Gambling With Fate

16

"I came as soon as I got your text," said Andrew, bursting in. "What happened?"

"Success," squealed Emma, jumping up and down. "I solved the case."

"You did?" Andrew's face cracked into a huge smile as he squeezed Emma into a hug. "I'm so happy it ended without you getting hurt."

"Yes! The police took him into custody and they have a whole new case against him!"

"Well, who was it?" asked Andrew.

"Jeff! " squealed Emma.

"Wow!" said Andrew. "Tell me the details."

"It's simple really. Max decided to come clean about the whole drug business and Jeff did him in. He followed him to the construction site that night and boom!" explained Emma.

"How did you find out?" asked Andrew.

"He let it slip that he knew Max was murdered. I was suspicious of him since then. I coerced it out of him. Asked questions. He had no alibi and when he made up the story about it being the mystery girl, I knew at once that something was fishy. I don't think the mystery girl even existed. He made her up," said Emma.

"Stacey mentioned her too," said Andrew.

"You know how paranoid girlfriends are," laughed Emma.

"What do they have on Jeff?" asked Andrew.

"That's the best part. They got his GPS history and he was right there from half past eleven to half past twelve," said Emma.

"Wow! That's solid evidence," said Andrew.

"That's not all. He also had traces of Max's blood on the steering wheel of his car. He thought scrubbing it off with bleach would work. It didn't," said Emma.

"There we have it then. You are quite the detective," laughed Andrew.

"He hasn't confessed yet. The DA offered him a deal if he pleaded guilty but he's stubbornly stuck to his story," Emma rolled her eyes.

"What story?" asked Andrew.

"That he was following Max just to see if he was going to rat him out or something. And he saw the mystery girl kill him. And he ran to see if he was alright and that's how he got his blood on his car," explained Emma.

"That just might hold up in court," mused Andrew.

"I don't think so. He's a killer. He killed Beatrice," said Emma.

"Did he plead guilty to that?" asked Andrew.

"Not until they brought in Stacey," replied Emma. "She got a sweet deal for agreeing to testify."

"I guess he's hoping they won't find anything else on him about Max. One punishment is better than two," Andrew shrugged.

"Oh well, I've got my story," laughed Emma.

"Let's see if it's good enough for the snobs at Truth Today," laughed Andrew.

"It will be. You'll see. I poured my heart and soul into. I risked my entire life for it," said Emma.

"Don't be dramatic, Andrew pushed her," laughing.

***

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