The Victim's Boyfriend

"SO, what's brought you to Liddenville, 'cause I certainly haven't seen you here before.", Josh said.

"Oh so you're the guy who knows everyone here.", Madisyn said, she was getting comfortable with him but not letting her guard down. She could use this to her advantage. If he knew everyone here he would probably have speculations as to who could have committed the murder. Sure, she wouldn't base her investigation on that but she would consider it.

"Kind of, yeah.", he said with his charming smile again.

"Well I'm a detective, and that's Ian, my work partner.", she explained.

"Oh, no wonder. So why are you here?", he asked.

"I'm helping the sheriff investigate the murder of a lady named Sarah, obviously you would know her.", Madisyn said and his expression dropped, this Madisyn noticed.

"W... what? Did you know her personally?", she asked sounding concerned.

"No, I mean yeah I was just very close to her.", he said vaguely and Madisyn didn't press further.

"Well I'm sorry about that.", she said and in an attempt to lift the mood, "Don't you fear 'cause Madisyn is here.", she said feigning utmost bravery and at this, he chuckled.

He asked for her number and they both put their numbers on each other's phones.

"So Maddie when did you guys arrive?", he asked.

"Today."

"Huh. I suppose you haven't been around town yet.", he said.

"No. Why?", she asked.

"Would you be free tomorrow to have a tour? It could just be both of us.", he said and she smirked.

"Are you... asking me out?", she asked tilting her head slightly with a small smile.

"If you say so.", he shrugged.

"I didn't, I'm just asking.", she said and laughed.

Josh was about to say something when Madisyn looked up to see Ian approaching.

"Hey Ian, this is Josh, and Josh this is Ian.", she said and Josh turned to look at Ian who was looking at him cautiously.

"Hey.", Ian said, narrowing his eyes.

"Hey.", Josh said casually and oblivious to Ian's scrutinising stare.

"Madisyn. I'm heading back, c'mon, we should go now.", Ian said abruptly with an edge in his tone and Madisyn looked at him to see him looking at Josh.

"Awww. Are you done with your waitress friend?", she joked but Ian didn't smile.

"She's not my friend now c'mon.", he said and was about to take Madisyn's bag when Josh stopped him.

"If Maddie doesn't want to go yet, it's fine. I'll drop her off when she's ready.", he said.

"Maddie?", Ian asked and looked at her.

"Oh don't worry Josh. I'll be going now. But we'll meet tomorrow then?", she asked to confirm.

"Sure, I'm looking forward to it.", he said flashing her his smile once more.

She returned it and left to go after Ian who had left. She got in the car and Ian seemed to be angry.

"What's up with you, did your waitress friend turn you down.", she started as he drove off.

"She's not my friend.", he snapped.

"Woah! Sorry about that.", she said raising her hands in surrender.

"What were you and that dude talking about?", Ian asked.

"First, that dude is Josh and second, it's none of your business.", she said defiantly.

"None of my business.", he flared. "You've forgotten why we came here. There was a murder Madisyn and anyone could be the suspect.", he said.

"You think I'm not aware of that.", she said trying to be calm. "You were the one who left to flirt with a waitress.", she said.

"I didn't go to flirt.", he said.

"Ooh. By the way, your eyes were following her waist like some lost puppy, you most definitely didn't go to flirt. How could you have?", she said, sarcasm dripping off every word.

"I actually talked with her and do you know what I found out.", he started.

"Please enlighten me.", she said rudely.

"That Josh guy you were talking to, was Sarah's boyfriend.", he said and that shut Madisyn for a while.

No wonder he was saddened when I brought her up, she thought. He probably didn't want me to bother.

"He didn't tell you that, did he? Of course, he didn't.", Ian said, answering his question. "Obviously because he didn't want you asking him questions. For all we know, he might even be related to the murder.", he said and Madisyn rolled her eyes.

"Oh please. The sheriff had already cleared him out.", she said still in thought. Josh seemed innocent enough, but she knew better than to let people of her watch list just because they seemed innocent as she had learned, more times than one, that it was those kind of people she had to have extra surveillance on.

"Do you seriously believe that guy.", Ian said, his voice calming down. "I mean, did you see his board, it wasn't like a murder case board.", Ian said and Madisyn shrugged in agreement.

"Well, he might not just have enough suspects.", she said as they left the issue of Josh without them realising.

"Nah. He could be hiding something. From the look on his face, it was clear he didn't like the fact that we're here.", Ian said much calmly, now back to his normal self.

"But what could he be hiding?", she asked as the motel came into view.

"For starters, he didn't tell us he had a daughter."

"Well, that's personal, what would...."

"A daughter whom the deceased always picked up from school and had some sort of relationship with.", he said and Madisyn didn't say anything for a while.

"Okay, this is what I'll do. When I go out with Josh tomo...."

"He asked you out?!"

"Well no, not really, he....",

"What do you mean not really?", he asked and Madisyn just sighed before leaving the car as they had now reached the motel.

Ian had to turn off the car and gather his stuff before he could leave. And when he got down he had to jog up to Madisyn and ask her again but she kept telling him it wasn't his business till she bade him good night and slammed her room door in his face.

》》》》》

Miles sat waiting and once the bell dinged he looked up to see Pablo and Lisa heading his way. They sat and ordered their drinks.

"What took you guys so long?", Miles asked. The reason was that Lisa was so desperate to find something in Hugh's house so they still searched even when it was obvious Hugh left nothing.

"We didn't find anything in Hugh's apartment.", Pablo said.

"So he's really gone then.", Miles muttered. "But Pablo you're his best bud, how do you not know about this?", Miles asked.

"Beats me.", he shrugged.

"So what'd you want to tell us Miles?", Lisa asked.

"Oh yeah. So you remember when I said I was gonna call my uncle to bring in new detectives? So yeah, he did.", Miles explained.

"New detectives, not bad huh?", Pablo said to Lisa.

"Yeah. Plus, uncle says they're skilled and haven't missed a case.", Miles continued.

"That's hard to believe.", Lisa said.

"Well believe it alright. 'Cause I believe that they are gonna get Sarah's murderer.", Miles said.

Just then, the bell dinged and they looked up to see Raven with an angry look. She ordered a black coffee and was about to head to another table when she saw them and stomped towards them.

She sat quietly with a look that showed she was furiously thinking.

It was until Ana gave her her coffee and left that Miles asked.

"What's got you all pissed?", he asked.

"Yeah Raves it's been long since I saw you this angry.", Pablo said.

"Sidney.", she muttered.

"The principal, how much of a bitch is she anyway?", Miles asked.

"Yeah, does this have to do with the extra lessons?", Lisa asked and Raven stared at her with a blank expression.

"What extra lessons?", she asked.

Raven had told Lisa earlier that she couldn't follow them to Hugh's house 'cause she was giving some extra lessons at school.

"You know, the ones you said you were doing at school so you couldn't come to Hugh's p...."

"Oh yeah, yeah.",

"Wow, your mind's really jumbled. You need some rest.", Miles said.

"Yeah.", Lisa said. "And if Sidney's working you too hard you should let her know.", Lisa added.

"Yeah, give her a piece of your mind, you're not the only teacher in that school.", Miles said and Raven nodded as she sipped her coffee.

"Thanks. Anyways what were you guys talking about here?", Raven asked.

"Miles told us that his uncle brought in new detectives.", Pablo said.

"Oh.", Raven said like she already knew that.

"Did you know that?", Lisa asked.

"Oh that. No, I didn't. I thought it was something related to Sarah. Or Hugh.", Raven replied.

"Well, we've got nothing on Hugh. He just up and vanished in the dead of the night leaving us to wonder whether he actually committed the murder.", Miles said.

"But you're seriously not thinking Hugh did it are you?", Pablo asked sharply.

"Pablo here is so sure Hugh didn't do it.", Lisa said as her eyes were cast on another table and Pablo looked at her like she had two heads.

"You guys are seriously not thinking Hugh did this, I mean you heard him at..."

"You know what. We all need rest now. We should just get home and sleep.", Miles interrupted then turned to Lisa. "Lisa you with your car right?", he asked.

"Yeah.", she said.

"Good, so you can play driver tonight.", he said jovially and she smiled.

"You guys go ahead. I'm not heading home now.", Raven said and Lisa gave her a concerned look. She was staying at Raven's place for now. She had been there since the night the sheriff came to tell them about Hugh's flight from town.

"You sure?", she asked.

"Yeah.", Raven said and they got up and left.

Miles's house was closer than Pablo's house so she dropped him off first. Then it was just her and Pablo.

"You can head to your house, I'll get home by myself.", Pablo said since her house was nearer and if she was going to drop him at his house she would divert from hers.

"What? No. First, I'm staying at Raven's and you heard Miles, I'm playing driver tonight.", she said jovially.

"But I'm stressing you. First, you came to get me at the station then to my house, then Hugh's, then the diner and now back to my house.", he said.

"Hey, do you hear me complaining? No. So don't worry.", she said.

"You won't but I'm sure your car's complaining. I've been hearing some weird sounds all day.", he joked.

"What. And you didn't tell me.", she said, her smile evident from her tone.

"Yeah, yeah whatever. You're just too good.", he said as they entered his street.

"Aww. Thanks. But I'll do anything for my friends and you know, you're my second best.", she said.

"Second best huh?", he asked.

"Yep.", she said and she stopped the car in his driveway.

"Wanna come in? I could microwave something for you.", he said. She glanced at the time, eight-fifteen. "Plus, the apartment's still cosy.", he added.

His apartment was nice. He had got it when he was done with college. It was simple. Small compared to Hugh's, but simple. Lisa always liked his apartment 'cause she said it had this cosy air to it.

"Oh, never mind. It's getting late. But thanks for the offer.", she politely declined. Pablo waited for a while. Then Lisa spoke.

"You know we have to find something. It's been like two weeks and we don't even have anything on anyone.", Lisa said.

"So you've finally left the fact that Hugh did it.", Pablo said but she didn't say anything for a while.

"What'd you say we play our own detective.", Pablo said and she looked at him.

"What? Two of us?", she asked.

"Well yeah. I mean, Raven seems too stressed to involve in this stuff. Remember the day after the murder, she said we shouldn't play table detectives and let Robin deal with it.", Pablo said.

"Yeah.", Lisa agreed.

"Plus Miles seems so confident in these new detectives who have never missed a case. But we can't fully trust them when it comes to Sarah. We don't even know if they've arrived, no one's said anything about them.", Pablo said and Lisa thought of the fact.

They could get clues and if possible solve it themselves. But....

"But the person is so skilled I mean, two weeks and we haven't found anything, at all.", she said.

"Maybe that's because Robin's not searching properly.", he said.

"Fine. Sarah was our friend. This is what she would've wanted, for us to find her murderer.", Lisa said determinedly.

"Great. We'll start tomorrow.", Pablo said and she nodded before they bade goodbye.

So what do you guys think? Are Lisa and Pablo gonna find anything on this skilled murderer? And yeah who do you have as your prime suspect so far, and why?

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SJ💝