Maggie:That’s it for today’s episode ofWhispers of Deception. Join us next time as we continue to explore the chilling details of Willow Montgomery’s case and the ongoing search for answers.
Noah:Until then, stay curious and stay safe.
[OUTRO MUSIC fades out]
Chapter Two
The end is an odd notion to grasp. The ending of anything really, but most of all, the ending of a life. It was cathartic, in a sense. Nothing good ever came out of endings. Willow had taught them that much. She liked to lie to keep things going. It was who she was. Perhaps that is why they become so accustomed to it—lying. All because of Willow. It was rooted deep within them now, festering like a disease, always spreading.
“Can you please stop pacing?” Sebastian grumbled, his forefinger pressed against his temple. “You’re creating a draft.”
Delilah whirled around to sneer at him, “Oh, I’m sorry—am I bothering you? It’s not like we’re in an interview room or anything. God forbid, I’m a bit nervous. Not everyone is devoid of emotions, Sebastian.”
Sebastian snorted, leaning back, thumbing at the button on his suit jacket. “Calm down. Besides, if any of us are getting out of here without a scratch, it’s you, Gus, and Lilia.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Delilah scoffed.
“Nothing Ms. ‘Daddy’s a big shot lawyer.’ Not all of us have cemented alibis. No one is going to come in and do our bidding, I’m afraid.”
“Both of you shut up,” Augustus intervened.
The room fell silent. The cold fluorescent lights above flicker intermittently, casting uneasy shadows that danced across the bland, beige walls. Lilia sat quietly, her eyes fixed on a spot on the floor, lost in thought. Eleanor glanced nervously between her friends, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her blouse.
The door creaked open, and Detective McCall strode in, his expression unreadable. “Augustus Clark,” he called out.
Augustus stood up, smoothing his shirt, and giving his friends a reassuring nod. “It’ll be fine,” he murmured, mostly to himself. The detective led him out of the room, the door closing with a heavy thud behind them.
As the others waited, the tension in the air grew thicker. Lilia could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Every second that passed felt like an eternity. She glanced at the clock on the wall, its ticking sound echoing ominously in the silent room.
Minutes stretched into what felt like hours before the door opened again. Augustus walked back in, his face pale, his hands shaking slightly. Without a word, he sank back into his seat, his friends immediately crowding around him.
“What happened?” Lilia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Sebastian stepped forward, his brow furrowed with worry. “Gus, hey. Look at me,” he said, placing a comforting hand on Augustus’ shoulder. “What happened in there, man?”
“They’re trying to break us, get us to point fingers at each other,” Augustus replied, his voice strained. “They asked me a lot of questions about that night, trying to trip me up. But I didn’t say anything. I stuck to our story.”
Sebastian leaned in closer, his expression tense. “What did they ask you?”
Augustus hesitated, his gaze flickering between his friends. “They asked if I knew where Willow went after she left the party. If I saw her arguing with anyone, if she was upset . . . ”
“And what did you say?” Delilah pressed, her tone urgent.
“We should’ve called our parents.” Lilia shook her head.
“I said I didn’t know. I said I last saw her at the party, that’s it. That’s the truth.”
Eleanor chewed her lip, her eyes filled with worry. “Do you think they believe you?”
Augustus shrugged. “I don’t know. But we need to keep our stories straight. No deviating, no giving them more than what they ask or need.”
As Augustus finished speaking, a haunting silence settled over the group. They each seemed to be lost in their thoughts—the heaviness of the potential outcome weighing on their shoulders. Delilah broke the silence first, her voice edged with frustration. “This is ridiculous. We should’ve gone to the police from the start. We shouldn’t have let Willow drag us into this mess.”
Sebastian scoffed, his tone laced with bitterness. “Yeah, well, what’s done is done. Hindsight’s a real bitch, isn’t it?”
Lilia shook her head, her eyes filled with regret. “We were scared. Willow was scared. We thought we were protecting her.”
Lilia’s stomach churned with unease, her mind flashing back to the events of that fateful night. She could still hear the sound of it, the sickening crunch of metal on metal, the anguished cries that echoed in the darkness. Blood was everywhere, staining their hands and souls. The memory was a haunting specter that lingered in the shadows of their minds, a constant reminder of the terrible secret they shared. And now, as they sat in the sterile room, it felt as though the walls were closing in on them suffocating—every breath shuttered, dripped in trepidation and sin—them with the weight of their guilt.
