Death+at+a+Dance

Death at a Dance By Harrison Pyros Janet McKenzie awoke to the ringing of her cell phone. She groggily opened her eyes and reached for it from her bed. “What do you want?” she growled into the phone. It was Fred Harper, a man she worked with, on the other line, “Janet? Are you up?” Janet sighed. “Well, if I’m talking to you Fred…” “Oh right. Sorry.” “What do you want, Fred? It’s 11: 30,” she moaned. “There’s been a murder,” he said. “Well, can’t you get someone else to do it? I was sleeping.” “You //were// sleeping. Now you’re up,” he said. “And the Super-intendent said he wanted you on the case.” “Ugh, fine. Where is it?” “At the high school,” he answered. “Huh, isn’t it prom tonight?” “Yeah, and well, this was after all, a night to remember.” Janet rolled her eyes. “Fred, this isn’t //CSI// or //Monk// or anything. This is murder. Stop trying to make it more dramatic than it already is, because all you’re doing is laying a thick layer of cheesiness over it.” <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Aren’t you just a bundle of joy tonight,” he said flatly. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yeah, well, deal with it. I’ll be there in about twenty minutes.” Janet hung up the phone and stumbled out of bed. She slipped off her pajamas and put on some business clothes. Which in her case were a plain T-shirt and a pair of jeans, covered by a black trench coat. She ran her fingers through her brunette hair, trying to get out the knots out of her hair. She slipped on some heels, although she preferred flats, and walked downstairs. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Millie, her black Labrador, lazily got to her feet as Janet descended from the flight of stairs. She followed Janet into the kitchen where Janet scrawled a sloppy, hurried note and posted it on the fridge. It said, “I’m at the high school for work. Call me if you need me. Mom.” It was for her nine-year-old son, Joshua. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet took out a dog treat from the jar as Millie jumped up and down, excitedly. Janet snatched her purse and keys while exiting the kitchen, treat still in hand, and headed for the door. She turned around to Millie and said, “Be a good girl,” then tossed the treat. Millie caught it and raced away to enjoy her snack in peace.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet opened the door, locked it and got into her car. She started the engine and drove in the direction of the high school.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">//God//, she thought. //I need some coffee or I’m going to crash this stinking car.//

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She pulled up to the school and got out. As she walked towards the entrance, Fred greeted her.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Okay, so let me get you caught up. The—”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She cut him off. “Before you start babbling about murder, I need some coffee or I guarantee it, I’m going to fall over sideways.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Oh, yeah. Sure.” He led her into the front of the school. Outside, police were blocking any of the curious students or concerned parents from coming inside. Red and blue lights illuminated the darkness of Bucklenn High School.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">They went into the room for the police and Janet poured herself a cup of coffee. She dumped two packets of sugar into the mug and sleepily sipped it.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Better?” asked Fred.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Better,” she answered, breaking away from her drink for a moment. “So who bit the dust?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Follow me,” Fred said leading her out of the room. He started to read from the file in his hand. “The victim’s name was Jack Penning. High school senior, on the varsity basketball team and ran track. Part of the popular crowd. Liked by some, others, not so much.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Okay,” Janet said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Here’s the body,” he said while they turned into a science room.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Who found him,” Janet asked.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“A Bradley Seanagen,” he said struggling on the boy’s last name. “He was the victim’s best friend.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet walked into the room. There was police tape around an area on the other side of the room. A police officer was standing in front of it so no one crossed it. A photographer was taking pictures of nearly everything in the entire room.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She cocked her head to the side as she looked at the body. The body was in the back of the room, lying near the long counter with sinks and burners. Jack Penning was lying in a pool of his own blood, his face staring at the ceiling. His nose was bloody and puffy and there were about five deep gashes across his forehead.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Well obviously this was no accident,” Janet started. “Multiple gashes on his forehead, a broken nose, and on the floor: blood splatter. Looks like this was more out of rage than planned. So here’s what I think happened: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">either the killer and the victim both came in at the same time, or the killer snuck up behind them and made their move. They must have taken him by surprise, since he looks like a pretty strong kid, but there are no signs of a struggle. So the killer grabbed Jack Penning, probably by the hair, and slammed his head into the edge of the counter, right over there, repeatedly. Then they threw him to the floor, breaking his nose and splattering the blood, and took off.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“That’s what we thought too,” Fred said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Do you know why he was here instead in the gym where the dance was?” Janet asked.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No,” he answered. “No we don’t.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Suspects?” Janet asked with her now quarter filled mug.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“We have four of them. All students attending the dance.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Could it have been anyone from outside?” she asked as they started to exit the room.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No signs of forced entry. All door and windows locked except for the front where a teacher and photographer greet all the students. And plus, this doesn’t look like it was planned.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Alright, who are the suspects?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Gwenn Cartwyle, the victim’s girlfriend. Whitney Taylor, the victim’s ex-girlfriend…”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Interesting,” mumbled Janet.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Fred continued, “Bradley Seanagen.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“The one who found the body?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yeah. And lastly, Rick Mason,” Fred Harper finished.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Is there anything special about him?” Janet asked as they entered the room designated for the police.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“He kind of has a back story with the victim.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Care to explain?” Janet said impatiently.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“In their junior year, Jack and Rick’s sister had a ‘relationship’? He said putting air quotes around relationship.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Fred, I’m tired and I want to back to bed. I don’t want to figure out what you mean with the air quotes.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Alright, I’ll put this as bluntly as I can. Jack slept with Rick’s sister, Mindy, and then dumped her. Then a rumor got started that Mindy was a slut. A bunch of people teased and harassed her, and then one kid called her a whore in front of Rick who then beat the crap out of him. Knocked out two of the kid’s teeth and broke his nose.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet stifled a laugh.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Fred rolled his eyes and continued, “He got suspended for a week. Before and after that, his record was clean.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I kind of like the Rick kid,” Janet said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Everyone else at the dance had alibis. The dance is on videotape if you want to look at it,” Fred said ignoring what Janet said last.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“After I talk to the suspects. Where’s an empty room?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“We were going to use the counseling office.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Good enough. I’m going to get more coffee and then we can start,” she said raising her mug. She walked over and poured herself another mug, then followed Fred out of the room and to the office.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I’ll send them in whenever you’re ready,” Fred said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Bring in the girlfriend. The most recent one,” Janet said after reading all their files and the police reports.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Fred nodded and left for a moment. He came back in with Gwenn Cartwyle. She wore a deep violet, almost black dress, that stuck to her body and dangling earrings that matched her outfit. She set her black, probably expensive, purse on the table. Janet heard her take off her heels under the table. Fred left when Janet nodded at him.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Gwenn’s eyes were red and bloodshot. Her hair was slightly out of place. Her skin was pale. She passed her tongue over her lips.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Hello, Gwenn, is it?” Janet asked.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“How are you holding up?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I’m… I don’t know,” she looked down.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Okay, I’m going to ask you some questions.” Gwenn nodded. “Do you know anything about the murder of Jack Penning?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No,” she said without hesitation.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Why did you leave the dance floor?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“To talk to Jack,” she answered.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What about?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Gwenn paused. “Stuff,” she said cautiously. “Just normal relationship stuff.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“And what would that stuff be?” Janet asked.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She hesitated for a second. “You know… like how— how we were going to see each other after high school. And— And how we were going to keep in touch.” Her eyes started to fill with tears. She put her face in her hands.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You’re lying,” Janet said without a hint of sympathy.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What?” her head snapped up. “No I’m not.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“This is a murder case and you’re a suspect. It’s not a smart idea to lie to me. It just makes you look more guilty,” she said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I’m not lying!” Gwenn’s voice started to rise.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet was quiet for a moment. She was staring at Gwenn, looking her over.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What are you doing?” Gwenn asked after a while.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Seeing who you are.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“And who am I?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">After another pause, Janet said, “I never liked girls like you in high school.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“And what kind of girl would that be?” Gwenn wanted an answer.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You are what I always called them: a witch with a capital B. Don’t act so surprised. Look at yourself. You have on way too much makeup; it makes you look like a raccoon for God’s sake. You’re wearing a push-up bra that looks like it’s two sizes too small and your dress is so tight that it looks like it was ironed onto you. But you think it looks good, but reality all it does is show off your bony ass. You feel insecure about yourself, because you are skin-deep. You care about looks. You’re an anorexic and sticking out of your purse is a box of laxatives. Your teeth are yellowish from throwing up all your meals because you’re also bulimic, and I guarantee you, that inside that purse are also a toothbrush and toothpaste that you use to clean your teeth after you get done up-chucking your food. Now tell me that’s not true.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Gwenn just stared at her, not bothering to put up a fight.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet heartlessly continued, “And you’re also a man-eater. You seduce boys and use then as you please, then you crumple them up and throw them away like trash. But this time with Jack it was different. Jack is a young womanizer. He was a challenge to keep in control wasn’t he? But then you fell for him and gave up, because he was no longer just a boy to you. And yet, you sit here in this chair as a suspect of his murder.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I would never kill Jack!” Gwenn said finally talking.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Let me guess: he loved you as much as you loved him,” Janet said with a sneer.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“He did love me! Jack always loved me!” she screamed.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Think about this Gwenn: he talks to you away from the dance and tells you how much he loves you. And then he tells you to wait in the room while he goes to get you something, but you follow him and see him talking to his old girlfriend: Whitney. He tells her he always loved her and not you, Gwenn. He says he is going to break it off with you tonight and then him and Whitney will be together forever. But you don’t like that. You don’t like that one bit. So you go back to the room and when he comes back you grab him and slam his head into the counter out of pure rage. Killing him.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No! No! Jack loved me! He never loved Whitney! He loved me!” she screamed. “I hate you! I hate you!”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Take a number, sweetheart,” Janet said. Then she called, “Fred, get her away from me. I’m done with her. Send in the other girlfriend.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Fred came in and took away the now sobbing Gwenn while Janet scribbled own some notes on a notepad.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Take these too,” Janet said and kicked the heels out from under the table. Fred picked them up and exited without a word. After a few moments, Fred brought in Whitney.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Whitney wore a light red dress that complimented her body. Costume jewelry ruby earrings were in her ears and her dark brown hair had little studs in it. Gossamer freckles dotted her nose and some parts of her cheeks and gave her light peach skin a cute, yet attractive look.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She had bags under her eyes and they were also bloodshot, probably from crying, just like Gwenn’s. Her hair was falling out of its neat little place and her nail polish was clipped, probably from her biting her nails.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Hi, Whitney,” Janet said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">//I always hate switching suspects//, she thought. //You have to start all over and calm yourself back down. Ugh! It’s annoying.//

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Hi,” she answered in a whisper.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You look really tired,” Janet said. “Do you want some coffee?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Sure,” she said, her voice still not changing.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Hey, Fred,” Janet called. “Can you bring us some coffee and maybe some sugar and cream and stuff? Thanks.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Fred came in after a short pause with the coffee pot and a bowl of sugar packets and little cream cups.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You need to lay off the coffee, Janet,” Fred said with a smile.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Do you want to see what I am like without my coffee?” she said, playfully.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No thank you,” he said and then left.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet poured herself a cup and put in the ingredients that she preferred. Whitney took the coffee pot when offered and also poured herself a cup. She took a sip and grimaced.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What’s the matter?” Janet asked drinking from her own mug.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“The coffee tastes weird,” she answered looking at her mug strangely.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Want some cream or sugar?” she asked sliding over the bowl.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yeah, I guess that might help.” Whitney put some cream into the black coffee and took another sip after it was all stirred. She grimaced.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Not a big coffee fan?” Janet assumed.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No really.” She set the mug on the table, the steam waving up in the air.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So,” Janet started. “What do you know about the murder of Jack Penning?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Nothing,” she answered.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Alright,” Janet said. “That’s the usual answer. You may know something that you don’t think you know. Or you may be hiding something. It can go either way. So I’m going to ask you some questions. Kind of the thing you would expect in a questioning.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yeah.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So, you and the other three suspects showed up to the dance, but in the middle of it left. Why?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Well, on the dance floor, me and Jack started talking and he asked me to meet him in the 700 hallway. He said he had something to show me,” Whitney started.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Didn’t you think it was a little weird, being that you two broke up a month ago,” Janet interrupted.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Well, yeah, but we stayed friends you know.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Really, because from what other kids the police have talked to, they say that you two broke up pretty abruptly and it was pretty surprising.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yeah, it was a shock to me too, but I came to accept it,” she said shrugging. “So anyway, I go into the 700 hall and I’m looking around and I hear fighting. It sounded like Gwenn and Jack. I don’t know what they were arguing about and I don’t want to point fingers, but they were getting pretty loud. So I waited in a room for a while where I couldn’t hear them yelling at each other and waited for Jack. He never showed up so I went back to the dance and when I showed up there, Bradley was screaming about how Jack had been murdered.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Did you at least get little snip-its of the argument between Gwenn and Jack?” Janet asked while writing on the notepad.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I thought they were arguing about what they were going to do after high school, but I’m not completely sure,” she said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">//Huh//, Janet said. //Maybe Gwenn was telling the truth… or they’re both lying. Gwenn said they just **talked**. Whitney said they **argued**…//

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So Gwenn and Jack were arguing pretty fiercely?” Janet pressed.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes,” she said. Then said quickly, “Oh, but I’m not saying Gwenn killed him. I mean she could never do that. It was just a fight. Jack and I had our fights when we were together.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What can you tell me about Bradley?” Janet said changing the subject.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Huh? Oh, Bradley! He’s a great guy. Great basketball player, almost as good as Jack was. He’s always really nice too,” she said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You speak very highly of Bradley.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Well, why wouldn’t you? There’s nothing wrong about him.” She put her hand to her stomach and made a face.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Stomachache?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Coffee’s not going down so well,” she said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Do you need to use the bathroom?” Janet asked.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No, no,” she said. “Let’s finish this up.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What about Rick Mason?” Janet asked, reading the last name on the list.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What about him? He’s quiet and I remember he kicked a kid’s ass because the kid was being mean to his sister. I would’ve done the same thing.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">//Me too//, Janet thought on the inside with a smile.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So here’s my theory,” Janet said to Whitney. “You overhear Jack and Gwenn talking in the 700 hall. But they’re talking, not arguing. He says something to her, like something about marriage, or sex, or maybe even you. And then jealousy flares up. You realize this ‘surprise’ he was going to give you was about him and //Gwenn//, not you. Silently, you hoped this was going to be about you and him, because you are still in love with him.” Whitney opened her mouth to speak, but Janet went on. “Jack is going to tell you because he thinks you are going to be happy for him. He thinks that all wounds from a month ago are healed, but yours are still wide open. He tells you and you finally lose it. You grab him by the hair and slam his head into the counter. You see that you’ve killed him and you panic. So you run back to the dance to make it look like you were there the whole time, but you didn’t know that the dance was on camera and now you’re a suspect of a murder.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“That’s not true,” Whitney said sobbing. “That’s— That’s not true.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet looked at her as tears cascaded down her face.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Fred,” Janet called. “I’m done with this one. Bring me the friend.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Fred came in and led Whitney out of the room, but he didn’t leave with her. Instead he sat down and stared at Janet.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Why do you do that?” he asked.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Do what?” Janet replied sipping her third cup of coffee and jotting down notes.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You know what I’m talking about.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“And you know the answer,” Janet said without looking up.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Why do you have to be so cruel to everyone?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I’m not cruel to you,” she said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I can make an argument to that statement,” Fred said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet sighed and looked up. “Because I want, no, I need to know how they are going to react. They are suspects of a murder. This isn’t a nice little outing at the park where people who don’t know each other force conversation to make it less awkward. I state my point and I state my opinion, I don’t waste my time with useless chitchat trying to make them slip up. I try to get inside their head and I try to do it fast. You got that?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What about Gwenn?” he said. “Was pointing out her flaws really necessary?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Someone had to tell the girl she looked like a slut, I uses it had to be me,” Janet shrugged. “Sorry if I always turn out as the bad guy, but I tell it to people straight. That’s who I am.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What about me?” he asked. “Is there anything wrong with me?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Your new haircut makes you look like you tried to cut your hair with scissors without using your thumb.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“And your coffee obsession stains your teeth,” Fred said back, realizing the haircut thing was a joke.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet raised her mug and smiled. “Bask in their off-white color.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Fred chuckled and left the room only to come back a few minutes later with Bradley Seanagen.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Bradley took a seat and looked expectantly at Janet. He had dark skin and his eyes were almost as dark as ebony. His curly dark hair stuck close to his scalp and his eyebrows were thick, yet they suited his face. He had high cheekbones and full lips. He was very tall, about 6’5’’, and his body was packed with muscle.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">His eyes were red and frantic. Janet could see his hand slightly shaking as he laid it on the table.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Hello Bradley,” Janet started.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Hi,” he said back in a deep voice.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“It’s been a long, tough night so I’m just going to skip to the questions, okay?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Okay.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Why did you leave the dance?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I, uh, I needed to use the bathroom,” he said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Really?” Janet said raising one eyebrow. “You had all that time and you couldn’t think of a better excuse?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“It is the truth.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Bradley,” Janet said leaning forward on the table. “I’ve had this job for over five years. I know when someone’s lying.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">He sighed. “Fine, I lied.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Why?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Because… I don’t know,” he said still searching for an answer. “I’m scared and confused. I just… Why would anyone want to kill Jack?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“That’s for me to figure out. So //why did// you leave the dance?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Well, I saw Jack talking and dancing with Gwenn and then after a while he was talking with Whitney. He went back to Gwenn and they went out into the 700 hall. We’re not supposed to go back there since it was all dark and stuff, but I guess all you had to do was flick the light switch. The school didn’t totally shut down the lights. And then Whitney went back there and at that moment I decided to go after him.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Why?” she pressed.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Throughout high school, Jack’s always had his mind set on girls. Girls, girls, girls. Don’t get me wrong; he was still a good friend. But he almost always got the girl. He would stick with them for a while, or maybe shorter and he would toss them away. Do you know how many girls I had seen get their heart broken? I liked Gwenn, no matter how she used boys. And I didn’t want her to have the same usual fling with Jack and then get dumped like all the others. She was already bulimic; I was the only one who noticed. Imagine what Gwenn would do to herself when Jack dumped her. The girl would lose it. And Whitney, oh poor Whitney. Can you think of what would happen if Whitney walked in Jack seducing Gwenn with his usual charm? Whitney’s strong, but I don’t think she could handle that. I’ve been waiting for her to snap,” he paused and shook his head.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“She did start crying when I was talking to her,” Janet mentioned.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So that’s what it took for Whitney to finally let out her emotions. She’s been bottling then all up. I was afraid for her. It’s not healthy to keep your emotions bottled up like that, you know. She didn’t seem to be as bothered as much as the other girls when Jack broke up with her, but who knows what would happen if Whitney saw them,” he said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So you went after them to stop it all?” Janet asked. Bradley nodded.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I see… You asked what would happen if she did walk in on them. What if she did and totally lost it, but she waited for Jack to come to her and she killed him in blind rage? Do you think that is plausible?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I suppose, but that doesn’t sound like Whitney at all.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“And Gwenn. What if Jack wasn’t seducing Gwenn, but dumping her. What if she just flips out and smashes his head into a counter? That seems possible too,” Janet said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes, but—”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“And now it’s time for your motive,” Janet said. “You were on the same basketball team as Jack if I’m correct. You two were the best, the stars. But Jack was always a little better than you. You couldn’t stand that. So you kill him to make room for yourself.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“That’s a pretty stupid motive,” Bradley said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I’ve known people who’ve killed for stupider. But here’s your real motive, the other was just a brushed aside possibility. You love Gwenn.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What?” Bradley said surprised.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You are in love with Gwenn Cartwyle. And before you could work up the strength to ask her out, Jack snatches her up. You’ve seen what Jack does to his girls and you couldn’t stand it. Gwenn was yours. And when he walked off with Gwenn, you knew what he was going to do, and you just snapped. You lure Jack out of the room without alerting Gwenn and then in blind rage you kill him. Gwenn was yours. And now that Jack’s dead, she can be. And then you realize that you could get caught. So you supposedly discover his body thinking no one will suspect the friend who found the body, the murderer is already long gone. Too bad the police counted you as a suspect.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“That’s a lie and you know it!” he shouted.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I don’t know anything for sure,” Janet said with a shrug.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">He violently stood up, knocking his chair over in the process. “I don’t need to take this from you!” He turned and opened the door.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Good,” Janet said. “Leave. I was through with you anyway.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">He slammed the door closed after him. Janet scrawled some more notes, sighed and then got up and went over to the door.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Fred?” she called. “Fred, send in the last kid.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She slipped back inside as Fred brought in Rick Mason. Rick sat down and Fred left shooting a glance at Janet that said, “Three out bursts in a row. What are you doing, shooting for a record?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Hey Rick,” Janet said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Hello,” he replied in an even tone. Rick Mason’s hair was dark, as were his eyes. His skin had an olive tone and his nose was smooth. He wasn’t wearing anything fancy; nothing like what Bradley was wearing.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So Rick, why’d you leave the dance?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I was going to get something for my sister to cheer her up. Her date was sick and couldn’t come so I was going to go and get her a present I bought her for prom,” he explained.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Which was?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“A bracelet she wanted,” he remarked casually.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Are you lying?” Janet asked. She actually wasn’t sure and she wanted to see what he’d say.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Rick’s corners of his lips curved up. “That’s for you to figure out Detective.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">He was playing a game. Not a dangerous or annoying game. A witty game. Janet couldn’t help liking this kid.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So I understand you have quite a back story with Jack Penning.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yeah, he slept with my sister and it kind of screwed my sister up for a month or two. It died down after a while,” he shrugged his shoulders.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You left out the part where you slugged a kid and got suspended,” Janet pointed out.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I left it out because you already knew about it.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Do you hate him, Rick?” Janet asked after a pause.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Jack?” he thought for a moment. “No. No, I don’t hate him. I despise him for what he did with my sister, but I don’t hate him.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I noticed you said ‘did //with// my sister’ instead of ‘did //to// my sister’,” Janet pointed out.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes, I meant to say that. Mindy could’ve said no if she wanted to but she let herself be persuaded by Jack. I mean it’s not like he raped her. She could’ve backed out, but she didn’t. No one forced her to sleep with Jack, she did it willingly.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Huh, I see. I want to know why you went through the 700 hall to get to your car instead of the way you were supposed to go,” Janet said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“It was shorter that way,” he said brushing the question aside. “Do you know how our high school operates?” he said after a pause.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I can’t say I do,” Janet said interested.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Well, those high school soap operas just took little chunks and over-dramatized them. Here’s how ours works: there’s the crowd with all the drama: sex, drugs, alcohol, rumors and so on. Then there’s the groups that just hear about and spread the rumors. The rumors barely affect them. Then there’s the crowd who doesn’t give a damn about all the crap that goes down. I’m in that crowd.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Now, Jack. Jack is obviously in the first group. He is what I call a normal boy. And I’ll admit it, us men are pigs. We are fascinated with sex and women. Throughout our young lives, we are captivated by these thoughts, which is another reason I don’t blame Jack for my sister: because he is a boy. A stupid, teenage boy. Just like me. We make rash, idiotic decisions, and so do girls. So when I saw Jack walk away with Gwenn and later Whitney and Bradley go after them, I made a teenage decision. In a flair of anger, I go after Jack with intentions to stop what he’s about to do <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">with Gwenn and means to knock some sense into his hormonal crazy brain. Now, Detective McKenzie, if you had been listening closely you would have noticed that I just told you the //real// reason why I left the dance.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Very clever, Rick,” Janet said impressed while writing some more. “It seems you have voiced a possible motive of yours before I could. Only when you confront Jack, Gwenn leaves and things get out of control and you kill him.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes, that’s possible since my word doesn’t really count here,” Rick said dismissively. “Is there anything else?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Unless you know any useful information, then no,” Janet said. Rick shook his head and then was dismissed from the room.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet scrawled some more notes and smiled to herself. She couldn’t help liking Rick. He was so blunt and truthful just like her. Janet would really be bummed if he turned out to be the murderer.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She got up and exited the room. Fred walked up to her.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Do you know who it is or do you want to watch the tapes first?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“They all had reason to do it. I’ll need to see the tape. And—”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Fred cut her off. “And you need more coffee, I know.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">They walked towards another room with a VCR, on the way getting more coffee, and sat down. In front of them was a TV and on it was the dance all on video. It was paused.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Okay, here on the TV is the dance, obviously. It’s half and hour before Jack Penning was murdered. Right here on the table,” Fred laid his hand on the books in front of them, “are the yearbooks from their junior and senior years. Call me in if you need some help.” He got up.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Thanks Fred,” Janet said as he left.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She took the remote in her hand and pressed play. She spotted Gwenn and Jack dancing together on the dance floor, as well as Mindy and Rick laughing together as they made fools of themselves while dancing, tripping over each others feet. Whitney was sitting at a table talking to some boy, probably her date, they were eating. Bradley looked like he was asking some girl who was sitting down alone to dance. Janet smiled. That was nice.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">A few minutes later, the song ended and the students started to drift away from the dance floor. Jack went and got some punch for him and Gwenn. Jack excused himself from Gwenn and went over to Whitney. Whitney’s date politely left them alone. Bradley was watching Gwenn from a few tables over. Rick was talking and eating with Mindy.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Whitney and Jack were talking. Whitney motioned towards Jack’s punch; Janet assumed she wanted him to get her some. Jack smiled and turned around to go towards the punch bowl. A boy and his loser friends at <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">the punch bowl poured some alcohol, which looked like whiskey or vodka or something, into the bowl. Jack turned back around and pointed towards the punch bowl. Whitney rolled her eyes and then asked Jack something. He gave her his drink. She took a sip and gave it back to him. They were talking. They both seemed to be in a good mood. Bradley went over and started talking with Gwenn. Jack said something else and jerked his thumb towards the doors of the 700 hall. Whitney smiled and Jack went back over to Gwenn. Janet guessed this was where Jack had asked Whitney to meet him in the 700 hall. Guess she was telling the truth after all.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Jack, Bradley, and Gwenn talked for a while. Jack took Gwenn by the hand and excused them selves from Bradley. Bradley went back over to his table. Rick looked over and saw Gwenn and Jack walk into the 700 hall. He sighed and then continued talking with Mindy.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet noticed something. Bradley had on a corsage when he was on the dance floor. Gwenn had on gloves and a necklace. Whitney had lace wrapped around her neck with a little bow. Rick had on a tie. They all didn’t have those things when Janet interviewed them. Janet just guessed they had taken those things off. She would’ve too.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">After a few minutes, Whitney glanced at the clock for about the tenth time and then jumped up from her seat and hurried into the 700 hall. Bradley watched Whitney go, waited for about four minutes, drumming his fingers against the table and thinking to himself, then got up and went into the 700 hall. Rick looked after Bradley, said some stuff to Mindy, excused himself and then made his way over to the 700 doors. Five minutes later Bradley burst through the doors, yelling. People stared at him and then broke into commotion. Whitney came through the doors looking confused at all the franticness. Someone came up to her and told her something. Her eyes widened and she put her hand over her mouth. Rick came through the doors. Someone said something to him. He looked surprised and started asking questions. Lastly, Gwenn came in. She started asking questions at uproar. Someone said something to her. Janet could tell she blurted out, “What?” And then she stumbled like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. And then she started sobbing.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet clicked pause on the TV. She opened the yearbook and looked at the suspects’ pictures. They all looked older now then they did at the beginning of the year. Bradley’s hair was a little longer, Gwenn looked healthier than she did now, Whitney looked more childish, and Rick looked happier. Everyone looked different.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet flipped through the yearbook looking at other pictures of them. She thought for a moment, reviewing everything she had written down and <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">remembered. She took a long drink of her coffee and then stood up and walked out of the room.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Fred came to her when she left the room.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I just have to know one more thing,” Janet said. They walked to the 700 hall and went into the bathroom. She looked along the sinks. One of the sinks had water splashed around the bowl… like someone had quickly tried to clean something. Janet turned around looked at the stall across from the sink. She pushed it open and looked around the toilet. There was a damp spot of water near the toilet. Janet walked over and lifted the lid of the toilet. Nothing was there.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">She turned to Fred, “Get me a plunger.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">He obediently left and came back with a plunger. He handed it to her and Janet thrust it into the toilet and worked the plunger up and down. And then the evidence that would solve the case floated up.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Gwenn Cartwyle, Whitney Taylor, Bradley Seanagen, and Rick Mason sat in row in front of Janet. They all looked at her expectantly.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Four of you are seated in front of me. You are sitting in the same room as a murderer,” Janet said. Fred stood by her side. “I’m about to tell you who that murderer is and why the killed Jack Penning.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Janet McKenzie cleared her throat and then passed her eyes over each and every face. Then she pointed an accusing finger and said, “You.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“What?” the person yelled in disbelief.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes,” Janet said. “Whitney Taylor murdered Jack Penning.” The other three gasped and stared at her.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“And wait, it gets better,” Janet continued. “She’s pregnant— with Jack’s baby.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Oh my… How did you…?” Whitney whispered.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You think coffee tastes weird, you constantly put your hand on your stomach, your breasts are larger than they were in the beginning of the year, and when Jack pointed out that there was alcohol in the punch, you reclined and took a drink of his instead.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Gwenn already knew Whitney was pregnant. Jack told her right before he was killed. Isn’t that right Gwenn?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes,” Gwenn said with her eyes on the table.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“And now comes the ‘why’ part,” Janet said looking at Whitney. “When you found out you were pregnant with Jack’s baby you told him. To keep this a secret from everyone at school and Whitney’s parents, the broke up. Jack started a relationship with Gwenn to make it look like everything was normal, but then he fell in love with Gwenn. But he couldn’t have <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Whitney know that, she was pregnant with his child! With a snap of her fingers he could be paying child support. That would not go over well. So he told you tonight to meet him in the 700 hall where he was going to tell you something, but he brought along Gwenn and told her the truth. And tell me if I’m right Gwenn, he said that Whitney wanted to keep the baby and he had to marry her. Then he would quickly divorce her so he didn’t have to pay child support, and they would evenly raise the kid. And then he would come back to you and you two could live the rest of your lives together.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“That… That’s almost exactly what he said,” Gwenn said.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Yes,” Janet said with a smile. “But the thing is, Whitney overheard you talking with Jack.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No!” Whitney screamed. “I would never kill Jack.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Oh yes, you would Whitney,” Janet pressed. “You overhear Gwenn and Jack and you just snap. How dare he, the father of your story. And he’s— he’s going to leave you, perfect Whitney, for //Gwenn//. Gwenn the man-eater. So when he comes to fake-propose to you, you grab him and slam his head into the counter in a blind rage.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You’re wrong!”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Not I’m not and you know it! So after you kill Jack you realize what you’ve done. You are standing in his blood so you take off the shoe that has blood on the bottom and you run to the bathroom. Hurriedly you try to wash the blood from your shoe and you clean your face with splatters of Jack’s blood on it. And then you realize the lace around you neck has blood on it. So you take it off and flush it down the toilet. Then you run back to the dance trying to make it look like you’ve never been gone, but Bradley was already there screaming about Jack.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Lies!” she screamed with tears in her eyes.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“It’s the truth! And do you why I know? Because of this!” she threw a plastic bag on the table. In it was the lace that Janet had got from the toilet. “You were wearing this when you went into the 700 hall, but not when you came out. Fred and I found it in the toilet. And there was an unusual triangular shape in the blood pool by Jack. That shape matched the shape of the front of your heel. You murdered Jack Penning in cold blood and you can’t deny it!”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“He was going to use me! He never loved me!” Whitney screamed with tears running down her cheeks. “He got me pregnant and was going to leave me! He deserved to die!” She grabbed Gwenn put her hands around her throat. “I hate you! You caused all of this!”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Fred pulled a gun out of his holster and aimed it at Whitney.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“You wouldn’t shoot a pregnant woman,” Whitney said and tightened her grip around Gwenn’s throat.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No, but she would,” he handed the gun to Janet who aimed it at Whitney. Janet looked to the left. “But I don’t have to.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Whitney looked to the left as Rick grabbed hold of her and through her over the table. Whitney let go of Gwenn and left her gasping for breath. Fred grabbed Whitney off the floor and forced her hands behind her back.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“No!” she screamed. “No! I can’t go to jail! I’m going to have a baby! No!”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Shut the hell up!” Janet yelled at her. Then she turned to Rick. “Nice job.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">He nodded and smiled. “Thank you.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">Two police officers came in and dragged the screaming Whitney away. Fred then turned to Janet and said, “Nice work.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“Thanks.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“So what are you going to do now?”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%;">“I’m going back to bed,” Janet said and walked out the door.

<span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 101%; text-align: center;">THE END