RichVille

Chapter 6

Laura found herself immersed in a barrage of police questions regarding Diana’s mysterious death. It was she who had discovered the lifeless body, entering the hospital ward with an uneasy feeling. She knew something was amiss. Carefully, she tapped Diana a few times, her heart sinking as she confirmed the absence of a pulse and a heartbeat. With a heavy heart, she alerted the hospital staff to record the time of death.

Amid the relentless police inquiries, Laura did her best to answer their questions. She chose, however, to leave out the detail that her son and the sheriff’s daughter had been the last individuals seen with Diana in the ward aside from the medical team.

The sheriff arrived at the hospital and promptly requested a private conversation. Laura led him to her office, where they began discussing the pressing matter.

“How did she die, and why was it already in the news?” the sheriff demanded, his voice laced with urgency.

“A friend of hers paid a visit this morning and posted about it on social media. That attracted the attention of the RichVille news. As for the cause of death, an autopsy will be conducted to determine that,” Laura explained, her expression grave.

“Do you suspect foul play in her death, or do you think it might be natural?” the sheriff inquired.

Laura sighed deeply, wrestling with the weight of the situation. “I’m uncertain at this point. Given the events our kids were involved in here last night, I’m trying hard to dismiss the possibility that the pressure they exerted on her contributed to her death. But if we had managed to stabilize her, there could be another underlying cause,” she admitted.

“Very well, I want the complete autopsy report as soon as it’s available,” the sheriff instructed.

“You’ll be the first to receive it,” Laura assured. With that, he exited her office, leaving her to grapple with the unfolding tragedy.

At school,

The atmosphere was heavy with talk about Diana’s mysterious death. A sense of foreboding seemed to loom over the city, and her memory was honored with floral tributes and flickering candles beneath her locker. Tears flowed from the eyes of grieving students, painting a somber scene.

As Damon traversed the bustling hallways, a sharp ache in his heart mirrored the collective sorrow. He couldn’t help but wonder whether Abigail’s relentless questioning had somehow contributed to Diana’s untimely demise, or if there was something even darker at play. His mother had informed him the previous night that she had managed to stabilize Diana’s condition. This left him with an unsettling conviction that something inexplicable was at work, yet he remained resolute in his determination to unearth the truth.

Spotting Abigail emerging from a classroom, he hurried toward her, concern etched across his face.

“How are you holding up?” Damon asked, drawing near. Without a word, Abigail embraced him tightly, her tears flowing freely amidst the stream of passing students.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay. I understand what’s on your mind, and I want you to know that this isn’t your fault,” he comforted.

“How could you possibly know that?” Abigail queried, her voice trembling.

“My mom mentioned last night that Diana was stable. This means someone deliberately took her life, likely to prevent her from revealing something,” Damon disclosed.

Abigail pulled away from their embrace, her emotions a complex blend of sorrow and anger. “And you suspect Danny did it?” she asked, her voice growing increasingly intense.

“I mean… you heard what Diana said right? and considering the amount of evidence, it’s hard to believe Danny is innocent,” Damon replied, struggling to convey his thoughts.

“I can’t deal with this right now,” Abigail stated firmly and began to walk away. Damon called after her, “Where are you going?”

“I don’t know. I just need some space right now,” she replied, frustration resonating in her voice. With that, Abigail left the school, leaving Damon with a sense of helplessness.

Abigail’s urgency to find Danny led her to his house when she couldn’t locate him at school. She knocked repeatedly, growing increasingly worried with each unanswered attempt. Just as she was about to knock again, the door creaked open, revealing a disheveled man reeking of alcohol. It was Danny’s father.

Her heart sank as she confronted this unexpected sight. “Is Danny here? I need to talk to him,” she inquired, her voice trembling.

“Danny’s not home; he hasn’t been here for the past four days,” Danny’s father slurred, taking another swig from a bottle of beer.

Abigail, repulsed by the situation and alarmed by Danny’s absence, left the house. She retreated to her car and attempted to call Danny’s phone multiple times, but it went straight to voicemail. Her worry intensified. With unwavering determination, she vowed to locate him today.

Meanwhile, the sheriff grappled with a splitting headache as mounting evidence pointed towards Danny as the likely perpetrator. Laura’s revelation about Diana’s last words weighed heavily on his mind. He pondered how his daughter would react if he were to apprehend her boyfriend. He understood that teenage love could cloud judgment, and he feared that his daughter remained in denial.

He waited impatiently for his officers to assemble, preparing to make the difficult decision to bring Danny.

The sheriff’s disappointment was palpable as they left Danny’s house, having encountered only his father, who echoed the same statement he had given to Abigail. With no sign of Danny, the sheriff and his officers returned to the police station, reluctantly making the decision to declare Danny as a wanted individual.

Diana, her emotions in turmoil, was still behind the wheel when a sudden announcement blared from the radio. It was her father’s voice, declaring Danny wanted and charging him with the murder of Nate. His plea for the public’s assistance and caution about Danny’s potential danger added to the mounting tension.

Hot tears streamed down Diana’s face as she drove on, her determination unwavering. She had to find Danny.

Her next destination was the house of one of Danny’s closest friends, Dominic. She was convinced that Danny might seek refuge there since Dominic and Danny shared a bond akin to that of brothers.

She knocked on the door and, upon Dominic’s arrival, promptly entered the house. Her determination was unwavering.

Calling out for Danny, Abigail’s voice echoed through the house. “I know you’re here, I just wanna talk!” she called, hoping that Danny would come out.

Dominic, however, played coy. “He’s not here, okay? And stop yelling,” he replied, closing the door.

Unconvinced and sensing the truth, Abigail accused Dominic of being a terrible liar. She declared, “You’re a terrible liar, Dom. I know he’s upstairs in your room.”

Dominic chased behind her as she sprinted upstairs to find Danny. She burst into Dominic’s room and discovered Danny sitting on the bed, head down.

“I knew I’d meet you here,” Abigail said, relief in her voice. Danny, on the other hand, shot Dominic a disappointed look.

“It’s not my fault, bro. I didn’t know she would do that,” Dominic tried to explain.

Ignoring Dominic, Abigail turned to Danny, her determination unwavering. “I just want the truth. I’m not leaving without one.”

Amidst the tension in Dominic’s room, Danny began to speak. “Look, I heard the radio. Your father declared me wanted. This means that he has proof that I killed Nate,” he said, his voice heavy with frustration and fear.

Abigail didn’t beat around the bush. She asked the question that was on her mind, “Did you?”

Danny’s response was swift and adamant. “I didn’t, okay? I would never take someone’s life. I have everything to lose – my life, my soccer scholarship, my future… everything,” he snapped.

Abigail reached out and tried to comfort him, attempting to grab his face, but he pulled away. “I believe you, Danny. I know you couldn’t have done such a thing. We just need to convince my father,” she said, her voice filled with hope.

Danny, however, seemed resigned to his fate. “Convince your father? There’s no convincing your father. My life is over, okay? If the police spot me, then I’m going straight to prison,” he explained.

Dominic offered a suggestion. “Look, man, I suggest you get out of town ASAP. You can use my car. I’ll pack everything you’ll need for you.”

Abigail raised a concern. “If you leave town, it’ll make you look even more guilty.”

Danny weighed his options and expressed his decision. “Do I have any choice? I’d rather be on the run forever than go to any prison. I’ll leave tonight.”

Abigail wanted to help, but Danny discouraged her. “Don’t. If you get caught, you might also be charged as an accomplice or something. Just go home and don’t tell anyone about this,” he advised. Abigail remained determined. “No, I want to help. You can’t stop me,” she pressed further. She was resolute in her decision to assist him, even if it meant helping him leave town or going with him if necessary.

After school, Damon went to Abigail’s house to talk to her. She let him in, and he began to apologize for everything he had said earlier. To his surprise, Abigail was forgiving him almost instantly, which was unlike her. She didn’t protest or seem herself, and it raised some concerns in Damon. “Are you alright, Abigail?” he asked.

Abigail responded nervously, “Why, what do you mean? Everything is fine.”

Damon had a feeling something wasn’t right. He quickly made an excuse to leave, saying, “Okay, I’m gonna go check up on my mom at the hospital,” and left.

While on his way, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Abigail was hiding something. Her father had just declared her boyfriend a wanted person, and her seemingly casual demeanor was suspicious. Damon decided to take matters into his own hands and went straight to the sheriff’s station. He caught the sheriff on his way to the office and expressed his concerns about Abigail’s behavior. The sheriff thanked him and advised him to keep an eye on her as she might be tempted to do something reckless. Damon then proceeded to visit the hospital to check on his mother.

That night, Abigail drove to Dominic’s house, well-prepared with food and essential items she believed Danny would need. They were cautious and made sure the streets were clear before they entered Abigail’s car. Their plan was to use her car to avoid detection since her father was the sheriff.

As they drove, everything seemed to be going smoothly until a policeman pulled them over. Abigail rolled down her window to address the officer. “Is there a problem, officer?” she asked.

The policeman shone his flashlight into the car to get a better look at the person sitting beside her. It was Dominic. He then directed his light toward the backseat but found it empty. After a brief inspection, he gave them permission to continue on their way.

Abigail and Dominic were relieved that they had successfully evaded the police and that their plan was proceeding smoothly. However, their relief was short-lived when, after some time, they heard sirens and saw red and blue lights flashing behind them. Multiple police cars were now in pursuit.

Abigail began to panic, her heart racing. Dominic urged her to accelerate, but she hesitated, worried that driving too fast would make them even more suspicious. “Are you crazy? Going faster will make them more suspicious,” she argued.

Dominic, feeling the pressure of the situation, insisted, “That’s why we didn’t want you to come. You’re ruining it. Drive faster now.”

Abigail, reluctantly, drove faster. The police officers behind them sensed that something was amiss and intensified their pursuit.

Despite Abigail’s efforts to elude the police, it was evident that she had no experience in evading them. The police finally managed to surround their vehicle.

The sheriff emerged from his car, approached Abigail’s vehicle, and ordered her to step out. She complied and tried to explain herself, but he cut her off, shouting for her to be silent. Dominic, raising his hands in surrender, also exited the vehicle and was thoroughly searched by the officers.

Abigail’s father forcibly took the car keys from her and remotely unlocked the car’s trunk. Two policemen went to open it, revealing Danny, who had been hiding inside. He attempted to escape, but the officers quickly apprehended him and brought him out.

“Danny Weston, you are under arrest for the murder of Nate Hamilton. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law……,” Sheriff Oliver declared as he placed handcuffs on Danny and escorted him to the police car. Abigail and Dominic watched in utter horror, their worst fears realized.