Deadly Silence (complete) Chapter 37

No, she hadn’t. Even when they’d been chatting just outside the school gates the detective had purposefully allowed Vivian to believe this was about her past and not the Devreauxs.

“On Monday evening, you and your brother, Gabriel, were seen chatting with Ivan Sokolov in the parking lot of his — Gabriel’s — business. Is this correct?”

It felt like someone had stabbed a knife into Vivian’s chest. Her anxiety was suddenly running in full gear as she tried to wrap her brain around what she’d been asked. “Huh?” She managed to say as she worked to keep her heart from beating itself to death.

“Did you see a man in the parking lot of Devreaux Motors on Monday night?”

Vivian’s mind instantly twisted the answer around so her brother was the man she’d seen in the parking lot that night — Gabriel was a man and she’d seen him in the parking lot that night — but she pushed that answer away knowing the detective would see through the ruse.

Keeping her mouth shut was the best response, because anything else would allow further prying. In a court of law she knew silence during an interrogation was neither confirmation nor denial of anything. It could be inferred one way or the other, depending on context, but it was not proof of either.

Being sixteen years old meant Vivian was not experienced in how the world worked, but her history had given her insight into things regarding the legal system; group that with how many detective novels, podcasts and documentaries she watched on true crimes with the intention of understanding how said system worked gave her insight into certain things on the topic.

Did she know everything? Not a chance, and she knew that much, but she was certain she knew enough to keep her mouth shut when needed.

The door opened, startling Vivian as she looked over at the man who entered. It wasn’t until he turned to face her that her entire body froze.

There was nothing remarkable about him. He was a little on the short side for his gender, but still Vivian wouldn’t call him short. His blond hair was carefully styled into submission when otherwise it would have fallen into his pale blue eyes.

In general, he looked unassuming and forgettable, a gentleness in his face giving the impression he was incapable of hurting a fly.

Vivian watched as he walked to her and set down a styrofoam cup before giving her a gentle smile. “Your hot chocolate, Miss St Peter, as promised.” His voice was an octave above the average man’s, his tone soft and comforting.

But she knew better.

Beneath that gentle surface was a monster.

Memories flashed in her mind’s eye. His rage, his attacks, his cutting words.

Vivian couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think as her eyes followed the man as he slowly walked to the other side of the table and seated himself in the empty chair next to Detective Mersey.

“This is my partner, Detective Paul Oglivie.”

*He’s alive*, Vivian screamed in her mind, unable to take her eyes off the man. *He’s alive. Oh God, he’s alive*.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss St Peter,” he told Vivian, smile widening a bit further. “I’ve heard so much about you. I’m so glad we’ve gotten to meet in person.”

“I want to call my father,” Vivian managed to say before reaching down for a school bag that was no longer there. “Where’s my bag?”

“Hmm?” Detective Mersey hummed a little, looking up from the files again, an innocent smile on her mouth but a twinkle in her eyes told Vivian she wouldn’t be getting to call anyone. “I haven’t touched it, Miss St Peter. But let’s keep going, shall we?”

“No, I need to call my father.”

Detective Oglivie cleared his throat. “Miss St Peter, these are only simple questions. Surely you don’t think you need your… father… to supervise what you say?”

The way he’d paused before and after saying the word ‘father’ made Vivian’s heart stop. She was beginning to feel ill as she curled her fingers into a fist, nails digging into her palms as she grappled with her emotions.

Neither detective seemed to notice a change in her demeanour, and if they did they said nothing about it. Was she that good at hiding her emotions or did they want her to think she was?

“Ivan Sokolov. He’s mid-twenties, shaved head, usually wears a hoodie,” Detective Mersey continued, flipping the page she was looking at to the next. “Did you see someone like that Monday night?”

Vivian almost answered the question, her mind in such a state she was finding it difficult to concentrate. Bile rose in her throat and she swallowed hard, pushing it back down.

There was only one thing she could do in this situation.

Instead of paying attention to the two adults in the room, Vivian allowed her gaze to travel to what had to be a two way mirror behind the detectives as her mind ran rampant.

She stopped fighting the panic, choosing to jump into it. Her thoughts turned to the dark places in her mind and spread until Vivian began to sweat, a tremor taking hold of her hands as she clenched them on her lap.

Her breathing turned shallow as this happened, pupils dilating until they were barely visible as her nails dug into her palms with such intensity she wouldn’t be surprised to find blood after.

The final and best part Vivian managed to hold off until Detective Mersey, who finally realized something was happening with the girl, came over to check if she was alright. This was when Vivian allowed her body to bring up what was left of her lunch, letting it splatter on the detective’s sneakers.

It might have felt better if Detective Mersey wore expensive shoes, but Vivian wasn’t about to argue over what she had to work with.

Another heave and more bile splattered to the ground, this time missing the detective’s sneakers as she hurriedly stepped back, making an uncomfortable noise in her throat.

Tears rolled down Vivian’s cheeks as she coughed a couple more times. “I… want to… call…”