The Secrets Within Pages

"Never doubt thy love."

"I'm telling you, it's him." I say, trying to convince Hart.

"Yeah, well you said that last time and it wasn't. So, sorry if I don't believe you." He replies sharply, as he stands up, coming closer to me.

To which Golding approaches, staring him down. Hart looks up at him, only reaching his chest.

"Hart, please. We were there when he auctioned off Vincent's painting. Golding is the one who bought it. How would he have access to that artwork, especially so soon after Vincent's death?" I plead.

"If I were you, I'd listen to her. She's found out more useful information in two days than you and you're team have in the last month this case has been open." Golding sneers. "And come at her like that again... I don't care if you're the fucking priminister, I'll rearrange your jaw."

My eyes widen, mouth sealed shut. I feel the power and earnesty in his words vibrate through the room.

Hart looks at me.

"Don't look at her, look at me." Golding spits, fisting his shirt.

"Hey!" Shouts Sonders, rushing to them.

At that, Silas throws him down sending him into a fit of stumbles.

"I can have you arrested for assault, you hear me!" She says, helping Hart regain his stance.

"How about you arrest the murderer first." Silas retorts.

"Put him on a leash." Sonders spits, looking at me.

"He's not the one barking like a dog, refusing to look into a suspect." I quip, looking at Hart.

"Enough!" He says. "Clearly, we're all a bit tense. I'll look into Karvish Dalal but he couldn't have killed Vincent because he was in town the night Vincent died. Having said that, back in 86' he got into a nasty fight with Osbourne and according to members of their class, he had a lot of animosity towards him."

"So, you're saying you think there's two killers?" I ask.

"I'm saying I want to exhaust every explanation we can because whoever is doing this is calculated and unexpected." He explains.

"How do you propose we do that?" Golding asks to no one in particular.

I think for a moment. All the people that have been killed so far make up the class of 88', if we can figure out a way to get that whole year group together in one room it shouldn't be that difficult to sniff out the suspects, especially if we invite Karvish and see how he interacts with his classmates all the while getting him to confess or slip up.

"We should throw a ball." I blurt.

They all look at me confused, almost on the verge of laughter. With a quizzical brow, Noelle asks, "How would a ball help us find the killer? You're putting everyone who would attend at risk if the murderer does show up."

"We plant police into the guest list. They dress up and come as guests, if anything suspicious happens they'll be there." I amend.

"But we already have a suspect."

"Exactly, a suspect. You want more evidence? Then we invite Kavish and see how he reacts when we aggravate him with reminders of Osbourne. And if Kavish isn't the murderer, we have a pool of suspects as they're all from the same class. The murderer is one of them, I guarantee it." I expound. "Do you really have any other choice? You have a serial on your hands and he's moving quick. Do you really want another life lost before you decide to do something?"

Noelle and Griffin look at each other.

"Okay. We'll alert our staff to prepare to go undercover as guests. We'll hold the ball in the Victorian ballroom in Oxfordshire." Noelle agrees.