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Chapter Eighteen ~ The Wall of Evidence

Determination coursed through my body. Deep down, I knew Carol was innocent. It was up to me to find out who the real killer was, because I was the only one who had a solid piece of evidence. The book.

I made a quick stop at Amber's Arts and Crafts to pick up some supplies. Cork boards, pins, string and some paper. I also found some coloured markers. That should be enough to create my board of suspects and evidence.

I ran home, desperate to make a start. Once I got home, I cleared a space on my wall and began by printing out pictures of all the victims: Piper, Savannah, Arya, Scarlett and Logan. I also printed out a picture of Carol. I stuck the victims' pictures in a pentagon in the middle of the wall and wrote their dates of death on small post it notes. After that, I stuck the pictures of their dead bodies at the scene of their murder next to their pictures, which I had cut out from newspapers. I then joined the pictures together using string.

Next, I wrote how each of them had died and made a link between Savannah and Arya because theirs had been a double murder. I wrote everything I knew about each murder: when it happened, who found the body, where it was found. After lots of cutting, sticking and writing, I found myself staring at a very large complex and interconnected board of information.

After that, I stuck the picture of Carol to the side with the subheading: Arrested for murders. I also stuck a piece of string on the board to connect her and Logan as he was the only one she had interacted with and fought with, as well as found the body. I also stuck the picture of the murder weapons in her drawer next to her. These were undoubtedly the murder weapons; but had she actually committed the murders or had she been framed? That was the question that would prove her innocence. Or guilt...

I tried not to think about that. I had to believe that Carol was innocent. Innocent until proven guilty. I looked at the board. That summed up everything I knew. Every pattern, similarity, and theory.

I wondered if it would be a good idea to include photocopied pictures of the descriptions of the murders from the book. No.No, if someone came in and saw that... It would end badly,

I decided to have a quick skim through the book again. I wasn't really sure why; I just had a feeling.

I skimmed through the first four entries which were always there.

Until I noticed a new one.

Entry 5 (Subject T) ~ Snitches get stitches (18th March)

This next murder I had planned was very scientific. It was all to do with magnets and forces which could potentially end in failure. So for the first time, I was feeling nervous. A few days before, I had snuck into the nearest general hospital and grabbed a dozen surgical needles. They would never even notice they were gone. The needles I had grabbed must have been old as they had turned slightly blunt. So just to be sure, I sharpened them.

The murder would take place on the morning of the 18th of March so everything had to be prepared the night before.

I had gone into his house beforehand to grab a magnet and scope out the surroundings. I had brought an extremely strong magnet to try and strengthen the one on his fridge. It was a corny colourful magnet with a camel on it and in big red writing below said "Dubai". I carefully placed the magnets right next to each other and prayed it would work.

Doubtful, I decided to rub the magnets together. Just to make sure it was strong enough. Once I was satisfied, I placed a screw into his tiny freezer to distract him and hid in the kitchen cupboards opposite the fridge.

That night he got home late and went almost straight to bed. It was only a matter of time.

At 8:00 sharp his alarm went off. He was obviously a heavy sleeper and didn't hear it go off. Eventually he woke up and realised he was late. He started frantically running around, trying to collect all his things for work. Just as he approached the freezer I knew it was time.

He found the screw just as I had planned and him dropping on the ground was my signal to go. I released the needles and they stabbed through his chest, as quick as a flash.

This changed everything. I didn't know anyone whose name began with T. This was the first victim who didn't have any sort of connection to me whatsoever. Part of me began to feel slightly crestfallen. The pattern had been broken, which meant I was back to square one. I needed to find out who subject T was and find out what significance his murder held.