Chapter 32: Dead? Or Not?

"Mr Gray said you wanted to speak with me." Victoria Herim, walked in with Caspian trailing behind her. During the drive here Caspian had constantly asked what I planned to ask Victoria, and I had refused to disclose any of the questions I had prepared.

The room we were in was like a metal box. It looked like someone had just stuck a shipping container on the side of the building, because they needed an extra room. The room was mainly empty except for a trestle table and a couple of chairs. It looked like a place used to play poker. To be honest I couldn't imagine the Stingers with cards in their hands, they didn't seem like they'd enjoy engaging in a harmless past time.

"Ms. Herim," I addressed her formally, to come across as respectful. "I was wondering if maybe you could help us?" I folded my hands in my lap. She was making me uncomfortable since she remained standing; I had already chosen to sit and it would look weird if I suddenly stood up.

"Not the first time a Cote child has asked me for help." She wiped her hands on her black, stained dungaree. She didn't look like a mechanic, probably because she was a woman. But yet again, she stole cars for a living. She was sure to know a few things about engines.

Her words didn't surprise me, I already knew Asher was involved with the Stingers. Although I was curious to ask why a picture of Newton Wes was sent to my brother, I didn't; I had a script to stick to. "Do you know Janet Swift?"

"Your brother's girlfriend?" She nodded her head. "Yeah, I know her."

This took me by surprise. Lewis knew Janet as Newton's lover, not Asher's. If Lewis saw Janet with Newton, then Victoria should have as well. I didn't say anything; it was probably best not to mention this.

"Do you think she killed Newton Wes?" I asked, knowing I should have asked if she thought Janet framed Lewis, since Lewis was the main priority. But I couldn't miss this opportunity to ask her about Newton, especially since I was dying to know how Newton's death was linked to my brother's.

She hesitated. "Newton's not dead. He asked for help disappearing, said he was in trouble with the police. Right now, he's in New York." She swiped the back of her hand over her clammy forehead. She was dripping sweat, like someone who had just come out of a sauna.

Made sense why his body was never found. But did Janet know? Lewis did say she was the last one who was seen with him. Janet broke up with Asher so that she could be with Newt; if Asher was being possessive, she could have killed him in a fit of rage. Asher's phone was given to one of his friends: was that friend Newton? Newton couldn't keep his own phone, because the phone activity could have been traced, like what James did with Asher's phone. Janet was sending messages to Newton via my brother's phone. If I was right about this, that meant Janet would have no motive for killing Mayor Steel and Levi. Which meant Lewis was still stuck in jail.

"Why are you interested in Newton Wes?" Victoria asked me, trying to act like she didn't care, by picking dirt out from under her fingernails.

The billion-dollar question that I didn't have the answer to.

"School blog," Caspian chimed in, coming to my rescue.

I nodded my head, trying to make her believe us without making it seem like I was agreeing with Caspian just for convenience.

"Oh, well I hope that's all you need," Victoria made her way towards the door.

Not even close, but she wasn't willing to talk anymore; even I could see that in the way that she kept glancing at the door, like I wasn't worth her time.

Victoria left without so much as a goodbye.

I opened my mouth to talk to Caspian about what had just been said, but he put his index finger over his lips. I raised my eyebrow, and he used his eyes to gesture towards the corner of the room. Cameras. We were being watched.

"Ready to leave?" Caspian asked. He had a fake smile plastered on his face and I did the same.

"Of course." I grabbed the notebook I hadn't used and followed Caspian out.

Once we were safely in his car, we were eager to discuss what we had just learnt.

"I can't believe he's alive," I stated, referring to Newton Wes.

"I don't believe it," Caspian replied, deep in thought.

I gave him a questioning look.

"Victoria would not disclose such information so easily," he explained, with a slight shake of his head.

"So, you think he's dead?" I enquired.

"Yes,' he answered, without even taking a second to think about it.

"But why would Victoria lie about it?"

"To protect herself," Caspian suggested. Now we were back to my original theory: Victoria killed Newton and framed Lewis for the Mayor's murder. What bothered me was the trust that Victoria had instilled in Caspian was quickly broken. Caspian didn't seem like the trusting type, it was clear he trusted few people. Those few people should be able to hold his trust for forever.

"You think she killed Newton," I stated.

"Not just Newton," Caspian muttered, clutching the stagnant steering wheel. His knuckles were white, with how hard he was gripping it.

"Asher?" Without waiting for an answer, I continued. "It would explain how she knew about the suicide note. But what about Janet?"

I explained my all my other suspicions to Caspian.

"Your thoughts are based on Newton being alive. What if he's not alive?" Caspian enquired.

I didn't have an answer for that. "How do we know whether or not he's actually dead?"

"The morgue." Caspian turned the key in the ignition and put the car in drive.

"His body wasn't found," I argued. "The morgue won't be much help."

"Victoria has contacts," Asher replied. "She could have paid someone to hide the body or cremate it or something."

And the doctors there would tell two curious teenagers about the bribes they accept? I highly doubted it. It was no use trying to talk reason into Caspian: he knew what he wanted and there was no stopping him. 

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