Chapter 2

Before I could even figure out how to get back at Louis, something big happened at school.

Three days later, early in the morning, the whole campus was buzzing. The moment I walked into the classroom, I heard everyone heatedly discussing something.

"Did you hear? Louis is dead!"

"What? How did he die?"

"He was burned to death in that alley behind the school!"

My backpack almost slipped from my hand. Louis… was dead?

Micah excitedly told everyone, "My cousin's a firefighter, and they went out on a call last night. He said the scene was terrifying—the body was completely charred."

"Where did they find him?" someone asked.

"Under that big old locust tree behind the school. You know, that spot nobody ever goes to."

Rita lowered her voice. "I heard he was tied to the tree and burned alive. His arms and legs were strapped down with rope. There was no way he could run."

The classroom went dead silent. Everyone stared at one another.

A wave of dizziness hit me, and a loud buzzing filled my head.

Louis was tied to a tree and burned to death? That was beyond brutal.

"What are the cops saying?" a classmate asked.

"They're calling it murder. The investigation's still ongoing. I heard they didn't find any real clues at the scene. The killer was very careful," Micah said. "The creepiest part is that there were a few empty takeout boxes next to him, all greasy with oil. It was like… like someone put them there on purpose."

My heart started pounding wildly. Takeout boxes? How could that be a coincidence?

Three days ago, Louis had stolen my food and humiliated me in front of everyone, telling me to beg for scraps. Three days later, he was burned to death, and takeout boxes were laid out beside him.

It was like he'd literally been "grilled".

I tried to stay calm, but a storm of emotions rose in me. This was the guy who had humiliated me and stomped all over my dignity with the nastiest words he could find. And now, he was dead. The way he died felt almost symbolic, too.

"Do you think it was revenge?" a classmate whispered.

"Probably. Why else torture him like that? Louis was always such a jerk. He must've pissed off a lot of people."

I lowered my head and pretended to organize my books as I listened to them talk, but my hands were shaking. I didn't know if it was from fear or from a dark, vengeful thrill deep inside me.

…

During the second period that afternoon, our homeroom teacher, Mr. Vale, walked in with two police officers. "Class, this is Captain Colson from the city's major crimes unit. He needs to ask you some questions about Louis."

His voice trembled a little. Clearly, he was rattled by the case, too.

Captain Colson looked to be in his 40s. He was dressed in plain clothes, but his sharp eyes gave him away as a seasoned detective.

"Everyone, relax," he said. "This is just a routine check."

His gaze swept over the room. "Can anyone tell me what Louis' relationships were like with other students?"

The classroom went completely quiet. No one dared to speak.

His eyes landed on me. "What's your name?"

My heart shot into my throat. "M-My name is Jeremiah Reeves."

"I heard you had an argument with Louis a few days ago."

Oh, no. They already knew!

I forced myself to stay calm. "We did. He took my food delivery, and we argued over that."

"Tell me exactly what happened."

I described that day in detail, including the surveillance footage and how he'd humiliated me in front of everyone.

As Captain Colson listened, he took notes. The younger officer beside him also jotted things down. Captain Colson asked, "After that argument, did you have any other contact with him?"

"No. We didn't talk after that."

"Where have you been in the last three days, then? Can you walk me through it?"

My palms were slick with sweat, but I tried my best to recall everything clearly.

"The night before last, I was at the dorm, studying late. My dormmate can vouch for me. Yesterday morning, we had a math exam, and in the afternoon, I was at the library until around 9:00 pm. After I got back to the dorm last night, I didn't go out again."

"Can anyone confirm that?"

"The library has cameras, and the administrator, Mr. Wendell, knows me because I go there a lot. My classmates and dormmate can also confirm my whereabouts."

Captain Colson nodded. "We'll verify all of that."

He closed his notebook and looked at the class. "This is an extremely serious case. If any of you know anything at all, you can contact us anytime."

Only after the police left did a bit of life return to the room, but my mood grew even heavier. Would they find anything?