Murder and Musicals

Chapter Nineteen: Loyalty

Drake was sitting on the couch, leaning back but drumming his fingers on his thighs. Trent and Michael sat on either side of him, and Isaiah sat next to Michael. Charles and Ryan occupied the chairs on the other side of Drake's living room. Officer Vega was standing and looking at Drake, who was looking around at the other guys.

"Well," Vega started, awkwardly, "What are you gonna do about it?"

Drake's eyebrows furrowed at Officer Vega, "About what? There's nothing to do. My fingerprints shouldn't be on the knife, so the only ones on it should be my cousin and maybe my aunt or uncle. The only connection I have is by family."

Vega flared his teeth, "That's a pretty strong connection."

Isaiah chimed in, "Also they're probably going to focus on you since the weapon came from a relative of yours."

Drake looked straight ahead of him, thinking, "I can't think of anything. We can't stop the thought process of policemen."

"We can lead them in a different direction," Trent said to the room.

"What direction?" Drake replied.

"I don't know how close you are with your cousin, but you could frame him. It may have his prints, and it was in his house."

Michael and Isaiah looked at each other in silence, sharing a quiet concern for Trent's mental health.

"I don't think that would work. If he found out I framed him, he'd spill everything. My aunt would definitely go against me. Even my parents would tell the truth."

Vega cleared his throat, "Not to mention the text messages you must have shared between each other about the murder."

"We deleted the messages though."

"Drake, you can recover text messages pretty easily, you know that right?" Michael raised a single eyebrow.

Drake remained silent, still thinking. Vega's eyes shifted back and forth awkwardly.

"I think I'm gonna go. I have to do some things for the station so.." No one was really acknowledging his words, so he let himself out of the house.

"They still don't have my blood or fingerprints," Drake said as Vega left. 

"Trust me, Drake," Isaiah spoke monotone, "your aunt and cousin will give you away. It doesn't matter if they have your DNA or not."

A pause amongst them all. It was that moment, that single moment, where they knew there was nothing else to do. There was absolutely no way they wouldn't be arrested, whether it be only Drake or all of them.  

"There's nothing you can do now," Ryan said, looking down at his feet. Trent and Drake simultaneously looked up at him.

"What the hell do you mean? We can still figure something out." Drake was frantic.

Isaiah was shaking his head, "Drake, with all of the evidence, and your cousin and aunt, you're done."

"No, he's not." Trent's voice seemed rough and raspy, to the other's surprise.

"Michael, when's the musical?" 

"Uh, I think two weeks. Why?" 

Trent turned to Drake, "It's time for our Thelma and Louise."

Drake's eyebrows furrowed, "What, now?"

"Soon. We already have bags packed. We can make up a story and give our parents a fake address, maybe for like a theater camp or something. We can get a hotel room and stay there for a while."