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DISCLAIMER: Omit the paragraphs after the partition if you don't want spoilers.
"Yo," Michael said to his parents, who were sitting on the couch watching something.
"Hehehehehe...hahahahaha!" Terry started laughing, looking at Michael's face.
"What happened to you?" Janet said, giggling.
"Nothing, I will tell you later. Let me go take a bath first," said Michael.
After washing himself, he went to the living room where his parents were sitting. He told them what had happened, and the three of them started laughing together.
"Michael, why did you write a book about Japanese people?Don't get me wrong, but why is your book about Japanese famine and not something familiar to us?" Asked Janet.
"Um... you know I am always watching anime. So I was just inspired by a wartime anime...nothing other than that," Michael answered.
"Uh-huh... by the way, Evans was asking for some photos he can post on Instagram. Your feed seems very empty with only one picture of the sky," said Terry.
"Hmm...I will post something after a few days. I need good pictures first," said Michael, who was camera-shy.
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In an office, Evans was reading *A Good Girl's Guide to Murder* for the 30th time. The concept for the cover art had already been decided, and the trial issues of the book were sent to Michael's family and Evans.
"Hmm... let's see." Evans said to himself and started reading where he left off.
Pip stood completely frozen in the middle of the room.
All the pieces of her project, all the late-night notes, all the timelines—they finally clicked together in her mind. But the truth did not make her feel victorious. It made her feel sick to her stomach.
The killer was not a stranger. It was not a scary monster hiding in the dark woods.
It was Elliot Ward. Her history teacher. Her best friend's father. The man who made her dinner when she slept over. The man she had trusted her entire life.
Click. The door locked behind her. The sound echoed loudly in the quiet house.
Pip spun around. Elliot was standing by the door. His hand was still resting on the lock. He did not look like the funny, smiling dad she knew. His face was pale. His eyes looked dark, tired, and full of panic.
"You figured it out, didn't you, Pip?" Elliot asked softly. His calm voice terrified her more than if he had yelled.
"It was you," Pip whispered. Her whole body was shaking, but she forced herself to look right into his eyes. "You were the older man Andie Bell was seeing in secret. You hurt her. And then... you framed Sal."
Elliot closed his eyes for a second. He looked like a man carrying a heavy stone on his back.
"I didn't mean to do it, Pip. You have to believe me," Elliot pleaded, taking a slow step toward her. "We were arguing. I just pushed her away. She fell and hit her head on the desk. There was so much blood. I didn't know what to do. I panicked."
"You panicked?" Pip's fear suddenly turned into sharp, burning anger. "Sal Singh died because of your panic! His family's life was destroyed! You killed an innocent boy to hide your mistake!"
"I had to protect my family!" Elliot shouted back. "I had to protect Cara and Isla! What would happen to my girls if their father went to prison for murder?"
Pip took a slow step backward. Her heart was beating against her ribs like a trapped bird. She looked at the happy family photos hanging on the living room wall. Pictures of her best friend, Cara, smiling. Pictures of Elliot holding his daughters.
Everything in this warm, normal house was built on a terrible, bloody lie.
"You didn't protect them, Elliot," Pip said. Her voice dropped to a quiet, hard whisper. "You destroyed them. When Cara finds out what you did to her friend... she will never look at you the same way again."
Elliot's face crumpled.
For a second, he just looked like a sad, broken old man. But Pip knew the truth now. She knew exactly what he was capable of doing to protect his secrets.
She slowly reached her hand into her pocket. Her fingers found the cold plastic of her phone. She had to get out of this house. She had to tell the police the truth.
"I am so sorry, Pip," Elliot said. His voice was completely empty. He took another step toward her, blocking the only way out. "But I can't let you leave."