The air in the police station was thick with tension as Racheal stepped inside, her heart racing with anticipation.
Inspector Jones greeted her with a somber expression. "We've been waiting for you. The killer has refused to speak since his arrest last night, but he's demanded to see you."
Racheal's stomach twisted into knots as Jones briefed her on the evidence. "We found him with Richard's clothes at the old wine house, along with several other belongings. And the gun we recovered matches the one used to kill Richard."
Despite the chill that ran down her spine, she held her ground. "Take me to him."
Jones led her down a dimly lit hallway, the walls lined with interrogation rooms.
As they approached the room, Racheal's anxiety spiked. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for the encounter. They stopped at one, and through the glass panel, Racheal saw him.
Andrew.
The man she had once thought was trying to help. Her breath caught in her throat as she stepped inside.
He sat there, his hands cuffed to the metal table, his face as unreadable as stone. But the moment he saw her, a slow smirk tugged at his lips.
"You're here," he drawled, unremorseful, his voice laced with mockery.
Racheal clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She took a slow, measured seat across from him, her pulse roaring in her ears.
Inspector Jones' eyes bore into Andrew's, his voice low and menacing as he leaned forward, his words dripping with authority. "You've made it clear you'd only speak with Racheal present. She's here now. So, start talking."
Andrew leaned back, as if this were a casual conversation. "July 29th," he began. "Richard and I met by the Silent River after running one or two deals that day. He then told me he was finally going to leave Festac a week later, start a new life with his pregnant girlfriend, Kate. He wanted my help. He needed a getaway car for a safe escape."
Racheal's nails dug into her palm.
"We made a deal," Andrew continued. "He had the money. I knew that. His parents are rich, and he was making even more than me from selling 'jingle jingle.'" He scoffed. "We had a plan. August 5th, his dear sister was going to row him across the silent river and say he drowned. He made it across the river.
Jones interrupted him. "and,"
Andrew's smirk widened. " And I was waiting for him. The moment he got close to the car, I grabbed him. Took him straight to the old wine house."
Inspector Jones tensed beside her. "You held him hostage."
Andrew nodded casually. "At first, I thought I could use him to demand a ransom from your father." ask Daddy George for a nice stack of cash. But your brother, oh, he was clever. He tried to escape."
Jones' voice was sharp. "And that's why you shot him."
Andrew tilted his head, as if considering the question. Then, he gave a small nod.
"No hesitation," he said. "One clean shot."
Racheal choked on a sob.
Andrew's voice remained eerily calm. "August 10th,when you and your guys were done searching for his body, that's when I dumped it. That's why he was found the next day".
Racheal's stomach churned. The pieces were falling into place.
Andrew leaned forward slightly, his gaze locking onto Racheal's. "Oh, and that getaway car?" He let out a dark chuckle. "I followed you and David when you found it. I made sure no evidence remained."
Racheal's eyes widened. "You set it on fire."
Andrew's lips twitched.
Jones slammed a hand against the table. " Andrew! Why?"
Andrew's smirk faltered. For the first time, his expression darkened, a twisted look of resentment crossing his face.
"Because he had everything," he spat. "The perfect life. The perfect family. The money. The love. He was everything I wanted to be, everything I could never have. My parents didn't even care about me, but Richard? He lived in a penthouse. He had it all." His voice lowered, venom dripping from every word. "He didn't deserve it."
Rage ignited inside Racheal, burning away the shock. She got up from her chair.
"You killed him because you were jealous?!" she screamed.
Andrew sneered. "You don't get it, do you?"
With a cry of pure rage, Racheal launched herself at him.
Her fists collided with his face, her body shaking with fury as she struck him again and again.
"You killed him!" she screamed, her voice breaking with grief. "You took everything from me!"
Andrew stumbled back, but she kept going, her blows wild and relentless.
"Racheal, stop!" Inspector Jones grabbed her from behind, pulling her away with a firm grip. She struggled, thrashing against him.
Andrew stumbled back, momentarily shocked, before laughing.
Jones escorted her out of the room, and just as the door shut behind them, she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her.
It was David.
She didn't think twice, she collapsed into his embrace, clutching his shirt, her body wracked with silent sobs.
David held her tightly, letting her cry, his voice barely a whisper. "It's over, Racheal."
Racheal pulled back, wiping at her tear streaked face. She shook her head. "I need to go home now to tell my parents."
David hesitated before nodding. "Do you want me to come with you?"
She exhaled shakily. "No thank you, David."
And with that, she walked out of the station.
David stayed back to have a word with Inspector Jones.
The next day, the sun had barely risen when the news exploded across Festac. Everywhere,markets, offices, cafés. At newspaper stands, people clutched copies of The Festac Daily, eyes scanning the bold, unforgiving headline:
"ANDREW CONFESSES TO THE MURDER OF RICHARD GEORGE."
Below it, a grainy photograph of Andrew, handcuffed and flanked by police officers, dominated the page. The details were there in black and white. How Richard had been lured into a trap, held hostage, and ultimately killed. The confession had unraveled everything.
At the Georges' estate, the morning was eerily quiet.
Harriet sat stiffly at the dining table, stirring her tea absentmindedly, her expression unreadable. Harriet broke the silence. "At last we have justice." she turned to Anthony, offering a brittle smile. He nodded, his gaze fixed on the paper.
Racheal sat at the far end of the table, barely touching her food. Her appetite had disappeared the moment she had woken up, the weight of reality pressing down on her chest like a boulder.
Kate walked to the dining area and just as she was about to sit down,Harriet suddenly stood, clutching the paper. "Kate, the most incredible thing just happened", She turned the paper toward Kate. Kate hesitated before reading aloud.
Across the table, Anthony puts down his fork, whilst still chewing his food. "I went to the station this morning," he said. "I looked Richard's killer in the eye." He paused, a strange glint in his gaze. "Finally, we will have peace."
Harriet exhaled slowly. "Richard will have peace."
Racheal's fingers curled around the edge of the table.
"And now," Harriet continued, her voice soft but resolute, "we can all start over."
Silence fell over the room. Then came a sharp knock at the door. Everyone froze. Rachel's heart skipped a beat. The knock came again, louder, more urgent. Harriet exchanged a wary glance with Anthony before rising to her feet.
She moved toward the door, her fingers tightening around the handle. With a deep breath, she pulled it open. Her breath caught in her throat.
A box sat at the doorstep, bloodstained and ominous.
"Anthony," Harriet called, her voice shaking. "Come here. You need to see this."
Anthony stepped forward, his jaw tightening as he crouched to open the box. Inside, a picture of Rachel lay, defiled with a red danger sign sprayed across her face. Beneath it, a letter read:
Be warned. We are coming for you.
The household erupted into chaos. Harriet clutched her chest, gasping in horror, while Rachel felt an icy dread wrap around her. Anthony wasted no time calling Inspector Jones. Within minutes, the inspector arrived, flanked by officers, and examined the evidence grimly.
"This is a threat," Jones said, his eyes locking onto the box. "And we need to find out who sent it, fast."