Chapter Five

Jane & Kelvin

{Jane's POV}

I lay on my bed looking at the ceiling as thoughts run through my head.

Everyone thinks Colin is innocent and they are trying to find a way to prove it. Everyone except Ivy. If I decide to question Ivy, that'd be the worst decision. I may be young and short but I'm not stupid. Ivy definitely had something to do with what happened to uncle Ben. I can't be left in the dark, I need to know what's going on. Officer Henry said he'd be back but since then, he hasn't interrogated either me or Ivy which only proves that they know something.

I spring myself off from the bed and look through my wardrobe to find something to get dressed with. I need to meet up with Laurel A.S.A.P. As I opened the door to leave, Ivy appears before me.

“Where are you going to young lady?”

It's hard to think of a lie when your head is occupied with doubts.

“I… I… I want to see a friend.”

“What friend are you talking about?”

“Umm…”

“Are you going to see Colin again?”

I wish that is the case. I wonder how she'd react if I tell her it's her best friend I want to meet up with.

I act like I've been caught. “He needs our support, you know.”

“I forbid you to ever see him again, do you hear me?!”

“But…”

“Go back to your room!”

Ivy just keeps painting herself guilty more and more. Now why won't she let me see Colin? I think I know what to do to get out of here. I run back to my room upstairs and shut the door. As I pick up my phone to call Laurel, I hear a knock outside.

Ivy. What does she want now?

I hide my phone behind me and open the door for her.

“Where's your phone?” She asks.

My eyes widen. Ivy just asked for my phone. What does she want to do with it? Why is she doing this? Jesus Christ! I hope she isn't suspecting my intentions regarding this case.

“Why should I give you my phone?” I return the question.

“I didn't say I want to take it but now that you've mentioned it, I think I should.”

I shake my head in disbelief. “N… no!”

Before I can try to escape from her, she grabs my arm and takes my phone from me with force.

“You don't have any more rights to this phone now. I bought it for you, I can also take it back from you.”

“What is this Ivy?”

“Some things are better off unsaid. You don't need to know everything. Just focus on your studies and graduate, that's all you have to do.”

“But…”

“Don't meddle with affairs that doesn't concern you. This is an adult matter, so do yourself good and stay out of it.”

With that said, she leaves my room.

No freaking way! Ivy… I can't say it, I don't want to even think of it. Colin's phone! Colin left his phone in his room but his room is locked. What do I do?

{Kelvin's POV}

Knock knock knock. The door opens for me.

“Hey man, come in,” Alex welcomes me. I give him a manly handshake and enter his apartment.

“How are you doing bro?” I ask.

“I'm good. Nice to see you.”

“Hey man, congratulations. I heard you just got promoted.”

“Yeah, thank you.”

“I'm pretty sure you are enjoying your new position now, huh.”

“Yeah… but it comes with it's own difficulties.”

“Things are working out well for you. You're a boss in your firm, you're about to get married. You should be fulfilled,” I say with a pinch of jealousy.

“So what are you doing here?”

I'm not here to see you, you fool. I'm only hoping for an excuse to see Laurel.

“I came to visit you. It's been long since we last talked. Ever since the little tiff with your fiancée.”

“Yeah we're okay now. And things have been going on smoothly for us,” he says proudly.

He must really be feeling on top of the world getting married to the most beautiful woman in Dublin. I know he'll come down from his high horse soon by the time I stir some trouble.

“By the way where is she?” I ask.

Before Alex answers me, we hear a knock on the door. He goes to answer it while I take a good look at his apartment, making myself comfortable.

“Hey baby,” a female voice greets.

I turn to look and I see the most beautiful woman I have ever met hugging my friend-turn-rival. Envy takes control of me, I do not realize when I squeeze the headrest of the couch so bad it forms a mark.

They walk in together.

“Hi,” I greet Laurel.

Seems like she isn't expecting to see me here again. She always has this facial expression whenever she sees me, like I'm a threat to her. Now that is something I have to work on. I can't have Laurel be afraid of me.

“Hi,” she greets back.

“Maybe I came at the wrong time,” I sheepishly say, “I'll just see you later.”

“No, no, no, it's okay,” Alex calls me back. Exactly what I want to hear.

Laurel whispers something to Alex in his ear. I struggle to hear what she's whispering about but I assume it's something that has to do with sending me away. And I guess right because Alex gives her the eye gesture telling her to relax and me being welcome to stay.

Now I feel like the third wheel here.

“Umm... Laurel,” I interrupt, “I'm really sorry if I offended you last time. I shouldn't have interfered with your personal matters.”

“It's okay Kelvin,” she says, lying through her teeth. I know she's still insecure around me.

“So can I treat you guys to lunch sometime? To show my sincere apologies.”

At the same time. “No,” Laurel says. “Sure,” Alex says

Jeez! Laurel is so blunt. Alex looks at Laurel and Laurel returns the look. These two are so different.

“Alright, I think I'll just leave,” I say. I don't want things to get any more awkward.

“But I'll see you later, right?” Alex asks me.

“Sure.” Of course you'll be seeing more of me later on you dumbass. More often than required because I'm working on taking Laurel away from you.

I leave his apartment while they do their lovey-dovey stuff.

{Jane's POV}

I wait for Ivy to leave for work as the evening falls but I had no idea that she'd lock me inside the house. If she thinks she can get away from this by putting the blame on Colin, then she's got another thing coming. Thank the heavens she didn't lock me inside my room, that would have been the end.

I comb the entire house searching for my phone but couldn't find it. The best option which is my only option is to resort to Colin's phone. But I need to find a way into his room.

I run down to the basement and take all the keys I can find. Hopefully, a spare key or a master key would be among. Right in front of Colin's room, I try all the keys one by one, none of them seem to budge. It all amounts to increase the panicking as this can be my only chance to know what is really happening.

“What if Ivy comes back and sees me like this?” I wonder to myself.

I decide to try all the keys again, taking my time with each one of them. Alas, one of them opens the door. I enter and switch on the lights. His room is still the way it was when he left so I think it'll be easy to find his phone.

I ransack every wardrobe, every drawer, leaving no stone unturned and still, I couldn't find his phone. My hands are dirty now because of all the dust and cobwebs but my mind is still bent on finding that phone. I look up and around and there it is, a small brown box at the top of a very high wardrobe, almost reaching the ceiling.

Curse my height! But I hope his phone is in there.

I stack up anything I can find from tables, to stools, to books until I am able to reach the box. How can anyone even keep a box that high?

I stretch my full body and finally, I hit the box. Unfortunately, the box falls down with all the contents inside crashing on the floor. I jump down to pick up the contents of the box. Luckily, Colin's phone is there but in a really bad shape.

“Goodness gracious! Today is just so unfortunate.”

At least, the phone isn't too damaged.

I try to fix the phone but it won't turn on. “I think the battery is dead.”

I go up to my room to charge the phone. After a few minutes, it comes alive.

“Hallelujah!” I scream aloud.

It's 3am in the morning says the wall clock. I have just three hours left before sunrise.

“Who can I call by this time and would pick up?” Basically nobody.

Alright, I think I'll leave it till sunrise then. I use the remaining time to put everything back in order, the way Ivy left it. I hope she won't suspect a thing. As for Colin's phone, I remove the sim card to avoid unnecessary calls.

“Yes! I think I'm done,” I yawn.

I dump myself on my bed, too tired to do anything else but sleep.

{Kelvin's POV}

“Luck is just on my side today.” I see Laurel through a glass sitting alone in a coffee shop. “Who could she be waiting for?”

This is my chance so here goes nothing. I enter the coffee shop and walk straight to where she sits.

“Hi Laurel,” I greet her.

As expected, she gives me that facial expression.

“Can I sit?”

She averts her eyes but that won't stop me from making my move on her.

“You can at least pretend to be nice to me today. I'm keeping you company while you wait.”

“I didn't ask you to come here,” she says.

How do I get through this impossible woman?

“I know our first encounter wasn't a nice one and I'm sorry about that. Can I at least get another chance to make a first impression?”

She cocks her head facing me. That's a good reaction.

“So my name is Kelvin Witt, I'm 29 years old. I live down Mason Street and I'm a network marketer.”

I don't usually tell people anything about me but if I want to win her trust, I have to be honest about myself at the very least.

“My name is Laurel Polanski and I'm engaged to Alex Rae Kester who happens to be your friend,” she responds.

What does she take me for? A pervert! Okay, maybe I am but she shouldn't see through me yet.

“So can we be friends? You usually refer to me as stranger. I hope my status can be upgraded now.”

She laughs a bit. I think it's working.

“So what are you doing here?” I ask nicely.

“Nothing much. I'm just having my cup of cappuccino.”

“Alone?”

“Yeah, I come here every morning before I go to work.”

“I see. So can I keep you company every morning while you have your drink?”

That went off too quickly.

“Well, just to keep other guys from flirting since I know you're already engaged, and to my friend for that matter,” I add.

The tension on her face when I said the former eases off. Nice save Kel.

“That'd be cool but I'm okay, really. I've been living like this even before I fell in love with Alex and I don't want that to change now.”

It will change I'm telling you.

She continues, “even if Alex proposed this offer, I'd still refuse.”

Is she really doing this intentionally? Saying Alex's name all the time and talking about her being so in love with him.

Baby steps Kel, baby steps. At least she laughed today, maybe tomorrow, that facial expression won't display on her face.

Just as I start to think of what to say next, she gets up and picks up her things to leave.

“Going so soon?” I ask. I stand up too.

“I work, remember? Thanks for the company,” she says and walks out on me.

I watch her leave, hoping people around don't see that and start speculating, especially with that embarrassed look on my face.

Tentatively, I sit back and order my own coffee.

{Jane's POV}

By morning around 10am, I hear someone in the house. Ivy! Oh jeez! She's back. I quickly get off the bed and enter the bathroom to freshen up.

Ivy enters my room and meets me brushing my hair delicately in front of the mirror. A show that must convince her not to suspect a thing.

“Jane!” She calls out.

“Why are you yelling? I'm right here.”

I put up an act of resent so she feels bad about what she did yesterday. I hope that's how she feels because I see staring at me. Her image reflecting on my mirror.

“Look Jane, I'm sorry,” she pleads.

I remain silent, still working on my hair.

She steps in and closes the door. “I'm doing this to protect you.”

For now, I will just have to pretend to be nice. No matter what, I have to know what's going on.

I put down the hairbrush. “What are you protecting me from?” I ask her reflection.

“Colin. He's a murderer. If you start getting close to him, you might be his next victim. I don't want that to happen to you.”

“Is that what you think?”

She exhales.

I turn to her. “Do you really believe Colin killed uncle Ben? I'm sure Colin is not as bad as you think Ivy.”

“You're still young. You won't understand these things. It's my duty to protect you no matter what it takes.”

I look down. “You're right. I'm sorry Ivy, I won't see him again.”

She smiles convinced, “it's okay.” She pats my hair.

I'm also sorry Ivy because I'll have to disobey you and break my promise.

She turns to leave.

As soon as she leaves, I get up from my chair and peep through the door to see where she's off to. I think I have to wait till later before calling Laurel. By the way, I need her number because I doubt Colin will have it.

*

Two hours later, I call Laurel. “Hello, it's Jane.”

“Oh Jane, how are you?”

“I'm not fine at all. Laurel, I need your help and I need to see you as soon as possible.”

“What's the problem?”

I narrate everything that happened within the last twenty four hours and my need to be updated on Colin's case.

“Ivy did all that?!”

“Yes Laurel. I'm using Colin's phone to call you now as a matter of fact.”

“Colin's phone!” She exclaims.

“Yes, why?”

It goes quiet at the other end for a while.

“Jane, can you do something for me?”

“What? Anything at all to help Colin prove his innocence.”

“I need Colin's phone to gather evidence. I hope you haven't deleted anything on it.”

“No. Just the way Colin left it.”

“Jane, if I help you with all the information you need, can you hand over the phone to me?”

“Sure, but how will I do that?”

“I don't know. Maybe I'll visit Ivy. You'll just leave it where I'll tell you to okay”

“Alright, but please be careful. Ivy thinks that I know nothing and I promised her I'd behave.”

“Don't worry, everything will be okay.”

I end the call. I hope everything will actually be okay. I'm not sure what Laurel has to say but I must be strong to accept whatever it may be.

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Hey readers, I hope your expectations for this novel hasn't changed if it's a good one. Be sure to expect lots of twists in this story, k

Q&A

Who do you think is the main antagonist in this story?