Scrabble » Zarry ✔

🔍NINETEEN🔎 (Final)

ATTENTION: If you have not read this story through chapter EIGHTEEN, this chapter reveals the killer. Avoid reading if you don't want the mystery to be spoiled. But by all means continue reading if you have made it this far.

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When Niall Horan pulled up in his driveway one Thursday evening, he noticed that someone dressed in a coat, hat and gloves was standing outside his car and looking into the window of it. When they saw his car coming closer, they tried to run but he got out in a hurry and yelled at them.

"Stop! Or I will call the police and have them find you! But I won't if you stop!"

Right away, the person halted.

"Now turn around! Slowly."

He did and it was then that Niall could see that the person was actually a young boy. He slowly walked over to him. "How old are you?"

"I'm... Fifteen."

"What were you doing looking in the window?"

"Nothing, sir."

"That's not the truth."

"It is. I... I like your car."

Niall sighed. "Please don't lie to me. I know what you were doing. You were looking in my car for something and then you were going to break into it and get it. What were you looking for? Money?"

The boy looked down but he said nothing.

"I should call the police and have them come get you. But I won't do that because technically, you didn't break in yet. What's your name, son?"

"Uh... It's Philip."

"Well, Philip my name is Niall Horan." He stuck his hand out to shake and Philip did, reluctantly.

"You're not in trouble. Don't worry. As far as I'm concerned, you were just looking in the window because you like my car, as you said. However, if it's money you want, I may be able to help you."

Philip perked up a bit. "You can?"

"Of course. But I want to talk to your parents first."

He lowered his shoulders. "Oh."

"Not in a bad way. In a good way. I have an idea to get you some money. And it does not involve stealing. It involves actually working for it. Earning it."

"Okay."

"But you're a minor and I cannot do this without permission from your parent or guardian. So who would I need to talk to?"

"My... My mom."

"Is she in this neighborhood?"

"No."

"Well then come on, I'll take you there so you don't have to walk in the cold."

He was hesitant, but eventually agreed. "Okay."

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The next day after Niall had spoken to Philip's mother and gotten her permission the day before, he got a call from Philip while he was at work. He was so surprised to have him asking for the money he'd promised him to be given to him up front.

"No, Philip. The whole point is that you will have to earn it." He told him. "Trust me. It will be worth the wait."

Philip kept trying but eventually he ended the call. However, Niall was so surprised by what he did that despite choosing not to talk badly about Philip to anyone, he went to visit a longtime friend, Mathew, just to discuss what happened and how he'd made plans to put the young boy to work for the next two weeks, starting on Monday. Mathew was not judgmental. In fact, he even took Niall's word for it when he said Philip was a good kid.