Love and Revenge

Written by Hilary Hanna G.

Love never drives you insane, it just gives you a crazy kind of courage.

    Gia had lost her love in everything until one particular morning. She was assigned to investigate any cold case in her town as her final project, and surprisingly she chose the disappearance of Jean Theodore. Everyone knew Jean Theodore, especially when he goes by the name ‘Bird’. Jean knew a lot of things about everyone too, even the things that any soul wasn’t supposed to know. The town suspected this was the reason behind his vanishing, except for Gia. She just couldn’t wrap her head around this mystery. How can someone so favored vanish without a trace.

     Gia opened her laptop and saw the list of names she will need to interview to help sort out this case.       

     The first person, Belle Dale or known as Jean’s ex-girlfriend. Belle last saw Jean in the morning before Jean was reported missing on January 17th 2019. She was just giving back the things he left when they were still together. 

     Gia gained some information from Belle. First she found out that Jean told Belle that he was going to see Michaela right after he picked up his stuff. She also mentioned that Jean looked tense and in a hurry when picking up his things. This could indicate that maybe Jean and Michaela were into something. 

      Gia then interviewed Michaela, it was hard to reach her at first, but Gia had her own ways and somehow managed to gather clues from Michaela. “I’m telling the truth alright, he was in a hurry because he promised to babysit my daughter . . . being a mother in university was hard so he offered to help babysit my child because I had an exam that day.” Michaela said. Michaela lived beside Jean’s apartment, that’s how they came across each other. “Then why was he so anxious if he was just babysitting?” Gia felt unsure. “How would I know? he never told me anything, our relationship was merely neighbors.” Michaela replied. “Did you see anything after he left your apartment?” Gia asked again. “Now after you mentioned it, he did look pressured. He also didn’t go back to his apartment right after that, I think he went downstairs and got into a car - I don't know much though.” Michaela took a sip of her tea after answering. “Did you notice what the car was? The color? The brand?” Gia felt glad that she found another guide. “According to my fading memory, it was a blue Chevrolet pickup.” 

     Gia immediately searched for every owner of the blue Chevrolet truck in her town and found one she believed will get her closer to solving the case. 

     The truck belonged to Ken Eddie. “Ken, you were close friends with Jean Theodore, am I right?” Gia clicked her pen, ready to write everything down. “Everyone is close to Bird.” He said, making a gesture to show that he was uncomfortable with Gia’s presence. “He trusted you the most. You two had been friends since you were kids,” said Gia. “Can you stop talking as if he’s dead?” He replied. “So you know what happened to him? Is he still alive?” Gia felt nervous after Ken’s response. “I know he’s still alive.”  Ken said. “Seems like you know a lot of things about Jean,” Gia straightened her posture, something about Ken made her feel scared. “Can you tell me about his relationship with Belle Dale?” “It was complex, they always had an on-and-off relationship.” He answered. “The morning he went missing, he collected his things at Belle’s, right?” Gia asked. “Yes and I was supposed to pick him up there, but he told me to do it in the evening,” said Ken. “Why?” Gia responded. “He told me he had to run something back at his place.” Ken added. “Er, where did you two go after you picked him up at his apartment?” Asked Gia. “To Belle’s place - he just told me to drop him there because his car was towed.” Ken said it was the last time where  he saw Jean before he disappeared.

     Gia wondered why Jean needed to lie about the babysitting duty to Ken and why did Jean go back to Belle’s house that night? 

     After a bit of thinking, Gia went back to Michaela’s place the next day. “I apologize for coming back here again, I just have some more questions I need to ask you,” said Gia. “Look, I’m not really sure Jean was just babysitting at your place that day.” “Girl, for the second time-“

     “Mama?” Michaela’s daughter suddenly woke up. “Hey Bunny, go back to your nap . . . Mama is just talking to a friend.” Michaela walked to her daughter. “Can I talk to your friend too?” Her daughter asked. “Yeah, Michaela, can I talk to your daughter for a minute?” “Please Mama.” Her daughter begged. “I - fine.” Michaela said. “My name is Gia, what's your name?” Gia asked the little girl. “I’m Bailey, but people call me ‘Bunny’.” Said Bunny. “Okay Bunny, do you remember this boy?“ Gia showed Bunny a picture of Jean. “I know him, he’s Bird he babysat me sometimes.” Bunny answered, lowering her head as if she was sad. “Was he nice to you, Bunny?” Gia said. “He was my best friend - I drew a lot of pictures of him!” Bunny took Gia’s arm and led Gia to her room. “You drew all these drawings of Bird?” Gia asked. “Yup, and this one is with sissy Belle!” Bunny showed Gia a drawing of three people which Bunny illustrated as herself, Bird, and Belle. “Belle . . . you know her?” Gia felt the goosebumps on her skin. “Yeah! She came here once when Bird was babysitting me. I was kinda sad because they talked a lot to each other that day and I ended up playing alone.” Bunny answered. “Did you hear what they were talking about that day?” Gia said. “I don’t know but I heard they were talking about cars.” answered Bunny. 

     After Gia left Michaela’s house, she knew something was off with Belle, every person she has interviewed always points at Belle as their answer. Gia went straight to Belle’s house. “Hello, Belle, sorry for coming back so soon, I just need to ask you a few more questions if you’re willing to.” Gia said. “Sure.” Answered Belle. “Why did Jean go back here after he picked your stuff?” Gia asked, feeling confident. “Er, where did you get that information from?” Belle asked her back. “Does it matter?” Gia added. “We - we just talked things out . . . he told me he still wants to be with me. We always had a difficult relationship.” Belle said. “Where did he go after talking things with you? We all know he went missing right after that.” Said Gia. “He walked back to his apartment. Why are you asking as if I were the suspect?” Belle answered. Gia knew she didn’t have any more proof to put Belle as the main suspect but somehow she sensed that Belle was hiding something. “I’m sorry, can I go to the bathroom?” Gia requested. “It’s next to the kitchen.” Said Belle. 

     Gia went to the toilet to gather herself until she noticed a hole on the bathroom’s roof. She opened it and found a car key. She was stunned because she knew that belonged to Jean. It. Was. Jean’s. Car. Key. Gia immediately rushed out of the bathroom and saw Belle standing across from her. “I see you’ve found it.” Belle said. “It was you, wasn’t it? I’m going to call the cops right n-“ Gia was interrupted. “No, I didn’t do anything to Jean, I can explain please. Just put your phone down and we can talk.” Belle pleaded. “It’s too late, Belle.” The whole time, Gia was on the phone with the cops. It was done for Belle. 

     “So yeah, that was the story and they believed it,” Said Gia, “Oh Jean, they would never find you now. I told you, I’m going to make you suffer the most.” Gia held Jean’s chin. Gia was the one who took him four years ago. Why? She had a valid reason and Jean was well deserved for it. Jean murdered Gia’s best friend, Nora. He said it was an accident but she knew it was on purpose to spike Nora’s drink and drag her to his own car. “I didn’t want to kill her!” Jean cried. “Yet, you still wanted to hurt her! What were you planning to do?!” Gia yelled. “Me and Belle were just playing stupid games, we hated Nora for no reason, and we just wanted to throw her in the middle of nowhere - I didn’t expect my car to crash!” Weeped Jean. “You and Belle wanted to leave her frozen to die in the middle of nowhere?! Then I’m glad she didn’t have to suffer that way, I’m glad she died in that car crash.” Gia exclaimed. 

     Jean was still alive and has been held captive by Gia. Belle got a life sentence for her crimes. Gia had planned it all along, she took some of Jean’s blood and smeared it in a forest near Belle’s house, so the authorities would believe Belle had killed Jean there. Gia had also burned some parts of Jean’s t-shirt and put it there, so they would believe Belle had burned his body to ashes and thrown it away. Belle was also guilty for the murder of Nora Quinn after her body was found inside Jean’s car after being pulled from the lake. People now will believe that Jean Theodore is forever gone and Belle Dale had killed him alongside an innocent girl, believed to be Jean’s secret lover. It was all driven by revenge after all.