The Guilty ↝ ÉLITE ³

PROLOGUE + CAST

PROLOGUE

          SEEING ANOTHER DEAD body was not something Arlo Calero wanted to go through again, but life didn't seem to care about what she wanted. Her eyes stared blankly down at the glass table in front of her as her fingers fiddled with the edge of her dress.

She looked to the right to see her friends' eyes on her, all of them leaning forward in anticipation to hear what she had to say. A chill spread through her and goosebumps emerged on her skin. Arlo hugged herself tightly as she sniffed, trying to keep the ugliness and mess of her crying as minimal as possible.

The night's events replayed in her head on fast forward. It was blur. There were lights, alcohol, dancing and whatever else happened in a night club. She regretted not staying home, maybe if she had, she wouldn't be sat there again in front of the Inspector being questioned about another classmate's death.

"Arlo," the Inspector called. "You haven't answered my question."

Arlo moved her hair out of her face and looked up, staring the woman in the eyes. "No. No, I didn't kill Polo and I didn't know who did either."

The woman leaned forward. "I know you, Arlo, whether you like it or not. And I think there's something you're not telling me."

"After everything I've been through after Marina died– all thanks to you, by the way, why would I lie about another murder?" Arlo countered.

"Because of everything you've been through. You hated Polo."

"Everyone here hated him. The damage he did didn't just affect anyone who cared about Marina– but everyone. Yeah, we hated him. But it doesn't mean any of us killed him. And if anything, he used to be our friend, that has to count for something."

The Inspector narrowed her eyes. "You're still holding something back from me, Arlo. I can see it. You and Samuel went to pretty far lengths a few months ago to get a confession and all of that turned out to be a waste the minute Polo stepped out of that detention centre. You put your family– Izzy, Diego through something unspeakable for nothing. That had to have made you mad."

"Of course it did." Arlo muttered. She knew the woman in front of her was trying to get a reaction out of her and maybe a confession, but she wasn't getting one. She didn't do anything. "But that still doesn't change the fact that I don't know anything. I didn't kill Polo and I don't know who. Besides, who's fault is it that it turned out to be a waste? Yours. Yours and the systems. When has it ever done anyone good? If you had just caught Polo in the first place, none of this would be happening!"

The woman faltered slightly. "That is in the past."

"It's that exact past that led us here again."

"Let's talk about what happened at the night of the blackout party."

Arlo's eyebrows knitted together. "What are you talking about?"

"A few people have said they saw you and Polo talking and you didn't look happy."

"No one looks happy when talking to Polo– except for Cayetana."

"What were you talking about?"

Arlo's shoulders rose slightly then dropped back down. "Marina."

"Why would he talk to you about Marina?"

"Maybe because he killed her."

"Ander accused you of going into the bathroom right after Polo where he exited, leaving a trail of blood." The Inspector suddenly blurted and Arlo's mouth dropped.