EVERGREEN WOOD《COMPLETED✔》

BROKEN COMPASS

Chapter 9

I thought I didn't hear properly. I tried to process what principal Hay said. Some events pointing towards Noah. Noah would never hurt someone. He never even punched anyone or argued with anyone. I was the one who did those. Unless he had to defend someone's honor or something, Noah would never hurt someone. Specially not a girl.

"Let me clarify what your principal is trying to say." Agent Savvaro turned the laptop screen towards me and hit play. The video looked like it was recorded from a high angle. A security camera perhaps. It showed our hallway.

"This is the feed from the day of the mishap. Around the ending time of third period." She pointed to the time count at the top right corner with her pointy polished nail.

I stared at the screen for a few second. There was nothing. All the students were supposedly in class. So the hallway was empty. Then a figure emerged from the down left corner. He went straight to a locker. Pretty normal. He might've had a hall pass. But what was weird was that he had to try for a few times to get the locker open. 

I skipped a few heartbeat when I recognized the Blue Alan Walker T-shirt and the brown hair. 

Noah.

But it wasn't his locker. 

"It's Ms. Stone's locker," she said as though reading my trail of thoughts.

It can't be happening. What was Noah doing with Genevie's locker?

"There must be a sensitive explanation to this. She wasn't found in this locker." I made myself believe it.

"No. But is it normal for Mr. Flickermen to open Ms. Stone's locker when no one is around?" agent Savvaro challenged me.

At this point, anything I say will go against Noah. So, I stay put.

"Ms. Ryan. Do you know that Ms. Stone was sedated with a very dangerous drug? I say that's proof to how it got inside her." She pointed towards the screen.

"We eat food from the cafeteria."

"None of the students here eat only cafeteria food. Officer Wild here said you have a lot of snacks in your locker."

"There's no rules against it."

"Exactly. He might've put it in her food. The reaction might've taken time. As you said you saw her in the dressing room not feeling well."

I refrain my mind from letting to suspect Noah. But everything was pointing to him.

"Did they examine her? Did the doctor say that she ingested the drug?" I use all my experience from watching number of murder-mystery shows.

"No. She is in a critical condition. So the doctors are refraining from any tests."

"Then how are you blaming it on Noah? This is not proof. This is just a deliberate attempt to hide your failure in capturing the real culprit."

The look on agent Savvaro's face told that I've won this round. Fair and square.

"Look Ms. Ryan. We're grasping whatever straw we can find. It is our duty to investigate every line of possibility. Even you are in our list. But as for Mr. Flickermen, he has the highest possibility. We don't know about the motive, but so far, he is our lead."

There was a knock on the door and principal Hay said, "Come in." Noah poked his head through the door. He assessed the situation for a moment, then said, "Now I think I should've just hid in the bathroom."

Agent Savvaro gave him a warm smile forgetting the tense situation that was going on between us.

"Mr. Flickermen, please have a seat with us. I hope you don't mind missing a period or two."

Noah settled himself on the chair agent Savvaro was sitting on.

"Nah. Something tells me this is not about the tabasco sauce I put in Dylan's cheese burger earlier."

He had no idea what he had gotten himself into. 

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"I am telling you, this has nothing to do with the case," Noah was raging with fury.

"Then tell me Mr. Flickermen what were you doing with Ms. Stone's locker," agent Savvaro pressed on. "You are agreeing that the person in the feed is you."

"Jenny, do you believe I did this?"

"Just tell them what you were doing. They think we planned this." I gave Noah a warning look.

"This is personal. I cannot tell you," Noah said as he turned his head from me.

"Holding information might put you in a false position Mr. Flickermen." 

"Aren't I already in a false position?" Noah cocked his head.

"Listen. You might not only endanger yourself but you might even help the culprit get away. Please co-operate Mr. Flickermen."

"I need to talk to Mrs. Stone first. This is hers to tell not mine," Noah eased on the chair clearly not going to say another word until Mrs. Stone's permission.

"I'll contact Mrs. Stone. You please stay put," principal hay pulled the receiver of the land line.

I caught Noah's eyes and questioned him silently. What the hell didn't you tell me about? He averted his eyes. I gave him a mild kick on the shin and he glared at me. I raised my eyebrows again. He never hid anything from me. Why now? Noah shrugged and put up a hand telling me to wait.

"The fact is very disturbing. Mr. Flickermen, you are free to give agent Savvaro details," principal hay said with a frantic voice. Clearly whatever he had heard on the phone was not pretty.

"Genevie had asthma since she was 9 years old. After a long term treatment she recovered a few months ago. But, she got addicted to her inhaler, aka Terbutaline. Her mom tried to seize the inhalers, the tablets. But she somewhere had a stash. Then she tried to get Genevie into a rehab because things were getting out of control. She didn't have any reaction if she didn't take the terbutaline like any drug addiction. But she took it for fun. So Mrs. Stone called me two days before that," Noah pointed to the screen, "and she described everything. She wanted me to break into Genevie's locker and get whatever terbutaline she had in it."

"Why you Mr. Flickermen? Why not she herself? Why not inform the authority?"

"She didn't want people to know. You know they have a public figure. Genevie coming out as a drug addict would've been a serious problem. She even mentioned not to tell jenny specifically."

"Why you?" agent Savvaro's voice became a little harsh like she didn't believe even a single word.

Noah looked at principal Hay for help.

"Apparently, he has a record in breaking into other's lockers without any trace," he let out a chuckle.

"I think that's enough. As I told you before these two have nothing to do with this. They just get themselves involved in everything. But as for the discussion we had earlier," He eyed agent Savvaro, "we are not going to interrogate any other students."

"Mr. Flickermen and Ms. Ryan, we have a hypothesis that this was the first mishap of a series. There might be a few other. I will ask you two to keep your eyes open. By now, the real culprit has known that we suspect you two. He'll try his best to frame you. Also if a next mishap happens, we'll be needing your aid."

Noah and I looked at each other then at agent Savvaro.

"I've heard that you two have a reputation in Evergreen Wood. Plus we'll need someone to keep an eye from staying within the students."

"So, last minute you accuse us and now you want to include us?" I raised my eyebrows.

"It is our duty to suspect everyone. As for Mr. Flickermen, I would suggest you to stay alert. All evidence are against you. He might target you first."

"These evidences are of no value. These are just like a broken compass. They will show you a path, but just not the right one." With That Noah stood up from his chair and said, "Have a good day." He arched his head towards the door asking me to follow. Then he went out of the office with me on his heels.