William Jarvis - Sky Valley 04 - Murderous Coffee Crumble (3 page)

“I love you, too.” She shot back with tears in her eyes. Troy popped the champagne as Anja clapped beside him.

“Oh my god!” Audrina, who just arrived, said. “I missed it, didn’t I?” She said. She was about to cry, too. She placed the bucket of chicken on the table and gave Daniel and Emmy a hug. “I am so happy for you!” She smiled with tears in her eyes.

“Thank you!” Emmy told her. “But what took you so long?”

“Oh, never mind,” Audrina said. “I mean…it’s…it’s really not a good thing.”

“What do you mean?” Emmy asked, “What happened?”

“Em, you just got engaged.”

“No, tell me.”

Audrina took a deep breath. “I passed by the country club and…” She paused and then, “Well, I guess you just have to see it for yourself.”

CHAPTER
5
LET’S SEE JIMMY

Emmy wanted to just stay in the moment and feel the glow of being engaged but she also knew that it was not possible at the moment, especially after Audrina came and they saw how anxious she seemed.

So, Emmy, Daniel, and Audrina used Daniel’s car to make their way to the country club. The number of tables around, paired with a whole lot of flowers, balloons, and 60’s music did not make it hard for them to realize that something big was going on—and that it’s not something that would make them happy because Tripp Meyer was around and so were his bodyguards.

“Oh god.” Emmy said as they watched people drink coffee and eat some cake while they were inside Daniel’s car.

“I know.” Audrina sighed. “Apparently, Tripp did something to allow the officials of this town to let him use the country club for an unspecified amount of time so he could serve coffee and cake. I’m pretty sure he just wanted to make show last night when he told everyone that he was going to bulldoze Time for Coffee coz he’s too chicken to do that—“

“But now he wants to prove that he can have a great business and he’ll serve the same things that we do. Wow.” Emmy said. “I just can’t believe the guy.”

“And look, McMahon’s around, too.” Daniel noticed.

“And so are Frank and Serena.” Emmy said through gritted teeth. “Oh god I am going to kill them!”

“Em!” Audrina and Daniel said at the same time but they were too late because Emmy was already able to make her way out of the car.

“Emmy, wait!” Daniel said as he saw Emmy making her way towards Lena.

“Hey,” Emmy said. Lena did not hear her the first time so she called out her name again. “Hey, Lena!” She said.

Lena McMahon turned towards her. “Emilia Byrne.” She said after sipping some coffee. “I didn’t know you were invited.”

“I guess she’s not, mom.” Serena said. “But you know how she loves to invite herself to parties she’s not even invited to.”

“Oh yeah?” Emmy said, “That’s not what your husband made me feel when he kissed me in your room. How can you even stay with a man who says that you’re his stalker and that he has no feelings whatsoever for you?”

Serena turned red. She seemed to be seething with anger. “You know he didn’t really like you.”

“What makes you think that he loves you, Serena? I think he’s in love with your mother.” Emmy spat.

“Shut up, Emmy.” Frank said. “Why don’t you just go home?”

Emmy took a deep breath. “Well, I do like to invite myself to parties I’m not invited to, right?”

“Emilia,” Lena spoke with such domination in her voice. “I think you should listen to Frank. Go home with your boyfriend and that girl. This isn’t the place for you to be.”

“Really, Lena?” Emmy asked. “Isn’t it your plan to bring me here? Didn’t you want to provoke me to be here?”

“Mom, you can really arrest her now.” Serena said. “She’s saying all these libelous things!”

“Shut up, Plastic Princess.”

“What did you just say?”

“She said you’re a plastic princess and she’s right.” Audrina said. “You don’t even belong here.”

“I am Lena McMahon’s daughter.”

“So?” Emmy asked. “That doesn’t give you the right to be here.”

“What’s going on here?” Tripp Meyer asked. He then saw Emmy, Daniel, and Audrina looking at him like they wanted to take him down right then and there. “Oh,” he said, “Looks like some gatecrashers want to join the party. Don’t worry, though, we’ll be here for a while. Actually, today is just the opening of my new business venture. A coffee and cake shop right in the country club. Isn’t that neat?”

“You really think you’re someone great, huh, Tripp?” Emmy said. “You’re using the country club for yourself when you know that a lot of people can use it. You don’t own this place, Tripp.”

“Apparently, I do now.”

Emmy shook her head in disgust. “You’re sickening.”

“Ha!” Tripp said and laughed. “Aren’t you the one who should be disgusted about yourself, Emilia? You’re the one who’s always found in situations where one turns up dead or almost turns up dead. Luckily Serena got out of your grasp.”

“No, Tripp.” Emmy said. “You know what? I have no reason to be ashamed. You’re the one who should be ashamed. I know you’re up to something. And believe me, when I find out what it is, you’re going down.” She then looked at Lena. “And you are, too.”

They walked back towards the car. No one said anything until Daniel started driving back to the house again.

“I have an idea.” Emmy said.

“What is it?” Audrina asked.

“We have to see Jimmy. We have to ask him what he really knows so we can finally get some answers.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Audrina said, “but I’m not sure what we could get out of Jimmy’s mouth. I mean, he seemed hell bent on taking the blame. But, yeah, maybe we should go.”

“Dan?” Emmy asked.

“Sure,” Daniel said. “First thing in the morning tomorrow.”

Emmy took a deep breath. She hoped that things will go her way—or else all hell breaks loose.

CHAPTER 6
THE CONVERSATION

It was a sunny day, the kind of sunny that felt like your skin was just going to crack because of the heat of the sun. It hurt, and it made Emmy feel unsure about what she could expect.

She, Daniel, and Audrina were waiting for Jimmy Outen to see them at the visitor’s area of the jail. Emmy just wanted to see Jimmy right away to ask him what he knows about what happened to Annabeth and possibly to Ruby, too.

Almost a year ago, Jimmy admitted that he killed Annabeth Meyer by putting cyanide in her coffee cup by passing through the back door of Time for Coffee. Audrina and Jimmy had been together in the past but apparently, Jimmy had been with Annabeth, too, and he actually got her pregnant but she didn’t want everyone to know that she had a relationship with Jimmy so she chose to marry Matthew instead. Matthew and Emmy have been together back in High School but it never really materialized into something serious because they were just too different and they couldn’t connect. Now, Matthew’s dead, too.

Everything seemed to be crazy and a lot of people have been lost. Emmy always wanted to talk to Jimmy but in the past couple of months, it seemed as if she was blindsided by the need to find peace; she didn’t realize that she had to do what she had to do early on so that the other deaths may have been prevented—and so she could finally move on.

But then again, one can never be too sure. What if Jimmy actually didn’t know anything? What if they’re all wrong? But the thing is that, if they would not talk to Jimmy now, they probably would not get any answers at all. If they do not talk to Jimmy now, it would be as if they’d just be prolonging the agony and it would just make things worse—and that’s really not something that they want to happen. If it were up to Emmy, the right culprits would be in jail now, but how could that happen?

“I don’t know what you want from me,” They heard Jimmy speak as he arrived and saw down across them, two police officers a few meters away from him, “but you probably won’t get it.”

“Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy,” Audrina said, “Come on. We just saw each other again after so long…”

Jimmy smiled but his eyes spoke of a thousand specks of loneliness and pain. “I’m not up for a reunion.”

“Jimmy,” Emmy said. She noticed that he looked much older than the last time they saw him; like life in prison has finally caught up with him and made him age more than he should. “We just wanted to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“About Annabeth. We want to know what you know.” Emmy spoke in hushed tones, careful not to alert the police.

“What do you mean?” Jimmy asked. “I already admitted that it’s my fault. I’m here, aren’t I? I’m in prison. I think that already speaks for itself.”

“But we don’t believe you, man.” Daniel said.

“That’s right.” Audrina added. “I know you, Jim. You’re not as bad-ass as you think.”

Jimmy laughed. “Funny choice of words you have, Audrina.” He said. “But let me say it again. I’m here. I’m in prison. That’s that.”

“So, you really want us to believe that you killed Annabeth?” Audrina said. “You want me to think that this guy I dated is a killer? I know you, Jim. That’s not who you are. So, cut the crap and tell us what you know now.” She went on, “If it were me, I’d think that you really weren’t planning to kill Annabeth. You’re working for Tripp during that time so it’s possible that…that you were planning to kill Emmy, or that Tripp Meyer wants to kill Emmy and asked you to do the deed for him and pin it on me. That was the plan, wasn’t it? But obviously, things went haywire, Annabeth died, we all saw how she choked, and when they were about to incarcerate me, you showed up and said that it was all your fault. Since you have this big photography streak, you thought that the fact that you had cyanide with you would easily connect you to the crime, and so you decided to be the fall guy. My question is why? And, if I’m right, then why don’t you just admit it right now?”

Jimmy took a deep breath. “If I did, what good would that bring?”

“It would mean you’d get out of jail.” Daniel said. “It would mean that you could be with your family again and that you can live your own life again. It would mean that the truth would finally be out because it’s meant to be out, anyway.”

“See, that’s the thing.” Jimmy said, “Sometimes, the truth could be so much more than what you think it is. It’s not like you can blurt it out right away.”

“But a good man will tell the truth.” Daniel said.

“Ah, Daniel,” Jimmy said, “You know life’s not always in black and white. It’s not that easy. You have to be a man, sure, but we all have different ways of doing so. I’m trying to be a man for my family.”

His words shook Emmy. It made her feel like he really knows something but for some reason, possibly because his family’s life might be in danger, he refuses to divulge what he knows. “Jimmy,” Emmy said, “I know…I know that you’re probably just trying to protect your family but you have to at least tell us what you know. Remember that all of us have families, too. You loved Annabeth, right? I can see that you did. And…and maybe, that’s the reason why you chose to be the fall guy. Maybe, it’s because you didn’t want Annabeth’s life to be in vain. Well, you’re letting her death be nonsensical because you do not want to tell the truth. You can still make things right, Jimmy. You have to help us.” She went on. “Tripp’s behind this, isn’t he? What was the original plan? And…and Lena is, too, isn’t she? Why are they doing this? Jim, please.”

Jimmy took a deep breath and paused for a couple of seconds then spoke again. “I know you have a good heart, Emmy, and I know you’re only trying to do what you think is best, but believe me,” he went on, “this is how things are supposed to be. You’re supposed to live your own life and just move on, and I’m supposed to be here. And…my family has to stay safe. I’m sorry if things are still crazy right now but what can I do? I’m supposed to stay here. I’m here, now you go and live your own life, too.”

Emmy sighed. “Someone paid you, am I right? Someone’s asking you to keep quiet? Damn it, Jim, you have this chance to get out of jail and make things right and you’re still hell bent on keeping the truth away from us? What the hell is wrong with you?” Her voice was rising which made some of the police officers look at them.

“Em, that’s enough.” Daniel said.

“So, that’s it then?” Emmy said in frustration.

“I’m sorry.” Jimmy said and motioned for the policemen to come get him. “It’s time for you to go.”

Emmy felt like crying. It was like once again, the world has crashed down upon her, driving her to hell and not letting her come back up.

CHAPTER 7
STILL UNANSWERED

“Em,” Daniel said as they got out of the car and were walking on Emmy’s lawn. “Emmy, talk to me.”

Emmy wasn’t talking to him. In fact, she was not talking to anybody. She just wanted to get inside her room and stay there and not talk to anyone until Jimmy tells her what she wants to hear. She continued walking until she reached her room, blocking everyone’s voices out. She didn’t want to hear them anymore. She just wanted to be alone.

Daniel forced open the door of Emmy’s room before she even got the chance to close it.

“Dan, please—“

“No,” he said, and closed the door behind them. “We have to talk.”

“What do you want to talk with me about? You were the, Dan. You heard what Jimmy said. You know how disappointed I am right now. What else do you want?"