Wild Stories 2- Unexplained Happenings

Chapter Ten: A Conviction

Ubel nodded confidently.

"It's Ms. Clemmons."

"Sir, I really don't think-"

"Of course you don't, that's my job." He chuckled to himself, before continuing.

"I've just come back from talking with the Flowers and the others. She was sorting laundry detergent, yes? The same kind that killed Mary. And, no one else had a key to the storeroom. "

"Except for the Flowers."

"Hmm. Yes I suppose. But they're upstanding citizens, why would they want to do her harm? Anyway, and this is the big clue, Ms. Clemmons used to wear a gold necklace. It went missing yesterday, and that same necklace was at the scene of the crime. Crowley, if you would."

Crowly nodded hesitantly before walking briskly down the hallway.

"Ms. Clemmons seems to be under the impression the Flowers were somehow connected to it."

"Yes, well she'd say anything at this point, wouldn't she? Good work Crowley."

He said as Crowly led the women down the stairs, and to the police car outside.

Jack's eyes locked with Susie's as she was pushed into the car, and he felt sick. He saw a flash of gold and squinted at it.

He got back to the hotel and found Wild bouncing with excitement. Wild pulled him over to a couch and plopped him into it, grin only fading when he noticed Jack's concern.

"Jackie?"

"What did you find Wild?" Till asked from a seat opposite them. Adams and Mr. Hawke were there too and they were all gathered in the lobby of the Hawke Inn on green fake leather couches.

"Sorry, Jack's just worried about something. What's the problem Jackathon?"

"Oh uh, it's not important."

"'Course it is, if it's worrying you."

Jack sighed and looked nervously at the whole group, who were now peering at him intently.

"Susie Clemmons has been charged with Mary's murder."

"No." Mr. Hawke said firmly. "They've got the wrong person, it isn't her. I've known that girl all her life, basically a third child to me. She wouldn't do that to Mary."

"I think so too. They have her necklace as evidence, but that could have been planted. And the fact that she had access to the new laundry detergent, but so did the Flowers. And anyone with decent lock-picking skills. And she was wearing a gold necklace, when she was arrested. It could be a different one..."

Till frowned, as though she was deep in thought about something.

Wild sighed and sat back. "Well, we have to consider another obvious suspect."

They all look at him in confusion, and he looked back at them all, completely serious.

"Aliens."

"Wild-"

"That's why we came here! You saw something strange in the woods the night she died and there was glowing goo all over the crime scene. It's at least worth looking into."

"We should be focusing on likely things, not alien interference. I know you were excited about that, but we have to focus on Mary."

"No it's not like that. This is a big piece of the case, I know it. These things shouldn't be dismissed out of hand, even if it's unlikely.

We can't look for what we think will be, we have to look for what is."

Jack acquiesced with a small shake of his head. "Speaking of which, didn't you find something?"