Chapter Three

Sheriff Jenkins leans back in his chair, eyes fixed on Jasher. "So, Jasher, I understand you were one of the last people to see Veronica alive?"

Jasher nods, his eyes cast downward. "Yes, sir. We went out for coffee the night before……She.. she…” he trails off. “Was she murdered?”

The sheriff's expression is neutral. "Can you tell me about your relationship with Veronica?"

Jasher shrugs. "We started dating a few weeks ago. It was casual, nothing serious."

The sheriff scribbles some notes on his pad. "Did Veronica mention anything unusual or concerning to you during your time together?"

Jasher hesitates, his eyes flicking up to meet the sheriff's gaze. "She mentioned some stuff about her ex-boyfriend, Coleson. Said he was bothering her, but she didn't seem too worried about it."

The sheriff's eyes narrows. "Coleson, huh? My son. We'll look into that. Anything else you think might be relevant?"

Jasher shakes his head. "No, sir. I wish I could help more, but I really don't know anything about what happened to Veronica."

The sheriff's gaze lingers on Jasher for a moment before he nods. "Alright, Jasher. You're free to go. But if you remember anything, you contact me directly, got it?"

Jasher nods, relief washing over his face as he stands up to leave. "Yes, sir. Thank you."

As Jasher exits the sheriff's office, the lawman's eyes follow him, his mind working overtime to piece together the events surrounding Veronica's tragic demise.

Billie trudges through the front door, dropping her backpack on the floor. "Hey, Mom."

Her mom, seated on the couch, looks up from her book. "Hey, sweetie! How was your day?"

Billie flops down beside her, running a hand through her hair. "It was okay, I guess. You're home early, how was work?"

Her mom nods sympathetically. "I know it's tough, but you'll settle in soon. I heard some disturbing news at work today, it's why we were allowed to leave early."

Billie raises an eyebrow. "What happened?"

Her mom hesitates, as if unsure how much to share. "One of my coworkers mentioned a girl around your age was found dead in town. Veronica, I think her name was. The police are investigating, but it's all very unsettling."

Billie's eyes widen. "I heard that in school too! Do they know what happened to her?"

Her mom shakes her head. "From what I heard, it's still a mystery. But it's got everyone in town talking and speculating. I just wanted to make sure you're being careful and aware of your surroundings, okay?"

Billie nods, her mind racing with questions and concerns. "Yeah, Mom, I'll be careful. Do they know if it was an accident or...something else?"

Her mom's expression turns grave. "From what I heard, it doesn't seem like an accident. But let's not speculate, okay? We'll wait for the police to figure out what happened."

Billie's thoughts linger on the mysterious death, her mind wandering to the possibilities. She can't shake the feeling that something dark was lurking beneath the surface of their new town.

“Great. We move to a new place and someone dies.”

As they sit in silence, Billie's mom reaches out and puts a hand on her knee. "Hey, I know this is a lot to take in. But we'll face it together, okay? We'll get through this, just like we always do."

Billie forces a smile, feeling a mix of gratitude and worry. She knows her mom is trying to reassure her, but she can't help feeling like they were both walking into a storm, blind and unprepared.

She nods, trying to appear reassuring, but as soon as she excuses herself to go to her room, her mind races back to Veronica's death. She flops onto her bed, grabbing her phone to browse the local news.

The headlines pop up, each one more sensational than the last: "Teenage Girl Found Dead in Mysterious Circumstances", "Veronica's Tragic End: Police Baffled by Lack of Leads", "Small Town Rocked by Brutal Murder".

Billie's eyes scan the articles, her heart sinking with each new detail. The police were stumped, and the town was on edge. She couldn't believe this was happening in their new home.

As she delves deeper into the news, Billie stumbles upon a comment section filled with speculation and theories. Some people suspected a serial killer, while others believed it was a crime of passion.

One comment catches her eye: "I heard she was dating a guy named Jasher. Anyone know if he's been questioned by the police?"

Another comment. “Jasher wouldn't have the balls to kill her even if a knife was placed in his hands. Lol.”

Who the hell is jasher?

She feels a shiver run down her spine as she realizes that this is her reality now, everything she thinks she knows about their new town is about to change.