Dancing with the Dead ✔

Chapter Thirty-Four - White Lies

The news drops like a nuclear bomb in my head.

Doctor Brighton is dead? How? Was it really Jill's doing?

"How did he die?" I ask, still baffled.

"He shot himself, doc, and we found a confession letter next to his body," he explains, lowering his voice.

"Shot himself?" I blurt out. "Where exactly? Like, in the head?"

"Of course, in the head, doc!" he raises his tone, irritation spreads in his voice. "Where else? His feet?!"

I scowl in return. Something inside me tells me there's a lot more going on than meets the eye. "Humor me, please," I sneer.

He grunts. "Under his chin. Happy?"

A shot from under his chin. That would surely turn him into Leatherface. Would someone as narcissistic as doctor Brighton blows his own face? I'd say the possibility is zero to none.

"What about the confession letter? Are you absolutely, 100-percent sure it's his handwriting?" I ask.

He doesn't reply right away, which makes my suspicion grows stronger. "It was typewritten."

"Aha! So, it could've been planted there by anyone! What about fingerprints? And-"

"We've checked everything, doc," he interrupts. "It's clean, there are no other fingerprints but his. I know you don't believe me, but all the evidence points it to be a suicide."

I let out a long sigh. "Don't you think it's a little convenient how he died right after we're finally closing in on him? Tell me you're not for the least bit suspicious."

"I know, I know. Something doesn't add up. But right now, my hands are tied. All the media are focusing their eyes on us and Cap is adamant we close this case as soon as we can," he continues.

"But a man has been murdered!" I protest.

"Might," he corrects me. "Look, how do you think people would feel if they find out another person has been murdered? Would they be able to say hi to their neighbors without thinking the other person might be a killer? Would people even have the courage to come out of their house?"

He sighs. "You know how it's been these past few weeks. People are scared, Alexis. They're starting to lose faith in the police and that doesn't look good for us, especially for Cap. Not to mention, the mayor is pressuring her to catch the killer before the Fair. There had been talks to cancel it and we can't afford that to happen."

"Why not?" I raise my voice. "It's just a Town Fair, Lucas. Compared to the lives of people, surely it—"

"It may be just a Town Fair to you, but for most people, it's their biggest source of income. For some, it's a way to move on from the tragedy that has happened to the town. Call it denial or anything, but people need that right now or else the whole town will turn insane," Lucas pauses for a while, "Have you seen The Mist? It will be just like that!"

"Of course, I have," I reply. "Well, I didn't think you have, but what do some creepy monsters have to do with our situation?"

"Not the monster, doc, but the thing that happened in the supermarket! People accusing each other and became street vigilante, remember?"

Wow. I seriously didn't think of him as a horror movie fan, but that is some fascinating movie trivia.

Fangirl later will ya, Alexis?

Okay, okay. Back to the topic.

Now, if the cops stop chasing the real killer, then there's a real possible chance that Jill would harm the real killer! Don't get me wrong, I have no problems with that. But what about his loved ones? Jill made it clear she's going to hurt the killer's family and friends first! Now that I have a problem with.