The Secrets of Cedar Creek

51 : Case Closed

It makes absolutely zero sense to me why my parents would have been on the Ascott's payroll. What on Earth would they be payed off for?

I check the date stamp on the bank statement and am shocked to see it was the day before we had the accident.

The accident that almost killed me and took the lives of both my parents.

The accident on Mt Fallows, merely a kilometre away from where Paige had her accident.

I don't believe in coincidences.

Were my parents murdered too?

The sound of my phone ringing gives me such a shock that I bounce back and scream. Avalon then snaps awake, screaming with me.

"What is it?! A spider?!" she shrieks.

I walk to where my phone is on the charger on my bedside table. Unknown number. I hesitate before bringing the phone to my ear. "Yes?"

"Miss Chosen," the voice that answers is wobbly and afraid. Shaken. Desperate. "Rose?"

"Tallon? What is it?"

"I only have one phone call – and I've used it on you. Franks got to me, he's pinning it all on me. I'm going to go down for her murder." He sounds frantic on the other side of the line – completely unlike the Tallon that I know.

Avalon looks at me with bulging eyes as she grabs bits and pieces vicariously through the phone.

"What? What's going on?"

"They arrested me an hour ago. They don't have any evidence – but that's not going to stop them from making some. Rose – you cannot trust the police. I'm being framed. You need to keep looking because whoever killed her is out there and I think that you and your friends might be next."

Every inch of my body quivers. A chill runs down my spine.

"Miss Chosen – do not let what happens to me stop you from figuring it out. Please."

Although I can tell his plea is sincere, I start to wonder whether or not he's suffering from psychosis or something. Maybe he's lost his mind. "We will, Christopher."

"Wait – there's more. I found something. I can't say it over the phone – come to the station in the morning at seven am and no later. Got it?"

"Ok, Tallon. We will figure this out."

Then I hear voices on the other side of the line and scuffling. The phone suddenly hangs up.

I send Sylv a message to meet us at the police station tomorrow morning at 6:45 and no later.

I don't know how, but Avalon and I drift off to sleep.

.

.

.

When the morning rolls around, I can tell the day will be sombre. It's overcast – every single cloud in the sky has gathered. It's chilly, even though it's now Spring. When we get into Avalon's car, the glass has fogged up and I could draw on the dewy windows. Everything about today is ominous.

The car grunts to life and Avalon starts driving. I can tell she's nervous because she hits the curb twice as she reverses out of my driveway. The radio crackles. The signal in Cedar Creek has never been good – but today the weather has completely quashed it.

Anxiety stirs in my stomach.

Even Avalon looks pale today – and she's Nigerian.

We make our way to the police station and hear sirens. As if they were glowing through the grey sky, orbs of red and blue dance across the glass windows.

I roll mine down as we pull up to the police station. An ambulance is there.

Did they beat up Tallon? Is someone hurt?

We watch as a stretcher makes it's way out of the police station to the ambulance. But on the stretcher isn't Tallon.

It's a body bag.

I suck in a breath. Avalon parks diagonally and the both of us rush out.

Detective Franks is there, discussing what happened with a paramedic. I grab his arm and pull him around. "What the f*ck happened here?" I demand.

He furrows his brows at me. "Miss Chosen, I hope you have recovered well."

"Who is that?" Avalon points to the ambulance.

"I'm so sorry, ladies. I know you were all quite close with Detective Tallon." His expression remains tight and unmoved. Then he sighs. "We found him in his cell hanging by his belt."

Avalon lets out a squeal. I feel faint.

"He left a letter, confessing to the murder of your friend. It seems they had an illicit affair before her death." Franks seems genuinely sad about how things turn out. But Tallon told me not to trust him.

"I don't believe you," I snap.

Franks takes a shocked step backward.

I step closer, "I don't believe that for a second." I glare at him – he's only slightly taller than me but twice my width and strong looking. "We're going to solve this, Franks, and when we do, we will expose you. You're nothing but a dirty cop."

He takes another small step back, he looks offended. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Miss Chosen, but we are comfortable with our evidence. We believe that Detective Tallon has been deceiving all of us. His psychiatrist has diagnosed him with severe schizophrenia. She even suggested that he has an obsession with young girls and Paige may have not been his only victim. You are lucky you don't have blonde hair and light eyes, Rose, or you might have been next."

I grit my teeth. I don't... I can't... this can't be true.

Right on cue, Sylv pulls up at the driveway. Avalon starts crying and Sylv pulls her into a bear hug. "What's going on?" he looks at me.

I shake my head and sigh, something wet and slippery threatening to spill from my eyes. I can't believe that Tallon killed her. I can't.

"The case is closed, kid." Franks purses his lips into a half smile and pats Sylv on the back. "You can all go back to your normal lives – have fun. You're young, you have so much ahead of you. You can rest easy now, we've got him."

Sylv nods soberly and seems to accept this answer.

"Let's get out of here," I say and drag Sylv and Avalon with me.

And as I'm dragging them away, we see an all too familiar car parked in front of the police station.

The Ascott's are back.

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 i would like to say this is a particularly table turning chapter. hope  you enjoyed and keen to hear any theories you might have.

xxx

aurora