CHAPTER SEVEN: CLUES, CONUNDRUM AND CONNECTIONS (Draft 1)

Silver treaded down the pathway towards the city library. She wore faded blue jeans and an old t-shirt she borrowed from Tim's closet. Her blonde hair was tied into a messy bun, and she tugged the straps of her backpack. Every step she took with her worn out sneakers was harsh and defined a sense of purpose. 

Silver looked far from being the heiress to a fortune she would legally inherit when she turns 18. Well, half a fortune. Her parents had equally split their wealth between their two children in their will with the fear that granting one child more riches than the other would not only be unjust but would also drive the pair apart. Silver chuckled silently. She and Tim were not particularly close – even though they still loved and cared for each other – and yet their parents were worried about driving them apart. Perhaps they were worried about driving them even further apart. 

She opened her eyes and noticed the library come into view. She smiled to herself as sweet memories of her mother taking her and her brother to the library came to mind. Tim would always run off and hide behind a pile of books he intended to read. Silver, on the other hand, would explore the tall shelves of the mystery, crime and thriller sections of the building with her mother. They would borrow all sorts of intriguing novels and series and take them home to read together before bed. 

Her mother was the one who helped her discover her passion for solving mysteries. When they would read their bedtime stories, Silver would always put two and two together and solve the difficult conundrums before the baffled detectives in the novels would. Sometimes she and her mother would even team up together as if they were police investigators to solve the crime. 

She frowned as she realised she won't be able to make any more memories like that anymore. 

Her parents didn't constantly hover over Silver and Tim, and they would often disappear randomly on business trips, leaving a babysitter. No one would hear from them until a week or two later when they would magically appear at the breakfast table. In the time of their absence, Silver and Tim would always find themselves under the care of their aunt and uncle. 

But despite how absent they seemed from their children's lives, George and Vanessa Garnet would take every chance they got to spend time with their children. And that, Silver concluded, was why they were such wonderful people. 

She continued walking, estimating that the library was about 5 minutes away and continuing to think about her parents. They were wealthy philanthropists - always kind, considerate and thoughtful. They despised any form of injustice brought upon them or anyone else. Reflecting upon this made Silver wonder – why her parents? 

Why were they the ones targeted by Ashlynn Speed to be killed in that fire? Granted, she wasn't 100% sure if it WAS Ashlynn, but still – why them? 

It was the one mystery she couldn't solve.  

That. And why her parents disappeared so often. Although it was probably on business trips, there was something suspicious about it. Something mysterious. It was the only thing she ever doubted about her parents. 

Silver's frown deepened as she realised her parents were gone for a whole month before their untimely death. 

She suddenly stopped in her tracks and gasped silently. "Could..." she whispered, "Could both be connected somehow?" 

She scowled and began sprinting towards the library. The clue. She had to find that clue. 

 

Cherry laid on her stomach on her bed, chewing at the end of her pen. She had a small book open, scribbled with all sorts of notes in her neat, calligraphy handwriting. She had been writing all morning, and her effort was reflected upon the pages of the book she had just bought the day before – which were now half used up. 

Silver had run off to the library early that morning after breakfast and she still wasn't home. Cherry assumed that she had taken a longer route – probably to think about what she wanted to find. She hadn't told Cherry much about what she was going to look for at the library, just that it was a clue to this mystery. Cherry had bit her tongue before she asked any more questions. She had recognised that Silver wanted to be left alone that morning and didn't desire to upset her. Something was on her mind, and as painful as it was for Cherry not to know what it was, she realised she should allow Silver to ask for help herself. 

Before Silver left, she had told Cherry that she could use her laptop to research further about the case if she had the time. Silver had a document complete with every link to any newspaper article in relation to the Speed family, Ashlynn's disappearance, the rise of the Shadows, everything she thought might help her understand the case and her suspect. It was all there. All up until a charity event, hosted by Alexandra Speed, 12 years ago to raise money for hungry children, where Ashlynn first appeared after many years, only to disappear once again. 

Cherry realised the article didn't have any details about that night. Only details about how wonderous, spectacular and magical the night had seemed until Ashlynn crashed it. After that, it only mentioned how Ashlynn had stolen a car and run off, Alexandra hot on her tail in her own car. Ashlynn had gotten away. It was speculated she had fled the country, although nowhere to be found. Eventually, investigators concluded she had committed suicide and – although no body was ever found – closed the case. 

Cherry stared at the notes she had made, which included every important detail that, in her opinion, might help. She had been studying the articles in front of her all morning to try to discern any sort of pattern. A piece of the puzzle Silver might have overlooked, even though that felt impossible since Silver had an eye for detail. 

After looking down at all her notes and flipping through the pages in her book, Cherry finally understood why Silver thought it might all be connected. It all played out like a story. A story with no ending. Stories... that was her youngest sister, Blue's strongpoint. If only she could ask her siblings for help. 

James and Scarlet were very strongheaded, stubborn and very bossy. They would be exceptional at taking the lead and figuring out the next best step. As for her sister, Violet. Well, she was excellent at reading body language and facial expressions, although she often appears innocent and naive at times due to her optimistic and kind nature. Sage was very observant and quiet; mostly because she was always scheming. She was very difficult to fool and could spot anything that was overlooked. And finally, Blue. She was always good with stories, whether they were fictional or reality. Much like how Silver would solve a mystery, Blue could figure out what would happen next, and it would be accurate. It was almost as if she could predict the future. Well, she could but– 

Cherry shook her head. She was being silly. As if Silver would believe Blue could predict the future. She was much too sensible for that! 

Nevertheless, she still wished she could receive her siblings' help, however, she respected Silver's privacy and trusted her decisions. It was Silver's parents after all. But it was also Tim's, she reminded herself. 

Cherry never understood why Silver wanted to keep her brother out of this. She could never keep a secret like that from James, albeit she was keeping Silver's secrets from him. 

Cherry sighed and tried to think. How would Blue piece this story together? How would she figure out what would happen next? Ashlynn disappeared, leaving no trace. Only her son, who was raised by Alexandra. Now, 12 years later, she was back, and she was after something. Something that might have involved George and Vanessa Garnet. Something that might threaten Alexandra. Something... 

She gasped, "Her son..." 

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she tried to recall everything Silver had told her about him. His name was Asher Speed. He goes by the nickname, Flame, because of his cousin’s unusual name. Raised by his aunt, Alexandra Speed, since he was a baby with the same amount of love, care and affection as his cousin, Blaze Speed. Silver had told her that Flame didn't many friends, only his cousin and her best friend, Chloe Banker, who was the daughter of the police chief. When they were younger, Alexandra would have left Flame and Blaze under the care of the Garnets sometimes as they were close friends, it also allowed Silver and Tim to grow close with them. 

Cherry opened her eyes again. Ashlynn might be back for her son. That would certainly threaten Alexandra, who had been a motherly figure to him his whole life. But she still didn't know how it would have involved George and Vanessa Garnet. 

'Maybe they knew something. Maybe they knew something that Ashlynn didn't want them to know,' Cherry thought to herself. After all, George and Vanessa were old friends of Alexandra, quite close too. It wouldn't be a surprise if they knew about Ashlynn as well, or if Alexandra told them something about her sister. 

She looked down at her computer, which was still open to the article about the grand event 12 years ago. She noticed something. Two figures that resembled Silver's parents. Cherry never met them, of course, but she had seen pictures. She wasn't quite sure it WAS George and Vanessa Garnet, but if it was... what were they doing at that event? Silver told Cherry that they had an important business meeting that night. 

The blurry picture showed the individuals that resembled George and Vanessa were speaking to Alexandra, or someone that looked exactly like her. They all had a worried look on their face. Cherry frowned, trying to get a closer look. What was happening in the picture? She wondered. Blue probably would have solved it in a millisecond. She shook her head and reminded herself she can't ask her. She would ask Silver, she decided. Silver would know what to do. 

But for now, Cherry thought, Silver was still out. She didn't even know if she reached the library or not. She just hoped her sister would be back soon...