RED SKATE CHAPTER EIGHT

I stared around my home, really bored. Wondering what I could do to pass the time. There wasnothing in my room. Only a bed with ablood-stained mattress and shit-covered quilt. There was window in the far corner, but was really small, so prisoners couldn't climb out. There was also a lamp, a tall thing sitting upon a small table. And that was it. A bed, a lamp and a small table. Very homely!
I heard the key turning in the lock. At last! Someone to whom I can tell my side of the story. My heart fluttered when the door opened, revealing Charlie.
Charlie was normally a jolly person, always smiling or laughing, with a cute little cheek in his cheek. Today, however, no dimple was present, and Charlie was frowning at me.
"Oh, Sally," he groaned. "I was told they'd caught Cathy's killer and banged her up in this room. Tell me it wasn't you! It couldn't have been. You were Cathy's best friend!"
"It wasn't me, Charlie," I said. "I went over to Cathy's house. The front door was wide open, and I just found her lying on the floor. The sight made me faint."
"And when the police showed up, they just found you there and presumed you wasthe onewho killed her,"Charlie finished off.
"Yes," I replied. "I know it sounds unbelievable, but it's the honest-to-God truth. Honest!"
"It's OK, Sally. I believe you. I know you wouldn't kill her, you were really close. I think it'sthe same person who murdered Julia Entwhistle."
I gasped. "Really?"
"Yes."
"Well, that's what I think as well."
"Listen, Sally. I know this sounds disrespectful to Cathy, but you'll have to stop wallowing and solve the case of Julia's murder. And now the case of Cathy's death. I'm the one who's going to be working with you."
My heart skipped a beat. Working with Charlie! My dream come true! But then my consciencespoke up. Still being able to work on Julia's case wasn't just about working with one of the most sexy guys in theworld, it was also about avenging the death of my best friend!

Charlie pleaded for me to the Chief Inspector. I was allowed to go back home. But when I walked through the front door, it felt like there was already apresence in the house. I could feel it.
I entered the living-room, and jumped as I saw someone sitting in my armchair. Someone big. Someone wearing a certain leather jacket which was implicated as a murder suspect.
"Jack!" I screamed. "Jack, What are you doing here!"
He stood up. "I came back for my jacket, seeing as you've neglected to give it back to me. You wasn't home..."
"So you thought you'd break in!" I interrupted, angrily.
A look of concern crossed Jack's face. "Look, Sal, I didn't mean any trouble. I was telling the truth about the jacket."
"Yeah, I know. We tested it and the blood on the jacket isn't your blood, it's unidentifiable."
"See? Told you."
"Listen, Jack, if you're round for no reason, can you please go? It's not agood time right now. My best friend's been murdered and..."
"What? That pretty woman you were with the other day?"
"The one you abducted, yeah."
Jack came over to me. I tensed. But all he did was fling an arm on my shoulder.
"Oh, Sally. I'm really sorry. But listen, there is something I need to tell you."
I looked up at him. "What? What is it?"
"The reason I knew that that Julia girl was murdered before it came on the news, is because I saw it happen."
Renewed anger flared up inside my mouth.
"What!?" I shrieked at him. "You knew all along? And you didn't tell us? You just wound us up about it?"
He flung his arms up in mock self-defence.
"Hey. I don't actually knowwho did it. I just saw it happen. OK?"
"How? How can you witness a murder but not actually see who it was?"
"You got an hour?"
"All the time in the world."
We both sat down. Him in the chair, me on the sofa.
"Now. Julia was killed on Friday night, right?"
I nodded.
"Well, I was in a pub that night - that's where I got the blood from my jacket - I was supposed to meet someone thee, for a business deal. Hecalled me on my mobile and told me his car had broken down outside an ice rink, so he was waiting there for me. I grabbed my jacket and headed over there.
When I got there, the ice-rink was still open, so I just walked in. I looked around for my mate, the one I was supposed to meet for the business deal. When I saw him, I sat with him, and we talked business over a pint. There were only two costumers on the rink that night. Two girls. Teenagers. They were both trying out for the Ice-skating Championship. So, we were talking, and watching the ice-skaters at the same time. One of the girls must have decided she'd had enough, because she skated to the edge of the rink, and disappeared round the back. We carried on watching the other girl when suddenly, there was a power cut."
Jack paused and took a tobacco tin out from his jacket pocket. "You mind?" He asked, rolling up a fag. I shook my head. "Get on with the story."
"Well, so anyway, the owner of the rink started freaking out. Moaning he'd just paid a hefty bill he'd forgotten about, and now he'll have to fork out for a bill for an electrician as well. So anyway, he was flapping about, and I was getting worried about the other girl left on the rink, Julia Entwhistle. Had she injured herself while skating in the dark? Had she fallen over and broke a wrist or something? And then, asquickly as it went out, the power came back on. And we were all met with a grisly sight!"
I could imagine all too well. "The sight of Julia Entwhistle slashed to death with an ice-skate," I said.
"Yes."
Jack finished his rollie and threw the dog-end into the wastepaper bin next to the fireplace.
"Sally?" He asked. "Your mate who'salso been killed? Do you think she was killed by the same person?"
"Yes," I answered. Then I went on to tell Jack how I was blamed for a brief time.
He seemed shocked. "But you wouldn't have done it! Fat chance! You two seemed really close to me."
"We were."
The two of us sat in total silence for a few minutes, when Jack piped up: "Do you know, I think I know who killed her."
"Who? Cathy?"
"No. Julia."
I looked at him, shocked. "Who?"
"Well, that night, therewere only four of us. My mate and I who were talking business. The two girls who were ice-skating, and the owner of the rink."
I shrugged my shoulders. "And?"
"Well, during the power cut, me and my mate were still talking, and the rink owner wasflapping around. Just before the power cut, one of the skaters disappeared."
I looked at him. "You can't mean the other skater killed Julia?"
"Yes, I do. And I think I know why, too. From what I saw, Juliawas a better skater than the other girl. She skated gracefully andserenely. The other girl kept on falling over, and bruising herself."
I stood up, fast.
"What are you going to do?" Jack asked.
"Jack. Thanks for all your help. But I'm going back out now. I need to know who else was skating that night and interview her."
Jack nodded.
"And I need you to get hold of your mate as well."
"Why? You don't suspect him and all?" Jack suddenly took on a nasty purple shade to his face.
"No, I don't," I said, trying to calm him down. "I just need to interview him as a witness."

Find out what happens next in Chapter Nine...