by Clara Lewis
Olivia had never found social media necessary. If she enjoyed something, she would rather talk about it in person, to her friends. The idea of opening her private life to the public for them to look at and judge was something she never liked.
Yet here she was, creating a social media account. She briefly remembered the time Marion pressured her to get social media.
Olivia clicked on the link again.
Video not found.
“This is unbelievable," Olivia said, angrily.
There was no way for a video posted on the internet to de deleted forever. There had to be a way around this. Determined, Olivia dug deeper and found various blurry videos that had been copied over and over.
She clicked on the video and paled. Olivia brought a hand to her mouth as she began to watch the video.
Although blurry, Olivia could still tell what was going on. It had started off with a group of teens daring someone to swim in the water. The camera panned to a figure huddled in the corner of the small motorboat.
Judging from the body language, they clearly did not want to be there. The way they clung to the side of the boat indicated that they were afraid of the water. Olivia suddenly remembered what Liam said about that particular side of the lake.
It was a reasonable fear; anyone who lived in that area must have known about the strong currents.
Suddenly the figure was harshly pulled up. For a brief moment, the camera had zoomed in, capturing the terrified face of the victim.
It was Aria Hall.
This was proof enough that it wasn’t a suicide. Olivia quickly looked for a way to download the video. Before she could send it to Marion and Jordan, Olivia decided to watch the rest of the video.
It was difficult to hear anything over the noise that the group of teenagers made. Somewhere in the video, Olivia managed to hear the faint cries of Aria begging them to let her go.
They didn’t.
In a split second, she was pushed overboard.
“Dude! I can’t believe you pushed her!” exclaimed one teenager as he laughed.
“Swim Aria!” cried another voice, “if you survive, I’ll give you money!”
The camera panned to this voice. Olivia squinted at the screen as she tried to discern who it was. The cameraman walked up to the smirking face of Braydyn Lancaster.
The boat pulled away from Aria, her screams sounding further away until eventually Olivia could no longer hear her.
Off camera, Aria had sunk into the lake. On camera, Braydyn laughed it off.
In the darkness of Olivia’s hotel room, she leaned into her chair, a million questions running through her mind. Did his parents know about the incident? Did they try to cover it up?
Olivia recalled the conversation that took place between Jordan and Preston.
Was Jordan involved in this situation?
Chapter 7
Olivia was unable to sleep that night. It was a difficult thing, remembering what people are capable of. It was even worse when children do such a thing.
Most of all, Olivia couldn’t shake the suspicious feeling she had of Jordan. Ever since she got here, Jordan had been afraid to confront the suspects. There were times he hesitated in conversation, particularly in the ones that involved the guilty party.
As soon as the clock hit seven in the morning, Olivia stormed into her car and drove to the police station. Jordan was always early, and Olivia knew that if they were alone, he’d talk more.
She pushed the doors open and let herself in. Most of the station was still dark but a faint light came from Jordan’s office. Olivia stormed in and threw a USB stick onto his desk. Jordan caught it as it clattered on the desktop.
“I’m sure you already know what this is?” Olivia asked.
Jordan looked confused. She noted that he looked even more exhausted, only now, she had a vague idea as to why.
“Still think the woman’s death was a suicide?” Olivia challenged.
“Watch it,” she commanded.
Jordan plugged it into his computer and watched the events unfold. Olivia’s heart sank when she saw that he showed no surprise.
“So I’m guessing you’ve seen that too," Olivia seethed.
She pushed her chair back and stormed out of the building with Jordan hot on her heels. Once in the parking lot, she turned around and yelled at him.
“Do not follow me! I want you to stay over there.”
Olivia pointed to the building doors. Jordan refused to listen and grabbed her arm roughly.
“I need you to listen, Olivia. I had no choice.”
“I’m sure you didn’t," she retorted, her expression filled with disgust.
She dialed a number into her phone. Olivia kept an eye on Jordan who kept on clenching and unclenching his fists. Suddenly she felt afraid of him. She had yet to find out what he did exactly, but she wasn’t sure how he would react.
What if he tried to silence her? What if he was the one who had pushed her into the water?
The person on the other end of the line responded and Olivia explained the situation. After her conversation, she turned to face Jordan. This time, he didn’t dare to take a step forward.
“So, tell me, from the start, what did you do for them?”
Olivia spat out the last word with venom. Jordan flinched.
“I made sure that no trouble ever arrived at their doorsteps," he replied softly.
Olivia scoffed.
“Well, that’s a nice way of saying you covered up for them, right?”
Olivia remembered his hesitation with the previous case. She remembered how adamant he was that she wasn’t to be involved in this case either.
She was sick of everything. She was sick of the people in Dresden being concerned only for themselves and never giving a thought about the lives of others. To them, everyone was simply replaceable. Just because Jordan seemed nice didn’t mean that he wasn’t one of them. Clearly his actions proved that he was just as selfish as the rest of them.
“Why?” she asked him.
“They helped me get to where I am. I had to repay them somehow.”
She had heard enough.
“Someone is on their way here. They will be taking over the investigation and you are to hand the case over to them.”
Jordan nodded.
Olivia got into her car and slammed the door shut. She breathed heavily as the weight of the situation descended on her shoulders. Before she could drive off, she asked one last question of Jordan.
“What did Preston say to you that day?”
Jordan refused to meet her eyes as he spoke.
“He just told me that it was my turn to pay up. He wanted a good reputation in this town, and it was my job to keep it that way.”
Marion’s advice was to not leave her room until the backup she had requested arrived. With Jordan proving himself untrustworthy, it was difficult for Olivia to go out and conduct the investigation. She didn’t know who was on her side.
She stayed inside her hotel room for three days until she got the notification. Her backup had arrived. Olivia quickly drove to the pier and met her old colleagues.
“Glad you two could make it. I’ll be occupied for the rest of the day, but I’ve already emailed you the information. The police station is just over there,” she said, pointing. “It’s the oldest building here, so you won’t miss it.”
Both FBI agents nodded in understanding and headed to the station.
As for Olivia, she had someplace else to be.
She drove back to the Lancaster mansion and was let through the gates. They had remembered her. With renewed motivation, she made her way to the front doors and raised her hand to knock. This time, they weren’t just going to close the door on her.
As she was about to knock, the doors opened and Braydyn stepped out, bumping into Olivia. Without so much as an apology, he continued to walk with his eyes glued to his phone.
“Braydyn, right?” Olivia called out.
He
turned to her and asked, “Who are you?”
Olivia moved closer and introduced herself. Instantly she could tell that the phone he held in his hand was a recent purchase.
“Nice phone, is it new?” she asked.
Braydyn looked uncomfortably around and then composed himself. Plastering a mean look on his face, he smirked at her.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business, lady.”
Olivia clapped her hands.
“Oh, you’re absolutely correct. I’ll see myself out then.”
Braydyn gave her a weird look as she hurried out of the gates. She knew that although she could get information out of the kid, she legally had to do that with his parents around. Olivia also knew that there was absolutely no way Braydyn’s parents would even entertain the idea of answering her questions.
They went as far as paying off Jordan to cover it up; of course they wouldn’t own up to the fact that their child had committed murder.
There was another way for Olivia to gather evidence. With her old colleagues in town, she had regained enough security to do something daring.
The old phone was probably still somewhere in the house. Preston was a careful man. The last thing he wanted was his son’s old phone being recovered after he had thrown it away.
By nightfall, Olivia had dressed in the darkest clothes she owned and parked the car a few miles away from the entrance of the Lancaster mansion. She snuck past the sleeping guard easily and quickly looked for openings around the house.
Olivia spotted an open window leading to one of the many offices in the house. With a grunt, she hoisted herself up and got into the house. She wasn’t aware of the security measures from inside the home. As she rifled through the shelves and drawers in the office, she took extra care.
“If I was trying to hide some incriminating evidence where would I put it?” she whispered to herself as she looked around.
Her eyes settled on an old cigar box sitting on the shelf.
“Bingo," she whispered as she reached for it and found the phone nestled inside.
Suddenly she heard the sound of footsteps echoing through the halls. The sound grew louder, and Olivia winced as she grabbed the phone and pocketed it.
Without risking a glance behind her, she jumped back out the window and ran to the gates.
“Who are you?”
Olivia turned around slowly and faced the guard who had awoken. He grabbed her by the shoulders and held her there.
“Stay," he ordered.
He grabbed the telephone and called the house. Olivia watched in horror as she saw lights turn on in every room.
She was brought to the police station in the early hours of the morning. Felicity had been adamant that she was a thief. Preston was determined to talk to the Sheriff.
Both the Lancasters had been disappointed when the face that welcomed them into the Sheriff’s office wasn’t Jordan’s.
“Where’s the Sheriff?” Preston demanded.
The FBI agent put a hand on his shoulder as he gave him a look that told him to stand down.
“We’re currently in charge of this case, and the Sheriff is not available.”
The agent turned to Olivia and took in her attire. She fought a nervous smile as he realized what it was that she had done.
“She works with us.”
That was all he said as he motioned for his companion to direct the Lancasters to go back to their house.
Before they left, Felicity turned around.
“You won’t get away with what you’re doing," she hissed.
Olivia shrugged, which only angered Felicity more. With them gone, the agents turned to look at Olivia who fished a phone out of her pocket.
“You stole something from them?” one exclaimed.
“Well, yes, but it’s evidence of some sort. I’ll need both of you to take a look at its contents and then return the phone to me.”
She had worked with these agents for many years. They were familiar with her tactics.
“What’s the plan?” one of them asked.
“I go back to the Lancasters," Olivia replied matter-of-factly.
Chapter 8
Early the next morning, Olivia returned to the Lancaster residence. The Lancasters had no idea she’d taken something from them.
The night before, Olivia had a chance to look through Braydyn’s phone. She found a lot more than she bargained for. In addition to the video of the murder, she also found text messages from his family members.
Olivia was right, they were obsessed with appearing to be the perfect family, one the Dresden residents would adore. Preston, in particular, was adamant about keeping the Lancaster name out of the mud. Olivia was appalled at the messages reprimanding Braydyn for his behavior and how “this is the last time I pay someone off.”
Pictures of the Lancasters volunteering at charity events and galas were a stark contrast to what Olivia discovered. However, she wouldn’t be showing them the phone. She wanted them to admit it themselves without being forced into a confession.
The security guards had barricaded the entrance and prevented her from entering, most likely at the request of Preston and Felicity.
“I’m conducting this investigation for the police. I suggest you let me through.”
She held her phone out as an indication that she wasn’t afraid to call the authorities over. The guards looked at each other, nodded and let her through.
She let herself into the house. The maids flitted around her, begging her to leave. Olivia quietly reassured them that this had nothing to do with them.
At the end of the hallway, a loud voice echoed through the walls.
“Let her in!”
Olivia was directed into a large room where the family sat on pristine white couches. Her eye caught something the shape of a checkbook placed at the corner of the coffee table.
They were going to try and buy her off.
Olivia gritted her teeth and sat down on the couch across from them. She was not going to let them speak their lies.
“Let’s make this quick," Olivia announced.
Preston nodded and reached for his checkbook. Olivia put out a hand to stop him.
“Why don’t we talk first?” she suggested.
Felicity looked at her husband with uncertainty while Braydyn remained silent and stared at the floor.
Olivia leaned back and got comfortable.
“I’m assuming you got rid of the maid because of an affair?” she said.
Preston gripped the armrests of the couch and glowered at her. From the corner of her eye, she saw Braydyn look to his father in disbelief. He knew what he did.
Judging from the messages his father had sent him on the old phone, Braydyn was well aware that an accusation like this was reproachful of the family name.
“It would be wise to watch your words, Ms. Hudson," Felicity gritted out.
“Why should I?” Olivia challenged, “will you throw me into the water too?”
Preston cleared his throat.
“I never cheated on my wife. I never will, I love this family more than anything. I will not let it be ruined.”
Braydyn looked distraught but Olivia would not speak to the child. However, she watched him as he grew more restless.
“I’m sure you love your family, but tell me, it does get boring sometimes, right?”
“My father is not like that!” Braydyn suddenly shouted.
Felicity and Preston looked at their son, their eyes begging him to stay seated and be silent. Braydyn didn’t pay any attention to them. He got menacingly close to Olivia until his father pulled him back.
Felicity scolded him in whispers, but her words seemed to lash at him like a whip. Olivia felt sorry for the child.
“Then what sort of person are you, Preston?”
Preston looked taken aback.
“What are you talking about?”
Olivia shrugged.
“What sort of person allows abuse to pass
in his house? What sort of person covers up a murder?”
The silence that descended on the room was deafening.
“I have no idea what you are talking about, Ms. Hudson, but I suggest you leave. You’re scaring my wife.” Preston hugged Felicity close to his chest as she shook.
She didn’t shake from fear. but rather, from what Olivia could see, anger.
“Are you sure?” Olivia asked.
She looked into her purse and brought out a clear plastic bag containing Braydyn’s old phone. The Lancasters froze.
“Before you say anything, let me show you all a video. Do tell me if it’s familiar," Olivia said.
Chapter 9
Olivia pressed play and pushed the phone toward the family sitting across from her. Braydyn certainly recognized the video and so did his father. Felicity looked appalled. She probably wanted nothing to do with it.
“This is pretty solid evidence. But do you have anything more to say?” Olivia asked, directing her question to the Lancaster couple.
Felicity and Preston said nothing. Olivia decided to help them out.
“You can start by confessing to your crime,” she said.
She pulled out her phone and pressed record.
“My wife had nothing to do with this,” Preston began, “it was me who tried to cover up the murder.”
Felicity may not have been involved in the murder or it’s coverup, but Olivia had seen some things in Braydyn’s old phone. She had a habit of mistreating her workers. Olivia couldn’t let that go. However, it was a different case altogether and she would make sure to pass on that information to the authorities.
“That’s good enough," Olivia said with a shrug and turned off the recording.
She then called the station and requested for the arrest of Preston Lancaster. Felicity would remain free for now, but who knows what would happen in the future.
Jordan arrived at the Lancaster house alongside a few other policemen. This was his last act as Sheriff. His replacement was arriving soon, with a lot of the residents soon to find out that things wouldn’t be as smooth sailing as before.
