* * *
“I found the box on my doorstep with this note attached,” I said, handing the note to Officer Jonstan as he stood in the parlor while his partner looked at the macabre package on the porch.
“It was always you,” he read aloud. “Does this mean anything to you?”
I shook my head in response.
“Well, it is not a crime to leave a package like this, but with all the circumstances involved, I think we better look into it. We will dust it for fingerprints.”
I stole a glance in Caleb’s direction. He was sitting in the living room with his head propped up on his hands as he leaned forward in his seat. He appeared bothered by the note. If he had not said those same exact words before I opened the envelope, I wouldn’t have the feeling of dread and anxiety which crept into my stomach.
He said he was in love with me. How could that be? We spent our whole lives in the same circles but never spoke more than a few words. I never caught him staring at me or blush as I went by. Caleb always acted as if nothing mattered to him at all. Perhaps he was reluctant to make his true feelings known out of fear of rejection. After all, he was dating my sister. Or it could all be a lie... a way to manipulate me into believing that he was in love with me. But why?
“Ms. Moralez?”
“Yes?” I said, turning my attention back to Officer Jonstan.
My attention shifted from his face to the object he was holding in his hands. He held a plastic bag with a photograph inside.
“We found this underneath the dried flower and bagged it for evidence,” he stated. “This photo wasn’t left out in the elements. We can try to get some prints. Do you recognize it?”
Taking the evidence bag into my hands, I pushed down on the plastic so that I could get a clearer view of the photograph inside. “Yes,” I answered, gazing at the picture.
The picture was taken two years before at a football game I was covering for the school paper. My assignment was to snap photos of the players on the field, but I snapped a few photos of my sister and Lisbeth. This photo caught them with huge smiles on their faces with their arms wrapped around each other.
“I took the photo,” I said. “It was taken at a football game in our freshman year. It was my sister’s first night on the cheerleading squad.”
Officer Jonstan nodded. “This edge seems to have been torn,” he said, pointing at the right side.
“I can’t imagine why,” I responded. “The last time I saw that picture it was hanging in my sister’s locker.”
“We will bag everything up and look into it,” he said as he walked out the front door and assisted his partner.
I watched as they bagged up the box carefully, keeping it level to avoid spilling its contents. Then after assuring me they will do everything they could, they got in their patrol car and drove away into the dark night.
I closed the front door and turned the latch to make sure it was locked. Then I peeked in at Caleb in the living room. He had his head in his hands, appearing upset. “They’re gone,” I said, stating the obvious in an attempt to break the ice.
He looked up at me and nodded. “You didn’t tell them that you heard me say those words to you right before you opened the note. Why not?”
Standing at the threshold, I hesitated for a second and said, “Because I don’t think you had anything to do with this. You were at the hospital with me just before... so it couldn’t have been you.”
Caleb arched a brow. “I could have done it before I answered your father’s call,” he said, rising from his seat.
I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling trapped. “But you didn’t,” I responded, feeling my insides shudder slightly.
Keeping his sapphire eyes trained on me, he shook his head slightly, appearing bothered. “No, I didn’t,” he said, walking towards me and stopping a foot away. “Did you ever suspect me of hurting your sister?”
“No,” I answered, my voice leaving my lips in a pathetic whisper.
He bowed his head, looking at the wooden floor. “I don’t believe you,” he said, appearing hurt.
Looking away momentarily, I said, “There has just been a lot going on, and things were being said that were enough to make me wonder.”
“What things?”
“You dated another murder victim, Caleb,” I said, feeling my insides shiver. “My sister was getting harassed by someone leaving notes in her locker. A locker that you could have easily had the combination to.”
Caleb stepped forward suddenly, grabbing my shoulders. “I would have never done that,” he said, looking at me squarely in the eyes and speaking through gritted teeth. “Samantha was my best friend, and Nastasia was... superficial. Everyone could see she was all about keeping up appearances. She didn’t care about having anything meaningful. She just wanted a trophy. I may not have been in love with her, but I would have never hurt her.”
Trying to pull away, he held me tighter. “Let go,” I ordered him, feeling his warm breath sweep across my face which immediately sent shivers down my spine.
Suddenly appearing lost in thought, he stared blankly at me. “Who told you about Samantha? We never told anyone about our relationship.”
Lifting up my hands, I tried to pry his hands off my shoulders. “Let go, Caleb.”
“Who?” he questioned, shouting. “Who tried to turn you against me?”
“Lisbeth,” I answered, hoping that he would set me free. “She called me tonight and told me not to trust you. She said you had a relationship with Samantha. She said you had the combination to my sister’s locker. You could have left all the notes.”
His hands dropped instantly. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he averted his gaze, staring down at the floor. “There is nothing left to say then,” he said coldly, walking with large strides towards the front door.
“Where are you going?” I asked, suddenly fearful of what he might do.
Caleb glanced back at me, anger written across his face as his brows drew together. He opened the front door and walked out, slamming it shut behind him.
Shattered Page 9
