Kenhardt - Secrets 13

I’m assuming you mean Beth Porter.’ Audrey nodded. ‘What happened between those two?’ ‘OH, it was years ago,’ Audrey said. ‘But it was all Haddie. She was a very manipulative girl. Even when they were little. And she was known for being a compulsive liar. I mean, if you’re always telling lies, how can anyone believe anything you say?’ ‘Can you give me specifics?’ ‘I’m not the person to ask,’ Audrey said. ‘You’d have to talk to Beth.’ Next up was Megan Phillips. She sat there in front of him, light brown hair streaked with highlights, eyes framed with mahogany glasses. They suited her, brought out the intensity of her hazel eyes. ‘Megan,’ Joe said. ‘Are you alright?’ She sniffled and nodded her head. The girl was on the verge of tears. ‘I’m just … ‘ she paused. ‘Still shaken up from this whole thing. I mean, three girls just died.’Joe gave her a moment to collect herself. ‘Were you close with any of them?’ Megan sniffled again and met his eyes. ‘NO, not really. But I mean, I didn’t have to be close with them to feel bad? They jumped off the roof!’ she began to cry again. ‘What makes you so sure that they jumped?’ She stopped for a moment, perplexed by the question. ‘What do you mean? That’s what everyone’s saying happened.’ ‘But that’s not necessarily the truth. Hence why my team is here investigating.’ ‘OH,’ Megan seemed utterly surprised to hear this news. ‘You’re saying that it wasn’t suicide?’ ‘We don’t know. That’s why I’m here talking with you.’ ‘What else could have happened to them?’ Megan asked. ‘Perhaps there was foul play involved.’ ‘Like, somebody pushed them?’ ‘Could be. Do you know anyone who would want to harm the girls?’ ‘No! Not at all. This is a High School. I don’t know about you, but I don’t know any murderous teenagers in Kenhardt,’ ‘Okay, well,’ Joe took in a breath, ‘What can you tell me about the girls?’ Megan thought for a moment. ‘Anya was very pleasant,’ she said. ‘I’ve had a few classes with her. She was quiet, but a nice girl. Kiera? I didn’t know her too well. She was very loud. And Haddie? Well, everyone knows Haddie. She was nice, but a little bit snooty if you ask me. Like she was somehow better than the rest of us. She looked down on everyone with her nose up,’ Megan looked at Joe. ‘OH GOD, I feel so horrible for saying that. I mean, those girls are dead, and here I am saying negative things about them!’ ‘Don’t worry about that,’ Joe said, ‘Any details are great. People tend to idolize the dead and only say nice things, when in all honesty, no one is perfect. There’s always more than what meets the Eye. So it’s more than acceptable to hear both positive and negative things about the girls, especially when this is a potential murder investigation. I need as much information as I can gather to get the bigger picture and see who might have a possible motive.’ ‘Oh my God,’ Megan said. ‘So this really is, like, a murder?’ ‘Like I said, it is undetermined at this time.’ Megan nodded. ‘Is there anything else you can think of?’ Joe asked. ‘Anything at all?’ Megan took her time thinking. ‘Hmmm, well I guess there’s one thing worth mentioning. It happened last month, at Owen Kruger’s party. There was sort of a blow up between some of the girls. Beth and Haddie, in particular.’ ‘What happened?’ ‘Beth thought that Haddie was flirting with her boyfriend, which was totally not the case. Beth was drunk and overreacting. And then words were exchanged, everyone was yelling. Audrey and I had to take Beth upstairs to calm her down. Next thing I know, Haddie is leaving and getting in the car with Corey Booysens. That’s Beth’s boyfriend. And he was drinking. Not only drinking, but he was drunk. And she was getting in the car with him! I looked at her and thought to myself, does that girl have a death wish? I mean, who does that? Gets in the car with someone who is drunk?’ ‘But is that suicidal, or just reckless?’ Megan thought about it for a moment. ‘Probably both.’ Finally, the one he had been waiting for, Beth Porter sat in front of Joe, her white tinted hair pulled back into a pony tail. Her eyes were bright and glassy, as though she had been crying. ‘Are you alright?’ Joe asked her. She nodded her head. ‘Yes. I’m fine. Just trying to process this still, that’s all.’ Joe stared at her, studying her reactions. ‘I understand you didn’t get along with the girls. Haddie in particular.’ Beth made a noise and rolled her eyes slightly. ‘I’m not surprised to hear. OF course everyone’s already blabbering about that. Petty drama, really. Haddie is dead and all people can talk abut is our past.’ ‘Which is quite rocky if I’m correct?’ She stared at him. ‘I guess you could say that.’ ‘Why don’t you tell me your side of the story, Beth. Since everyone else has gotten to speak before you.’ She nodded and cleared her throat. ‘Haddie and I used to be best friends, Like, inseparable. We were younger, though. And things just didn’t work out between us. She became very catty. And dramatic. I simply couldn’t handle being friends with her anymore. So we ended our friendship. It was all very amicable,’ Beth explained. ‘It was for the best. We went our separate ways. But what I can tell you about Haddie is that the girl was very controlling. Always demanding things and expecting people to do whatever she wanted. And she was very particular. Like, everything had to be her way or no way, if I’d suggest something or make plans for us, she would freak. As though she had to approve everything we did to align with how she wanted it.’ ‘And you were how old? Eleven?’ ‘Twelve, actually.’ ‘Alright,’ Joe said. ‘What Else?’ ‘Well,’ Joe said.

‘As you probably already know by now, everyone loved Haddie, And Haddie loved the attention. She lived for it. But she was also very competitive. When we were friends, it was like we were competing. Always. Joe if we were just getting ready to go out to the mall or something, she always had to look better than me, be dressed better than me, be better than me.’ ‘So you two stopped talking, And you never reconciled in High School?’ Beth shook her head, ‘No. Like I said, it was best that we each went our separate ways,’ ‘What can you tell me about the others? Anya and Kiera?’ ‘I didn’t know them well, But Kiera,’ Beth paused. ‘I think she just wanted desperately to fit in. More than anything. She was always trying so hard to keep up with the latest trends, be in everyone’s good books. I think she was a bit self conscious, to be honest. Even though she had no reason to be. Kiera was beautiful. But she was very self - conscious. And I think that really affected her. Especially being best friends with Haddie. I mean, do you know what that does to a person?’ ‘Being best friends with Haddie Taylor?’ ‘Yeah.’ Joe didn’t respond. ‘What about Anya?’ ‘Anya, well, I don’t really know much about her. She was very quiet and introverted. it’s a wonder how she kept up with Kiera and Haddie. I didn’t know her well so I can’t tell you much. But she seemed pleasant. Like a sweet girl. Never did anything wrong to me, so there was no reason for me not to like her.’ ‘What do you think happened to the girls, Beth?’ She stared at him for a moment, considering her answer. ‘Everyone keeps saying they jumped.’ ‘Why would they jump? Were they unhappy? Suicidal?’ ‘I don’t know,’ Beth said. ‘Everyone has their secrets, things they don’t share with the rest for the world to see. I can’t tell you why they would jump. But I can’t tell you why anyone would push them, either, so, there’s that.’ He was in her bedroom - Haddie Taylor’s. It was everything you’d imagine a sixteen - year - old girl’s room to look like. Mature, elegant, tidy. The walls were painted a light shade of beige. Her theme was pink. Pink everything. Pink comforter, pink cushions, pink lamp, pink fuzzy carpet, pink garbage can. And everything that wasn’t pink was dark brown. Brown pillows, brown carpet, brown nightstand. George and Rosie stood in the doorway, watching Joe walk around their daughter’s bedroom slowly, hands clasped behind his back. He was an observer. An outsider, intruding on the last little piece they had left of their daughter. An invader. ‘What are you looking for, exactly?’ Rosie said. Joe turned to face her. “Nothing in particular. I just want to get a sense of what your daughter was like. What she did in her spare time. Who she kept closest to her.’ The image of Olivia flashed through his mind. Her pregnant belly. Joe shuttered and turned away from the parent’s, wondering, did they know? He walked over to her desk and opened the drawer. It was quite mundane: pencils, pens, sharpeners, rulers. He was hoping to see a journal or a diary. Perhaps something to give him a better understanding of it all. ‘Did your daughter keep a diary or anything?’ He said to them. ‘I’m not sure,’ Rosie said. ‘If she did, she probably wouldn’t have told us,’ she forced a small smile. ‘You know how teenagers can be.’ He took a step back and observed the walls. There were hearts everywhere, as though it went along with her pink theme. Hearts on the wall, hearts on her desk, a heart shaped pillow in the center of the bed. He leaned over her desk and picked up her school book, which had her name written multiple times over the front, surrounded by more hearts. He held up the book, ‘She loved LOVE or something?’ he asked. ‘Pardon?’ Rosie took a step forward, hesitantly, as if entering her daughter’s room was like passing through some sort of force field. George remained at the door. Joe held up the book for her to see, then motioned around the room. ‘She had a thing for hearts?’ ‘Oh,’ Rosie seemed to laugh with relief once she realized what he was referring to. ‘That,’ she took the book from Joe’s hands. ‘Her initials are HARDT, so she put it everywhere, metaphorically. As though she is the heart, HARDT, HADDIE ANNE RENEE DAISY TAYLOR. Joe nodded his head. ‘I SEE,’ She handed him the book and he placed it back on her desk. Joe continued going around the room, lifting up pillows, peeking inside the closet. He had to admit, it was uncomfortable searching the room with Haddie’s parents standing there, watching him. What did they expect him to do, make a mess and destroy everything? He just needed to do his job. Ken...