SUBSTITUTE FOR HALLIE TORRE
*I'm crazy.*
*I don't know what to do. I'm fvcking scared. I'm curled up. I'm fvcked, Edna. It's so scary here. It's so dark. Why am I trapped in here? Edna! Edna! Take me out! Please, Edna. I'm scared, it's so dark (choking), it's so...so dark(sobbing) Edna!!!!*
Her eyes flickered opened as she looked at the bright sky and the students surrounded her, Gary's head was particularly close while Logan stood aloof, a little bit far away, his hands pocketed in a style only an hot guy could do.
She stood up quickly, rage settling in her veins, in hear head, in her eyes.
"How dare you take me here?" She shot angrily, her hands flying to his chest. Logan didn't flinch or move all the time that she hit him crazily.
"Are you crazy? I'm talking to you!" She shot, hardening her punches until Gary held both of her from behind and forced her to turn to him.
"What are you doing?" Gary asked, his voice low.
"Can't you see? He brought me here. He fvcking brought me here when he knows how much I hate to see it." Hallie said, frowning tightly.
"Brought you here?" Gary raised an eyebrow and shook his head slowly, staring deep at her, "Hallie, you walked here yourself." He said and she pursed her lips, trying to process his words. However that didn't last long before she dragged her hands away and fired,
"Are you crazy? Didn't you see him drag me out of class and bring me to the field?" She shot.
"That was one week ago." Kozette said and Hallie looked at her,
"What?" She muttered unbelievably.
**...**
Jerald switched off his car engine but stayed in it, watching Edna's bungalow for a long time. His breathe deepened as he trained his gaze on it for a long time.
His hands clenched the steering tightly, his eyes reddening and his face hardening tightly.
"Edna. I'll take care of it for you," He gritted through his clenched teeth, "Don't worry, some heads are rolling towards your way in just a bit." He smirked.
His gaze was distracted by the ringing of his phone and he picked it without checking the caller ID.
"What's it?" He asked.
"There's no traces of anything, Jerald. The last place she went was school and she had not been seen after that. I tried to hack into your school's portal but it wasn't working too. There was change of cameras that day, so nothing was captured." The person on the phone said.
"You are sure the last place she went to was school? What about her part time jobs? She didn't go?"
"No," He sighed in response, "Tracking her phone, the last place she went was her school." He said.
Jerald nodded, flexing his arms as he rested his head on the steering, closing his eyes.
"Thank you." He breathed out and cut the call before "You're welcome" could come in.
"I'm going to find them. I swear." He muttered.
**...**
"I think she's crazy."
"She's not crazy, Logan. All she needs is time...to heal."
"To heal from what, dad? From being a murderer?" Logan raised his brows as he continued cutting the steak on his plate without looking at his father. Therefore, he didn't notice how hard his father clenched his knife and fork at that moment.
"Don't forget you are an accomplice to murder for not saying anything! If Hallie Torre goes down, we all do." Jacob said sternly and Logan cocked his head towards him.
"I don't know what they have on you, dad." He said plainly, looking at his father seriously, "You want me to marry into their family forcefully. Why?"
"Because that would bring more power! Our forces would be unbreakable! Our children and their children and children's children would be heads. There's no bringing the Alston family down, boy." Jacob said, getting annoyed.
"I think there's more to that." Logan smirked and Jacob frowned angrily, so he didn't say anything else.
"Hey, have some spaghetti." Rita said, passing a plate towards Logan few seconds after she came out of the kitchen.
"Mom, sit down." Logan said and placed a plate of spaghetti in front of her too, "Eat." He said and Rita gulped, staring at her son, before she smiled.
"You are growing up, Logan." She said but Logan didn't say another word. He just kept on eating his dinner while occasionally stealing glances at her and yes, she was eating up. But little...by little. He sighed and concentrated on his food, before his phone beeped on the table.
Jacob's eyes flickered towards the phone and Logan immediately placed his hand on it, shoving the phone down his pocket.
"What was that?" Jacob asked and Logan gulped slowly.
"We have a group. Our school chat."
"About?" Jacob probed.
"Edna's murder. Others are wondering what's wrong, how did she die." Logan said, eating as if somethings was not going to come up next. Jacob leaned closer to him, his hands pressing on the table hardly.
"Son, you are my child. The president's child. You shouldn't be found in such groups. Exit it before tomorrow morning." With that, Jacob got up and exited the dining room. Logan nodded his head nonchalantly as he continued eating his food.
"You cook well." He said and Rita chuckled a bit, staring at him.
"You say that everyday." She said.
"Because it's true." Logan turned to look at her, a smile flashing on his face.
"I know." She smiled too, wider, her dentition showing brightly.
"If you know that, then why aren't you eating much?" He asked and she stared at her plate. It was still full as she had been eating the spaghetti strand by strand.
"Mom." Logan called and stretched his hand to take hers, "I'm sorry." He muttered.
"For what, darling?" Rita's voice was shaky though she managed to place a smile on her face.
"I don't want to leave you with dad. That's the main reason I don't want to get married to Hallie Torre. Besides, she's not a good daughter in law for you." Logan said, "and then I disappointed you by being involved in a murder. I know you are burdened."
"No, darling. It's not your fault, okay? Don't take that to heart, hmm?" Rita placed her hand, swiping across Logan's cheek and he held her hand slowly.
"I'm going to take care of it." He said calmly, "I am. And I'm gonna take care of you too."
Rita smiled, her eyes teary as she nodded her head many times, "Do it. As long as you are happy, baby." She said and Logan laughed, licking his upper lips.
"Don't calm me baby. That's so childish." He said.
"But you are a baby to me."
"Mom, I'm almost nineteen." He shot.
"Still."
After dinner, Logan went into his room and took a shower in his bathroom before picking his phone. He tapped the notification and read the message.
'It's ready, boss. Check the file.'
Logan smirked and sat down in front of the laptop, clicking on the file.
*Why should I? Are you going to tell them to beat me up again if I refuse?*
*Yes I will, so sit down!*
*Arrghhhhhh!!*
*Edna!!!!!*
Logan smirked as he watched the video, playing it over and over again, no matter how many times it stopped.
"Only you and Principal Howart has it." Another message popped it.
"I think he's going to use it for something. Blackmail, maybe?" Another message.
"Where was he last seen?" Logan sent a reply.
"At a bar. With an unknown man. I'm behind him currently, few chairs away." The reply.
"Others won't speak. They are too scared to talk at all, including Hallie, though sometimes she acts mad. But Howart.....there's no saying to him. So .....take care of him."
"Okay, boss."