Chapter 42: Whodunnit

"So, let me get this straight," I nibbled on my bottom lip, sorting through the facts. "Brody Herim is not insane?"

"Yip." Caspian took a long swig of his milkshake. Mine lay untouched, the fresh cream slowly melting and leaking off the sides of the glass.

"Victoria confides in him, because she thinks he can't comprehend?" I asked a question that Caspian had already answered.

He nodded his head. It was a wonder that he was still so patient with me.

"Then how did you know he wasn't insane?" I enquired.

"I saw the way he surveyed me, like he was taking in every aspect of me; like what a sane person would do" Caspian explained. "I called him out on it, and he didn't deny it."

"Then why is he pretending?"

"He was in love with your mother, which you already know."

"Yeah, because you gave him her scarf." It still puzzled me how Caspian had managed to get my mother's scarf. But I didn't bother asking him; something told me I wouldn't like the answer I got.

"He tried to kill your father," Caspian explained. "Before your parents got married."

"Obviously he didn't succeed." I remembered the story of the car accident the day before the wedding, the one everyone assumed was an accident. Now I knew better.

"He was worried he'd try something like that again, so..." Caspian trailed off.

"He pretended to lose it, because the woman he loved found someone else and he didn't want to hurt other people" I finished.

Caspian nodded. "He agreed to trade. Whatever Victoria told him for something of your mother's."

I nodded my head. I got that much when Brody told us Janet blackmailed Victoria into planting the gun in Lewis's room.

"If Janet releases the video, of Victoria lifting car parts, the Sheriff will have no choice but to arrest her, like how he arrested me," Caspian told me.

"So now we know Janet killed Levi, the mayor and possibly Shawn," I said.

"And possibly Asher and Newton," Caspian suggested.

"So, we know whodunnit," I exclaimed excitedly.

"But we don't have any evidence," Caspian uttered.

"I think maybe James Swenlow can help us." I reached for my phone.

"Can you meet us at Rogue 24?" I asked James, not bothering with the usual 'How are you?' and other niceties, since I knew how much Caspian disliked James. Chrissie and Caspian both thought James had a thing for me, so I assumed he'd come without me having to explain anything.

"He's coming." I set my phone down and snuggled into Caspian's chest.

"We're supposed to kiss every time we get a new piece of information," Caspian said suggestively.

"We are?" I teased, trailing my lips along his strong jawline.

"What's even better is this the same place we had our first kiss." Caspian tilted his face towards mine.

His blue eyes held me captive as he pressed his lips to mine.

"Young love is truly a miraculous thing."

Caspian growled as I pulled my lips away from his.

"You're not much older than us," I told the newcomer.

"How do you know how old I am?" Lewis enquired, stroking his beard. His cheeks were hollowed out, like he hadn't eaten in a while. I was glad to see that his chestnut complexion hadn't got paler; and apart from the unhealthy weight loss, he looked pretty much the same.

"Well," I said as I pretended to be deep in thought, "You don't look like an old grandpa."

"Fair enough." Lewis shrugged as he sat down opposite us. "Rosalind will be here soon."

"Rosalind?" I asked.

"My girlfriend," Lewis clarified. "Haven't seen her in a while with the whole jail thing. Is it wrong that I'm grateful Shawn died?"

"Maybe a little bit." I pinched my thumb and index finger together, to indicate a small amount.

"At least now everyone knows I'm innocent." Lewis ran his hands over his short- cropped hair.

"At least now I don't have to break you out of jail." I sighed in relief.

"Hey, y'all." A girl with a heavy British accent sat down next to Lewis. Her hair was bleached blond; and paired with her fair ivory skin, she looked albino. She had multiple ear piercings: each earring studded with an expensive looking jewel.

"Rosalind, this is Madelyn," Lewis introduced us. "Madelyn, Rosalind." He pecked his girlfriend on the cheek, as she beamed at him. "And you already know Caspian."

"I asked them if they would help us," Caspian explained.

"So, did you speak to Victoria's brother?" Rosalind asked.

Caspian started explaining to them, while I listened intently. Although I already knew all the details, I wanted to be certain I wasn't missing anything.

"I always knew there was something off about that prat." Rosalind shook her head and just like that Rosalind and I formed a kinship over our dislike for Janet.

"I can't believe Victoria would do that, frame one of her own." Lewis was distraught, and I wasn't sure if it was possible, but his eyes darkened.

"I can," I mumbled under my breath, too low for anyone to hear me.

"So, what's the plan?" Lewis enquired.

Caspian looked at me to answer that question. I still hadn't explained to him what I wanted James to do for us.

"You'll see," I replied, remaining tight-lipped about my ideas. James would be here soon and they would hear my plan soon enough.

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