Chapter 3

Chapter 3: "Getting to know the victim?"

Oh, the sights you can see while you are on the road. I had to go to Missouri and we lived in Maine. Yeah, a long way to go. It was a bad winter this year. Blizzards had hit most of the north-eastern United States. It sucked.

Imagine driving through sand that is up to three feet from the ground. Sand is thicker than snow. So if you can’t drive in the sand then it is impossible to drive in this snow.

Browsing through radio stations as I drove I heard too many weather reports about the same thing.

“Beware another blizzard is heading our way!”

“Freezing cold temperatures meaning iced over snow! And we got news of another incoming snow storm.”

“Good Morning folks of Pennsylvania, it’s time to rise to the clear sky and the mid-twenties. Snow is still on the ground, but if the weather is to keep up, it will be gone in a matter of days!”

It took me over three days to pass through the snow blocked northeastern states before I was able to hit the upper eastern states. From there I headed west to head towards Missouri. It took about a week to make it there, and by the time that I got there, I discovered there was yet another body.

As I was too young to fake being an FBI agent, I had to base my investigation off of what I saw when I passed unseen through the police station. Years of going with my dad have made me a master of unsuspicious behavior and movement, and I have also learned that if you acted like I belonged- I wouldn’t get questioned.

“Chief. The newest victim..her name is Destiny Hairston,” said a uniformed man. “She is sixteen and attends school at Richland Northwest. She was a junior.”

“Good work Calson. Go ask her teachers the typical questions,” the heavy set chief replied.

“Yes, sir,” the dark haired man said.

As he walked away I followed after him. The officers at computers that I passed by, didn’t even look up. Even when they looked at me, they shrugged and went to do their work. I smirked, no one ever took a double look at me. I was that good at doing what I was supposed to be doing I guess.

It was about a fifteen-minute drive to the school from the police station. I had pulled up the history of the town and school up on my phone and had read:

"Richland Northwest is one of four high schools that makes up Richland County School District. Its mascot is the Raccoon with their school colors being green and orange. It's companion high schools are Rosewood High School, Pine Ridge High School, and  Spring Valley High School."

I looked up at the school building and reached into the bag that I carried. Inside was a fake transcript and fake paperwork. I frowned as I read what Dad had decided for my name to be. “Isaac Riley Timmons.”

I got out of my car grabbing my bag. Someone stopped me as I started to walk around confused.

“Do you need help?” a black haired girl asked.

“Um. I’m new here. I just moved here and I am supposed to be going to guidance to get classes?” I responded.

“Oh. I can show you the way. I am a student aide there anyway. Well, one of like three. You are lucky. The school day just started for the day.”

“Awesome. Thanks. What’s your name?”

“Why should I tell you mine if I don’t know yours?”

“Touche. I’m Isaac. Isaac Timmons.”

“I’m Adrianne.”

“You’re named after a guy?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She frowned and said, “No....Adrian can be both a boy’s name and a girls’ name.”
“Okay then. But I really need to get this done. And you probably need to go to class?”

“Right. Sorry. Just follow me.” Adrianne said, moving away from me to lead the way.

I followed behind her, stuffing my hands into my pockets. I frowned. It was February and this job wouldn’t take more than a week. I have homeschooled anyways, so I was planning on staying here till their school year ended.

“When does the school year end, Addy?” I asked her, as I moved up to walk beside her. I came up with some random nickname.

“Why did you just call me Addy? o.o. But the end of May. Just like any school around here. I hope that you plan on staying for the rest of the school year,” Adrianne responded.

“Just for the rest of the school year. Then I must return home.”

“Oh...I thought that you’d stay longer. What grade are you in?” she asked me, stopping to look at me.

“I am a junior or the equivalent,” I answered.

“Homeschooled?”

“Yeah. My ma didn’t want to let me go into the public education system and she couldn’t afford to send me to a private school.”

Addy just smiled and started to walk once more. “I think you’ll like it here at Northwest. As long as you don’t break the rules you know? Our head principal is a man by the name of Mr. Lockwood. He is a strict man and doesn’t sway from the rules much.”

“Ah.” I remembered the fact of why I was here and asked, “Did you know a girl by the name of Destiny?”
“Hairston? The snobbish black girl who thought that the world should revolve around her. I had maybe three classes with her and she failed every one of them. Always on her phone, talking with friends, or well ditching. Everyone knew Hairston...well had at least known about her till we all found out that she was dead,” Addy said.

“Wow. Was she not well liked?”

“Not really liked in general. She has a tiny group of friends. She is the one who everyone expected to drop out because she did things that would lead her to have a kid or something much worse...” she trailed off as if the thought finally hit her. “How did you know about her anyway?”

“People were talking about her when we moved here,” I answered.

Up ahead was a man who looked an awfully lot like Snape. He had the same facial features and everything. Walking towards him, I frowned and looked carefully. Everything was the same. Snape was a teacher at my school- what a big surprise in my life.