Hushed

Chapter 18: Lie after Lie

    “This used to be Harvey’s seat officer, that must be why,” Max answered calmly.

    “Is that true George?” Detective Howard asked Mr. Belen and he nodded in response.

    “Yes,” he answered, nodding.

    “This lead is going nowhere then,” the officer said and was about to leave when Polly talked. “I know who killed him.” Here we go.

    “Really?” Detective Howard asked.

    “It’s her,” she said, pointing her finger at me. Why is life so unfair? Others get away with murder while I keep on being suspected.

    “That’s quite a hard accusation Polly,” Mr. Belen said. It is. “Are you sure that she did it?” She doesn’t even have proof except for the fact that I was the last person in the storage room.

    “I know, it’s because she did it,” she said. What is she doing? Why would she point fingers like that?

    “I didn’t do it,” I protested. I have to stay calm. I would be able to think clearly if I’m calm.

    “Yes you did.” I’m getting annoyed but I shouldn’t. I can’t just say words that I know I would regret.

    “It’s true, she was the last person in the storage room,” she answered.

    “Just because I was in the room with him doesn’t make me the killer,” I argued. I didn’t do it and even if I did, I won’t do it when someone knows that I’m the last person with him.

    “Is that true?” Detective Howard asked me.

    “Yes,” I said and everyone looked at me, shocked.

    “Why were you there?” Wendy asked; she was just sitting silently as if thinking about what happened.

    I looked at Polly who looked at me in shock. She just dug her own grave. If I tell them the truth, everyone would know about Polly and Harvey but if I lie, it’s like asking for trouble which is not what I want right now.

    “Harvey told me to meet him in the storage room and he was forcing me to confess to poisoning him,” I answered. I threatened her but I won’t degrade her. She was teased by everyone for having a cheater mom and I don’t want everyone to think that she’s just like her. Why do I always lie?

    “Then you got annoyed and killed him,”

    “No, I didn’t

    “Stop it everyone. I think she’s telling the truth," Detective Howard said.

    “Of course she is, she got away with it before, she can do it again,” Joana

    “I have a question. How did Polly know that she was in the storage room?" Cain asked suddenly.

    “I-I was,” Polly stuttered, not knowing what she will say. Why is everyone asking so many questions?

    “I saw her going out of the bathroom when I was walking inside the room,” I said. I can’t believe I’m doing this. I wish I didn’t care about her and what other people might think.

    “Why would she kill Harvey if Polly saw her in the room with him?” Mikaela asked. She doesn’t like getting involved in these kinds of things, especially because her father is a detective.

    “Because she knows that she would get away,” Joana stated. Why is she forcing this on me? It’s like she wants me to be the killer.

    “Check the CCTV, that’ll prove my innocence,” I said. If they really don’t want to believe me then they should check the footage, I know that it will show someone walking in the room after I got out.

    “We can’t do that,” Detective Howard said. Why not? It’s the only thing that can prove my innocence. “The camera wasn’t working when we checked it,” he added. This is bullshit.

    “Surprise, the one time someone dies, the CCTV doesn’t work,” Joana said. “How can you explain that?” She asked me. She’s really into this.

    “It’s funny that you’re saying that because isn’t that the place where you and Francis go thrice a day?” Francis is her boyfriend that she took from Polly and I always see them going there, I just don’t say anything but desperate times call for desperate measures.

    Joana was shocked while Francis just lowered his head, I don’t know why but I feel happy. I’ve seen so much in this town and in school that I can blackmail everyone.

    “Alright, stop it everyone. Michael has something to say,” Mr. Belen said. They’re all just whispering and gossiping. I think everyone thought that Joana left Francis after Polly knew because she’s currently flirting with Bob, our class clown.

    “Everyone is free to go now. If we need any information, we will contact you immediately,” he announced. It didn’t turn out to be a “relax day”.

    “I’ll tell you everything later,” I whispered to Max as we went out the room.