Deadly Silence (complete) Chapter 99

When Vivian regained consciousness she was lying down. The last thing she could recall was Samuel saying they’d be calling the cops.

“Welcome back,” Tyrell’s deep voice greeted her as she began to shift, drawing her attention to the giant of a man.

“What happened?” She mumbled as she pushed herself into a seated position. The room was done in shades of white and smelled like antiseptic; it reminded her of a hospital but wasn’t equipped like one.

“You had a panic attack and passed out,” her bodyguard explained, his dark eyes following her every movement. “Mr Devreaux carried you to the school’s infirmary to rest while they decide what to do next.”

Vivian’s heart began to race again as she clutched her chest, fighting the panic that began to surface. Why was he so adamant on bringing the police in? It was just a stupid high school bullying thing! Why couldn’t he just leave it alone like he promised he would? She hadn’t asked for his help, after all, and he’d said he wouldn’t step in until she gave permission.

“Can I ask you a question, Miss?”

Tyrell’s voice helped cut through the panic that threatened to overwhelm her a second time and Vivian clung to it as she met his steady gaze. “Okay…”

“Why are you protecting the person who did this?”

Vivian blinked. Protecting Adriana and Abby? No, that wasn’t what she was doing; it wasn’t about them at all. “I’m not.”

“Then why not tell them who did it? The only reason I see for keeping quiet is to protect the guilty party.”

“It wouldn’t matter who’d done it, though,” she continued after a few seconds of silence.

“That’s what confuses me,” he explained with a small sigh as he leaned back. “You won’t talk about any of it, no matter how bad it gets, but that’s the same as protecting the one responsible. Why keep quiet if it means they get away with it? Would this be your decision if the same thing happened to Miss Wilson or Mr McCullough?”

Vivian continued to stare at the man for a long moment. If it were Miriam or Theo she’d have stepped in to take the hit herself, drawing the attention away from her friend. What was the problem with that?

When she didn’t respond, Tyrell continued. “I’m your bodyguard. My job is to take any hit that comes your way, and yet I’m failing because you won’t tell me what’s going on.”

This cause her to frown. “But you’re not failing.”

“Aren’t I?” He countered with a crooked smile “You were trapped in a locker for hours while I sat on my ass none the wiser.”

Vivian scoffed. “How would you have known? You aren’t supposed to be around during school anyway. Even if I’d said something before it wouldn’t have changed the outcome.”

“Are you sure?”

His question confused her and Vivian took a moment in an effort to understand it. Why wouldn’t she be sure? Even if she’d told them everything, there was no way they’d have known what those girls had planned so it was a moot point. “Yes, I’m sure.”

“You don’t think your friends might have kept an eye out for you? Realized something was up and acted sooner?”

Vivian pursed her lips at his questions. He did have an annoying point. “They already knew someone had it out for me,” she pointed out after a while. “So your point is moot.”

“Oh? They know the extent of it?”

Huffing, Vivian crossed her arms, wondering how she’d gotten herself in this conversation in the first place. “Everyone already knows what happened last week.”

“Does that mean whatever happened Saturday has nothing to do with all this?”

Vivian froze, staring at him with wide eyes. The sudden shift in topic slammed her guard into place and she said nothing; silence told neither truths nor lies.

“I see,” he murmured as he rubbed his chin with one of his massive hands. “Something else is happening then; something not related to this. And you won’t talk about it because…?”

There was no way she could answer his question without opening the door she kept firmly shut and locked.

“Let’s make this easy,” he offered with a small tilt of his head as he regarded her curiously. “I’ll ask yes or no questions. It’d be nice if you felt comfortable enough to answer them, but I won’t push.”

Vivian didn’t respond and he took that as consent to begin.

“Let’s see… Do you like living with Mr Devreaux and your brothers?”

Frowning, Vivian cautiously answered, “…yes…”

“And your friends — Miss Wilson and Mr McCullough — they’ve never done anything to harm you, right?”

“…right…”

“Something happened in the park’s restroom that made you suddenly cut contact with them, though,” he said, more to himself than her, and Vivian tensed, waiting for the next question. “I figured you’d just had lady issues — you know, the monthly kind…”

Vivian’s jaw dropped open at his confession before she snapped it shut. Had he really just said that to her? Was that what actually went through his mind at the time? That she’d gotten *her period*? How was she supposed to feel about that?

“But that wouldn’t cause you to cut your friends off. The real question is what would make you take such a drastic step…” Tyrell’s eyes bore into her as Vivian averted her gaze, keeping her mouth firmly shut. “No one suspicious came or went from the restroom while you were inside, so that narrows it down to your phone, doesn’t it? Something must have come through on it to scare you.”

Knowing he couldn’t see her face, Vivian let out a tiny breath. He’d sort of guessed right, but was also way off at the same time. The woman who’d given her the phone had been a regular every day woman. She’d been wearing leggings and a comfortable shirt with tiny flowers plastered all over it — someone you’d easily overlook in a crowd. She hadn’t been super pretty or ugly, either. Forgettable was the best way to describe her; she’d been forgettable.

“Where’s your phone?” He asked, bringing her back to the present.

“Huh?”

“Your phone. Where is it?”

“I’m not letting you go through my phone. That’s an invasion of privacy.” It was at this moment Vivian recalled Abby had taken her bag away along with *both* phones. Even if she was willing to let Tyrell look through the device she didn’t even know where it was to hand it over.

*Paul said he’d call tonight and Abby has the phone.* The panic that’d been forgotten came back at the thought of the blond talking with that man. This was bad; really, really bad. She had to figure out how to get her things back from Abby without anyone figuring out what was going on. The last thing she needed was for Samuel to find out and go after the cheerleader only to learn his daughter owned a second, secret phone.

There would be no escaping the questions if he found that phone. Just like there’d be consequences if Paul called and it wasn’t Vivian who answered.

Wait… what would Paul do to Abby if she answered? The man was controlling and very selfish; he considered Vivian his property, if anything. That meant if Abby let slip what she’d done to his property, would he retaliate? How far would he go?

*What if he hunts her down and kills her, like he did with Mom?*

Vivian whipped her head around to stare at Tyrell, eyes wide. If she didn’t say anything would Abby end up dead? And if she did tell them what happened and they found the phone, would that sentence her friends to die?

*…I fucked up…*