COLD

°Chapter Six°

======Dear Diary======

Wesley and I have been together for a week now...

It's been the best week ever!!! I f*****g love college! No, I f*****g love college because of Wesley...

We are officially dating. Not that he's said it but he texts me daily, he takes me out for lunch dates. He asked me out for a dinner date but my mom is very strict. I can't dare tell her about having a boyfriend, let alone ask for permission to go on dinner date at night! She would FREAAKKK out!

And the best thing ever, he has introduced me to all his friends ; Hunter, Tyler, Jacob and Blake. That pretty much means what we have is serious and he takes it seriously.

I like Hunter most.

He's the closest to Wesley.

So if Hunter likes me, Wesley will love me more.

Hunter sweetly said today that I'm part of 'The gang.' We are starting to get pretty close which I don't mind. We text a lot since he got my number. He even calls me sometimes. He doesn't have a girlfriend but I'll get him one since we're friends now.

He's a great guy and he deserves to be with a great girl.

The other boys don't seem much interested in me but with time, I plan to win all of their hearts...

I'll win their hearts just like I won Hunter's.

Because of this, I'll make Wesley love me more...

There's nothing I will not do for the love of my life, Wes.

❤️❤️❤️

*****

Crime scene investigators and The Law enforcement flooded every corner of Mrs. Yang's house. They walked around, taking pictures and videos of the corpse and crime scene.

The corpse lay dead on the couch. One bullet to the forehead. Two bullets to the chest. The eerie "cross with a tail" sign was drawn on her forehead, her tongue missing from her mouth. The crime scene investigators surrounded the corpse, their cameras flashing.

Detective Megan Wolf paced around the living room, stern and serious, hands dug in the pockets of her black trousers. She glanced around the crime scene, trying to find something that looked odd.

But nothing.

They found the room neat and tidy. Mrs. Yang's lifeless body lying on the couch. Two glasses of wine on the table.

"Somebody must have come over to see her last night," Darren said behind her as he stared at the table.

"Perhaps it was the killer," she responded, turning to look at him.

"Perhaps it wasn't," he said. "Perhaps it was a friend that came over to offer their condolences..."

"Or, perhaps it was a friend that turned into a killer," she winked at him. "BAM! Case solved. We are both right!"

Darren chuckled. "You really love being right, huh!"

"It's just a weakness," she said flatly. "I'm always right."

She sauntered towards the couch where the body was lying and stood, horrified by her gruesome killing. She crossed her arms against her chest and looked at Darren.

"Ms. Yang's tongue wasn't cut out?" she asked him sternly.

"No."

"So, that's the only difference with this murder?"

"Uh-huh. This is now a pattern. Three bullets. Slit throat. Some creepy sign."

She nodded. "I think the sign is from some cult the killer believes in... A cross with a small tail at the bottom? It sure sounds like a cult!"

"That's the first thing I thought..."

"And that perhaps might be the motive. The killer is doing this for the cult."

Darren was deep in thought. The only suspect they had was Hunter. From the interview and how he talked, he didn't seem like he had anything to do with these murders.

Could he be part of the cult?

And if it's a cult, it meant that there were a group of people in it. People who were willing to kill. This scared Darren. He knew if it's a cult, these killings were nowhere near an end.

"Or maybe, this was done by someone Mrs. Yang didn't get along with... An enemy perhaps... Someone they had a disagreement with..." she suggested.

He shook his head. "That's impossible. This all started with a dead frog in Wesley Wood's desk with the same cult sign. It's tongue cut out-"

"Wait, the frog's tongue was cut out."

"You heard me right."

"Then, why wasn't Audrey's?"

"Maybe he was in a rush killing Audrey..."

"Perhaps he didn't have time," she added.

"That may be. But one thing is for sure, this is someone they know. There's no sign of forced entry in both murders. The doorlocks are still intact. No sign of any fights that occurred. Everything is still in place."

She sighed. "This is scary. Welcoming someone that cuts out the very tongue you used let them in."

"We are dealing with someone s******c here."

Megan tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear. "That kid Hunter James doesn't seem like a killer..."

"Well killers don't seem like killers."

"From the interview I watched with you and him, I don't think he is the killer. His mannerisms. The way he talked... No," she said firmly. "But... He's definitely connected somehow to all this..."

"So is Wesley Wood..."

"Perhaps they are both part of the cult..." she added.

"Wesley and Hunter claim they have never seen that sign before..."

"They could be lying..." Megan suggested. "They should both take a polygraph test."

"Wesley Wood is not a suspect," said Darren. "The dead frog was put in his desk and he called the police when he found Audrey's body."

"He could have done that all by himself for all I know... In the two years I've been doing this, I know killers are very good at fooling everyone around them and covering their tracks. Wesley Wood could be doing that."

Darren hated that she had a point. Looking at it, Wesley had a motive. He finds out that Audrey was sleeping with his best friend. He kills her and tries to frame Hunter for the murder.

But, why would he go to the extent of killing Mrs. Yang? It all didn't make any sense whatsoever to him. Nothing was adding up.

"That anonymous call this morning," said Darren. "I couldn't help but notice... It sounded so much like Hunter's."

Someone had called his office early in the morning to let him know Mrs. Yang was dead. The voice sounded cold and off but what he noticed most about it, is how much similar it sounded to Hunter's.

Darren's phone rang in his pocket.

Dr. Julia Brown.

He quickly picked up the call.

"Hunter's DNA is a match."

****

Tyler and Rence stood at the doorstep, waiting for Hunter to open the door. They had come to check up on Hunter who had missed school for two days now.

Wesley had also missed school for the second time today. But for him, Tyler had gone to see him in the evening the previous day. Wes had called him in panic and crying, saying he desperately needed someone to talk to. He found him completely freaked out and confused, drowning in a string of strong emotions. He looked like someone insane. Audrey's case was driving him nuts. But discovering his best friend was gay and that he was involved with the murder of Audrey blew his mind. He felt betrayed. He had lost it.

Ty and Rence went to check up on Hunter because no one had heard from him for two days now. They had all thought of going to see him but thought that maybe he didn't want any disturbance. So at the cafeteria that day, they had decided to go check up on him.

Jacob and Blake chose to go visit Wesley. Rence and Tyler settled on seeing Hunter.

Hunter opened the door before they could knock a third time. His hair was tousled and shaggy. His face was blank. His eyes sunken and cold.

It was 3:09pm but he was still in his pajamas which looked dirty and creased up. It was clear he had spent most of his time in the comfort of his bed.

"You look like s**t dude!" Rence teased as he chortled.

But neither Tyler nor Hunter laughed at that. They were both surprised that he'd make a joke at such a time.

"Get in," he muttered as he paved way for them to enter.

He made sure to lock the door and recheck if it was completely locked.

Rence was about to sit on the couch in the living room when Hunter suddenly stopped him.

"To my bedroom."

Rence and Tyler shuffled as Hunter strode on the corridor leading to his room.

Once in his room, he plonked on the bed and heaved a sigh.

"You must have all heard by now."

"Heard what?" Rence asked curiously. "That Audrey is dead?"

"No. I'm... I'm gay," he admitted.

"No you don't look happy at all," said Rence.

"No... I'm gay gay. GAY!!!"

Rence's jaw dropped. "Gay??? You fall inlove with MEN!!!"

Hunter nodded, his head facing the floor.

He didn't care if they knew anymore. He had lived with this secret all these years and it was time to come out of the closet. Furthermore, Wesley had been watching the interview he had and he heard him admitting to that stupid lying Detective about being inlove with him. There was nothing to lose now. He had lost his best friend who meant everything to him.

Since the interview, Wes had not talked to him. He tried to run after him at the station but he sped away in his car furiously. Their friendship would never be the same again. That broke his heart.

Rence looked at Ty. "You don't look shocked!"

Tyler cleared his throat. "Wes told me."

Rence let out a bark of laughter. "I'm the only one who didn't know! Wow!"

Ty glared at him. "This is not about you, dude! We came to check up on our friend!" he said sharply and turned to Hunter. "How are you man? Wes told me about the interview... Are you okay?"

"Okay?" he retorted. "How can I be okay with everything going on? Audrey is dead! The police are so on me they even took my DNA! Her phone and laptop were found in my room! They are taking both her belongings as evidence! They found my phone in her room! They claim I'm the last person to have seen her alive! And then Wes isn't talking to me! He hates me because I'm gay! And now Mrs. Yang is dead... "

Tyler's eyes flew open and Rence gasped.

" What the f**k! " he blurt out.

"The police are doing a horrible job! That killer should be caught by now!" Rence grumbled. "Poor sweet woman... And the way she cooked us nice food... She loved me..."

"She loved everyone," Ty corrected.

Rence rolled his eyes.

Hunter stood from the bed and paced from corner to corner nervously.

"Guys... I think someone is setting me up!" He said in fright.

"But, who would set you up?"

"I don't know Ty!" Hunter cried. "I don't know but I know someone is trying to make me look like the murderer."

Hunter took in a deep breathe and continued. "I... I went to see her last night...

" And? " They both asked in unison, curiously.

But before he could respond, the doorbell rang.

" That must be my mom, " he scoot out of his room to go get the door.

He went stiff at the sight of Detective Darren and two others standing at the door, looking him up and down.

"Hunter James."

Detective Darren paused, smirking at him.

"You're Under Arrest."

****