them. Jake turns his head to glance at Amelia before she steps away from his protection. Her eyes lock with the man she'd come to call a friend and notices the glossiness.

"Officer Nichols," She gently coaxes him into speaking. "What's going on?"

"She was my cousin." He chokes out. "Rosemary."

His confession takes the pair by surprise. How is that possible? Rosemary had never mentioned a cousin.

As if he could read their thoughts, he continues his explanation.

"She didn't want anyone to know she's related to a cop, so she promised me to keep it secret." He sniffs. "It wasn't too difficult, she'd avoided me like the plague."

He ran a hand over his new buzz-cut hair and scratched the back of his neck.

"It was so difficult treating her case like any regular murder - but it was so much more than that." He glances at the excessive documentation. "I kind of became obsessed with finding the killer."

"Everyone thinks my brother did it, why are you still looking?" Jake questions.

"Your brother being the killer doesn't add up." He glances at Amelia. "Your dad just wanted everyone off his back so bad that he's not putting all the evidence together."

He bites his lip to stop an overhaul of tears.

"I need to bring justice for my family, even if it means going behind everyone's backs to do it."

Amelia wraps her arms around herself.

"Seth didn't do it, because the killer has been contacting us." She informs him and Jake whips his head around as if she'd lost her mind.

"Amelia, he doesn't need to know this." Jake pleads but she shakes her head.

"I trust him." She honestly replies. "We need his help to prove Seth is innocent."

"At the cost of potentially putting us all in danger." He scoffs.

She keeps her gaze firmly set on officer Nichols.

"It's a risk I'm willing to take."

Ethan sighs in delight as his lungs become enveloped by the calming narcotic before he exhales. He leans back in his seat and closes his eyes as every muscle in his body relaxes. He'd never been one for marijuana, but the year had been an abomination. He needed an escape, even if it was temporary. He tucked his hand behind his head and took another hefty drag.

The music in the background has turned into a carefree hum. As if he'd faded into a realm of infinite peace. He'd been in such an intense daydream that he hardly noticed the excessive buzzing of his phone until it fell from his lap. He jumped up and gazed at the flashing caller ID.