Read Online It Never Rhines but It Pours by Erin Evans - Free Book Online
Authors: Erin Evans
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that this was what survivors’ guilt looked like. They almost felt worse over still being alive than they did about losing their friends.
Cecily sat down on the pew next to me, the Sword of Justice clanging on the wooden back. “There was nothing you could have done,” she said calmly. Their faces lightened a little. They wanted to believe that so badly.
“If you had been there you would have died as well,” she continued. “There is little point in beating yourself up about not dying. Your time will come when it was planned. You were not meant to die that day.”
Sarah cleared her throat. “I know the police believe that Richard Parker was the murderer, but is there any chance that someone else might have been responsible?”
The four kids looked at her strangely. “He was a witch,” one explained.
“He worshiped Satan.”
“He told us about other rituals he had been involved in.”
“The police found DNA evidence.”
“Who else could have done it?” They finished and waited for her to respond to their logic.
Sarah looked helplessly at me, “I don’t know,” she shrugged, “I’m just asking if Shane and Julie ever mentioned anyone else that might have wanted them dead.”
All four heads shook. “Everyone loved Shane and Julie,” the leader girl said. “They were popular. Not just with us, but with everyone. The teachers loved them, they never got in trouble with the Headmaster, nobody had any reason to want them dead.” She started to cry again.
I reached out a hand and tentatively patted her on the shoulder. They all seemed to be telling the truth. As far as they knew, there was no one else who could have killed their friends. You have to admit, it made sense. If your friends are killed in a Satanic ritual, it seems logical to assume that the only Satanic ritualist you know would be responsible. Logical, but incorrect. Pravus was innocent, which created this whole mess in the first place.
“We need to go,” I said. “But if you ever need to talk—” Crap. If they need to talk? I couldn’t give them my phone number or email address. The last thing I wanted was for word to get back to the police that some vigilantes were investigating the murders.
“Thanks,” the leader girl said, apparently not noticing my lack of concrete ways to contact me. “We appreciate it.”
“Okay, then,” I gave a half smile. “We’ll see you around.”
The four teenagers turned back to face the front. We were dismissed. I stood and Cecily and Sarah followed me out of the sanctuary.
The doors shut quietly behind us and we exchanged looks. “Well?” I asked.
“Not good,” was Cecily’s answer.
“Why? Other than the obvious.”
“The obvious being, Pravus didn’t do it but it sure looks like he did?” Sarah asked.
“Yeah, that one.”
Cecily sighed, “The evidence makes Pravus guilty.”
“But he is innocent,” I pointed out.
She sighed again. “It doesn’t make sense. He had means, motive, and opportunity.” She ticked them off on her fingers, “He is a witch so he knows how to work a death ritual - means. He would gain a lot of power from a death ritual, especially if the victims were are pure as their friends believe them to be - motive. He was a guest speaker here and both victims had expressed interest in his beliefs outside of class - opportunity.”
I shook my head, “But we know that he didn’t do it. So that means that he was framed. Either the two kids were the prime target and Pravus was a convenient scape-goat, or—”
Sarah finished my thought, “Or Pravus is the target and we need to be looking at people who want him dead!”
Chapter Eight:
Dead End
Back at the hotel that night, I tried to think. It had all started out so simple! Why had I had such a big problem with executing someone? Right now I would be happy to wield the sword myself, anything to finish this craziness! Pravus was innocent, of that much I was sure. So, where to go from there?
Cecily sat down on the pew next to me, the Sword of Justice clanging on the wooden back. “There was nothing you could have done,” she said calmly. Their faces lightened a little. They wanted to believe that so badly.
“If you had been there you would have died as well,” she continued. “There is little point in beating yourself up about not dying. Your time will come when it was planned. You were not meant to die that day.”
Sarah cleared her throat. “I know the police believe that Richard Parker was the murderer, but is there any chance that someone else might have been responsible?”
The four kids looked at her strangely. “He was a witch,” one explained.
“He worshiped Satan.”
“He told us about other rituals he had been involved in.”
“The police found DNA evidence.”
“Who else could have done it?” They finished and waited for her to respond to their logic.
Sarah looked helplessly at me, “I don’t know,” she shrugged, “I’m just asking if Shane and Julie ever mentioned anyone else that might have wanted them dead.”
All four heads shook. “Everyone loved Shane and Julie,” the leader girl said. “They were popular. Not just with us, but with everyone. The teachers loved them, they never got in trouble with the Headmaster, nobody had any reason to want them dead.” She started to cry again.
I reached out a hand and tentatively patted her on the shoulder. They all seemed to be telling the truth. As far as they knew, there was no one else who could have killed their friends. You have to admit, it made sense. If your friends are killed in a Satanic ritual, it seems logical to assume that the only Satanic ritualist you know would be responsible. Logical, but incorrect. Pravus was innocent, which created this whole mess in the first place.
“We need to go,” I said. “But if you ever need to talk—” Crap. If they need to talk? I couldn’t give them my phone number or email address. The last thing I wanted was for word to get back to the police that some vigilantes were investigating the murders.
“Thanks,” the leader girl said, apparently not noticing my lack of concrete ways to contact me. “We appreciate it.”
“Okay, then,” I gave a half smile. “We’ll see you around.”
The four teenagers turned back to face the front. We were dismissed. I stood and Cecily and Sarah followed me out of the sanctuary.
The doors shut quietly behind us and we exchanged looks. “Well?” I asked.
“Not good,” was Cecily’s answer.
“Why? Other than the obvious.”
“The obvious being, Pravus didn’t do it but it sure looks like he did?” Sarah asked.
“Yeah, that one.”
Cecily sighed, “The evidence makes Pravus guilty.”
“But he is innocent,” I pointed out.
She sighed again. “It doesn’t make sense. He had means, motive, and opportunity.” She ticked them off on her fingers, “He is a witch so he knows how to work a death ritual - means. He would gain a lot of power from a death ritual, especially if the victims were are pure as their friends believe them to be - motive. He was a guest speaker here and both victims had expressed interest in his beliefs outside of class - opportunity.”
I shook my head, “But we know that he didn’t do it. So that means that he was framed. Either the two kids were the prime target and Pravus was a convenient scape-goat, or—”
Sarah finished my thought, “Or Pravus is the target and we need to be looking at people who want him dead!”
Chapter Eight:
Dead End
Back at the hotel that night, I tried to think. It had all started out so simple! Why had I had such a big problem with executing someone? Right now I would be happy to wield the sword myself, anything to finish this craziness! Pravus was innocent, of that much I was sure. So, where to go from there?
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