…
“Are you aware that Anna was five months pregnant before her tragic death?” Duke asked, pulling a journal and pen from his pocket and scribbling something.
“I was aware of the pregnancy. But I swear I didn’t kill Anna.”
“I see.” Duke muttered and jotted in his journal. “Did in any way ask Anna to get rid of it?”
Danny ran a hand through his hair and exhaled. “I did. But that was so stupid of me. I wasn’t thinking straight.”
“Umm… were you at—”
“That should be all for now, Detective,” Claud interrupted, stepping back into the room and glaring at him. “My boyfriend will get himself a lawyer in case of another unwarranted visit.”
“We shall meet again, Mr…?”
“Danny,” he replied, shaking Duke’s hand and walking him out.
Once the door was shut, Danny turned to Claud. “Do you by any chance know the detective?”
“I have no idea who he is. He’s disgusting for thinking you would murder Anna just because she decided to keep a baby you didn’t want.” She reclined on the sofa, seething.
Frustrated, Danny walked away without a word.
Some minutes later, when the place seemed quiet, Claud pulled out her phone and made a call.
“You disgust me,” she whispered the moment the receiver picked up. “How dare you come here, pretending to be so skilled at your damn job, asking my boyfriend silly questions knowing fully well he’s innocent? Was that part of the freaking plan?”
She rubbed her temples, her chest rising and falling.
“You freaking killed her, Dad! You didn’t just kill her flowers, you killed her. I never asked you to do that. All I wanted was for you to give her a few jumpscares. Something that might trigger a miscarriage. That way, Danny and I could get married in peace. Your religious family wouldn’t allow us to have our dream wedding if they found out she was carrying his child.”
“You have no idea how much I did to convince him to ask her to terminate it. Before she even told him, he had already found the test results. He wanted her to keep it. But because of me and your overly religious family, he finally agreed to ask her to get rid of it. But her stubborn self refused. All I asked was for a jumpscare to shake her up. But you… you murdered her! Now you want to pin it on Danny?”
“Claud, I’m still your father and I hope you do remember that,” the man on the other end finally said.
“A murderer, you mean.” She clapped back.
“It’s only logical I questioned Danny Claud. He’s the obvious suspect. If I don’t make it look like we’re investigating him, people will suspect you and me especially when they find out you and Danny are dating. You know why? Because everyone in this town knows you’re my stupid daughter. I just wonder why Danny hasn’t figured that out yet.”
Claud fell silent as the detective kept calling her name over the phone.
“Umm… how much did you hear?” she finally asked, panic rising in her voice.
“Enough to know that you and your dad, the so-called detective, murdered Anna,” Danny said from behind, sobbing as he slowly sat on the floor, revealing a gun in his hands, just in case she made a move.
“Danny, I swear it was all him. I didn’t… I would never kill anyone,” she stuttered.
“I planted those flowers for Anna. I went there myself and planted them after we had a fight about you. They were a symbol of my undying love for her, despite everything. You wormed your way into our lives, made her the villain, and painted yourself the victim.”
He paused, shaking with emotion.
“You found out about the date of its planting through a photo I took - one of the flowers’ first bloom. You got mad about it, and I told you it was nothing. I had no idea you’d made a mental note of the date. That you’d plan to kill them on that exact day just to hurt her. As much as I know, those flowers kept her going. Waking up to them looking healthy daily kept Anna good Claud!”
He stopped and sobbed. Claud watched him coldly.
“Enough of this sick story, Dan. If you were that much of a lover boy, nothing would have broken you two apart. But it did because news flash, you’re a weakling,” she sneered.
He peered at her, fury blazing in his eyes. His hands trembled, sweat dripping from his face.
He cocked the gun and pulled the trigger, silencing her forever.
Duke, still on the phone, screamed when he heard the shot. The sound of screeching tires followed.
A minute later, he pulled into the yard, left his car door open, and charged into the house with his gun drawn.
But before he could say a word, a bullet pierced his head - silencing him completely too.
Danny put a call to the police. But by the time they arrived, there was no caller, just three bloodied, lifeless bodies.