#rosefield:task

[peytonains]

The Rosefield Police Department presents: 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔦𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔯𝔬𝔤𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫 𝔬𝔣 𝔭𝔢𝔶𝔱𝔬𝔫 𝔞𝔦𝔫𝔰𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔥

Though no one knew it, Peyton was no stranger to the interrogation room. As her exposed thighs spread across the cold metal of the folding chair, she winced as the terror of her father’s demise came flooding back. The tears came rushing to her chocolate eyes as she envisioned the last time she saw her father from the stands of a stale, quiet courtroom where handcuffs bound his wrists like boa constrictors. And since that very day, she’d viewed those in authority as nothing more than a species of cold blooded reptile. 

As the door opened, Peyton readjusted the hem of her skirt accordingly. She was taught from a young age it didn’t matter how she felt, it only mattered how she looked. And if her looks were going to plead her innocence, Ms. Ainsworth would certainly be pulling up to the station in louboutin heels. Though she feared authority, she’d be mighty. She’d be fierce. She’d be brave. It was showtime. 

“Miss. Ainsworth, please state your name for the record.” The man in uniform wasted no time, played no games. Something he’d come to know, neither did she. 

“Haven’t you already done that for me?” Peyton quipped back, her hands crossed on the table in front of her.

The officer narrowed his gaze, taking a menacing step towards her. “Full name, age, and occupation please. I will not ask again.”

“Peyton Coralia Ainsworth. Twenty-two years old. I’m an event planner here in Rosefield.” The tension in the room made her submissive, though her body language still very much read confident. Her straightened spine spoke on behalf of her inability to back down, her clenched jaw would only unlatch to speak words that reflected her truth, and her perfectly manicured hands would offer no firm handshakes, no truces or no palms swearing on soiled bibles. In this case, she knew she could trust no one, especially not the police.

“Are you aware that anything you say or do can and will be used against you in a court of law?” The man asked. This was not so much a question as it was a command. He sunk into his seat, adjusting his suit coat as he placed a manilla folder between the two of them. 

“Yes, I’m well aware.” Her reddened lips spoke in a firm voice, one the officer had probably not been expecting. She suspected he’d been in the presence of high school girls, shaking like a leaf in his presence. Their trembling hands shaking the metal table as sadness pulled at their vocal chords like the saddest of violin strings as Nathaniel’s services. Surely their lips quivered as they told their stories but Peyton’s eyes ran dry. 

“How did you know Nathaniel Beauchamp, Miss Ainsworth?”

“Unfortunately, I did not have the pleasure of knowing Nathaniel. We’d only ever met in passing. His family, however, speaks very highly of him. Memorializing him has been a great honor nevertheless.” A politician’s grin painted Peyton’s lips, face barely emoting as she spewed a rehearsed answer and surely he could see that. 

“I understand that’s the story you’re leading everyone to believe, Peyton. But, Nate’s phone records tell a different story.” He opened the folder and rotated the papers in her direction. Although her heart picked up speed in her chest, she refused to show her vulnerability. She wasn’t going to play stupid, or play victim. She’d play a smart and strategic game. “Is that your phone number?”

“Yes.” Peyton admitted, looking over the page. “Nate and I have texted, yes, because as I said we had met in passing. How many acquaintances do you have in your phonebook?”

“You and Nate corresponded text messages late at night in the months leading up to his death. Do you care to tell me that those messages were about?”

“A proper lady doesn’t kiss and tell.” She smirked at the officer, his stoic face did not falter.

“This is not a game, Miss. Ainsworth. A kid died.”

“I never said it was. As you research has probably come to show, Nate was a dog. You can probably use your imagination to figure what Nathaniel was texting me about late at night.” She posed.

“This interrogation is not about leaving things up to the imagination. This is about the facts and you are under oath. Start talking.”

Peyton took a deep breath before speaking again. “I was new in town and Nate and I had seen each other around. I heard about him through the grapevine but avoided him because, well, he was my friend’s ex boyfriend. Cassia Crocetti, you know her, right?” She rested her chin in her palm, elbow prompting itself parallel to the table as she leaned in. “He’d ask me to come over late at night. You know how boys can be. Did I answer? Yes. What girl doesn’t like a little bit of attention? But, did I sleep with him? No, absolutely not.” She affirmed, knowing damn well that their texts were nothing more than him starting their correspondence.

You see, the texts between Peyton and Nate were always vague.

N: You up? 

P: Yes.

N: Come over?

P: Could you be a bit more romantic?

The two’s love affair was pretty paperless. No ‘on my way’ messages or ‘great night’ texts. They moved in silence, they acted in silence. Whatever the police would read in those texts would lead to just that: silence.

“When was the last time you and Nate spoke? What were you two talking about?” The officer asked, a sigh escaping his lips. This investigation must have been a hard one, she thought. The teen had so many enemies, so many angry ex girlfriends, so many people he betrayed. This poor man had to arrive at dead end, after dead end, wondering who was lying and who was telling the truth. She could tell by his body language: the palm against his forehead, the slouching, the sigh... that he was defeated once again.

Peyton leaned in, a bit of cleavage exposing itself as she peered over at the dates scattered across the page. She pointed to the most recent record they had. “June 19th. 11:57pm. He said he wanted to see me and I didn’t answer, as you can see.”

“Why didn’t you answer?” 

“I was with Cassia.” Peyton pursed her lips, crossing her legs beneath the table. “We were busy.”

“Ms. Crocetti said she was in her bed early that morn--”

His words were interrupted by a promiscuous giggle as she wet her lips. “She didn’t say alone, did she?”

“Confidential information.”

“Well, I was in her bed on main street that morning. She teaches dance classes pretty early so we fell asleep.” The lie fell seamlessly off her lips. But in her mouth, on her the tip of her tongue, it tasted like the truth. The investigators were two steps behind as far as Peyton was concerned.  

To tell you the truth, reader, Peyton was with Nate that night. After the party, he showed up at her house, intoxicated with skewed inhibitions. The two had sex and he left shortly after. Was she shocked to discover he was dead a few hours later? Yes, so shocked in fact she swore herself to secrecy, the way her father would have expected her to. The way her family lawyers would have told her to do. The way she needed to.

“Do you know what Nathaniel was doing on a broken road on Cherry Route?”

“No, sir.” Peyton sat back in her chair, arms crossing smugly across her blouse. 

“Do you know anyone who lives near 120 Cherry Route, where the body was found?

“Just his crazy bitch ex-girlfriend.” Peyton said with confidence. Though her and Emma were friends, the girl would never know Peyton threw her under the bus. “Emmaleigh Wood. I’m sure you have her name on file.”

“Do you believe Emma would have any motive to kill Nathaniel?” The officer raised an eyebrow at the redhead.

“They were on and off again. I know she recently found out she was knocked up with his ghost spawn.” Peyton shrugged, giving him just a bit of information, information he had probably already known. The police would draw their own conclusions. Did she think Emma did it? No, the girl had too much love for him. But would someone pull the trigger on her behalf? It was a possibility, anything was. 

“I know you just recently moved here about eight months ago but are you aware that a couple was found dead in the same location as Nathaniel on December 17th of 2019?” 

“I’ve heard the tall tale, yes. Not much happens out here so when something like that happens, the whole scooby gang comes out to speculate.” She ran a hand though her auburn locks.

“Do you think these two cases were related?” He asked, jotting some notes down in his notebook.

“Isn’t it your job to come to that conclusion? If you’re relying on the opinions of others who have no idea what they’re talking about to solve your cases, it’s no wonder why there’s still a killer running through Rosefield.” Peyton rolled her eyes, rising to her feet. The officer mimicked her motion, towering over her. 

“Answer the question, Miss. Ainsworth.”

She swallowed, a chill traveling up her spine. “It’s possible.” She spoke quietly. When they were seated, the playing field seemed level but as his frame dominated hers, she felt powerless. Her demeanor suddenly changed. 

“You’re free to go.” The officer emphasized, taking a few steps back. He must have seen the terror well up in her eyes once more. 

And just like that, Peyton Ainsworth was gone. The only sound in the police station being the unwavering clacking of her graceful heels against the tile floor.

[vineyardsads]

{ &. rosefield task 001. }

"do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god?"

cassia had never believed in a god. the universe put things out there itself, and there was no bearded man in the sky instructing her on what to do or how to accomplish it. when faced with this question, the female had to keep her lips sealed. for a person who spoke without thinking, this was proving to be difficult.

"yes, i do, sir."

she wasn't anxious -- mainly because she knew she had absolutely nothing to do with nate in the past year or so. there weren't going to be a lot of questions she had answers to, she was sure of it.

"are you aware that anything you say or do can be used against you in a court of law?"

"yes, sir. can i get a cigarette or is that frowned upon nowadays?"

the agent gave a dry laugh. "very funny, kid. state your full name, date of birth, and current age for the record."

"my name is cassia graciela crocetti. i was born on february 17th, 1998 and that makes me twenty-two years old."

"alright, thank you -- and how did you know nathaniel beauchamp?"

she broke eye contact with the man before her momentarily, trying her best to come up with an adequate response. "well, we met when he was a freshman and i was a junior. it sounds gross, now that i think about it..." cassia trailed off, a frown tugging at the corners of her lips. she looked up to see if the agent's expression had changed -- it hadn't. "uh, we were in an assembly on safe sex, i think? he'd opened one of the free condoms and was blowing it up. that's what kind of brought me to him. he wasn't taking anything seriously... at the time, i was in the thick of a drug addiction, and authority was literally the bane of my existence, so seeing someone so blatantly ignored that made me laugh, something i struggled to do without some kind of substance running through my veins,"

for a mere moment, she felt a pang of sadness for the loss of that relationship. the laughter they shared ultimately kept them together for that short six months.

"so we started hanging out, and it was really just... us goofing off all the time. we'd get high, fuck around, get into trouble. it was just fun and games, until it wasn't. i -- i can't even remember what caused our first argument," she paused, taking her lesser lip between her teeth. "nothing i say is going to be released to the public, right? like... are you going to tell everyone?"

"if it poses itself as evidence, it can be used in a court of law, which we went over in the beginning of the interview, miss crocetti."

"right, okay. so, um, a lot of our fights were just yelling. we would get mad about stupid shit, like how he looked at another girl or how i wore a skirt that was too short for his liking, and it'd just... escalate, but there were so many times he had me cornered and was screaming in my face, calling me worthless, telling me no one loved me, including him -- which i truly believed. he never laid a hand on me, but i still can't shake his screaming. i still hear it... all the time," she let out a shaky sigh. faith had been the only one to know of these things happening, and saying them out loud with little to no context in an interrogation office was absolutely nerve wracking.

"so that would give you some type of motive?"

cassia scrunched her face up in disgust. "i -- well, i never thought of it that way. if that's something you see, sure, but it doesn't add up to it in my mind,"

"okay. where were you on the early morning of june 20th?"

"out cold. i have dance classes to teach beginning at 8:00 am most mornings, so i sleep in as late as possible. sometimes i'm not up until thirty minutes before i have to be at razzle dazzle."

"so you were asleep in your own bed?"

she nodded. "yes, i have an apartment on main street."

"and when was the last time you heard from nathaniel? what were you two talking about?"

another sigh escaped her lips as she pretended to search the files of her brain, as if she couldn't pinpoint the last time they spoke face to face. "it was in november of 2018, right before i overdosed. he was at the party. i went to rehab. faith campbell was with me. we had been fighting about how..." she trailed off, closing her eyes. "how drunk i was and how much of a fool i was being," she admitted, finally opening her eyes.

"do you know what he, nathaniel, was doing on a broken road on cherry route?"

"not a clue."

"do you know anyone who lives near 120 cherry route, where the body was found?"

"my best friend and her sister, who i'm also close to -- faith and adelaine campbell. faith is closer to campus though now. she does pop home a bit."

"do you know anyone who has been threatening the victim?"

"no. i tried to stay away from most people who had any kind of connection to him."

"who could have done this?"

"anyone. someone who he was blackmailing? i know he liked to do that."

"why don’t you tell me what you think happened to nathaniel?"

"that's a loaded question. we all know the physical -- he was murdered. if you're asking me like, specifics? what weapons and all that? i don't know, i've been racking my brain for the past week."

"do you remember what you were doing on the night of december 17th in 2019?"

"hmmm..." she mused. cassia placed her chin in her hands and thought for a few moments. "six months ago? ish? i was probably at home. i can't say for sure because it was a while ago, but i don't go out much."

"are you aware that a couple was found dead in the same location as nathaniel on december 17th of 2019?"

"yeah, i am. was that a freak accident? they weren't even from the area, right?"

"no, they were not. do you believe these two cases might be related?"

"could be. no way of telling."

"do you have any further concerns? if not, you’re free to leave."

"nope, no concerns aside from finding out how this happened and stopping it from happening again."

[slosage]

Task 1

Alessandra was already annoyed with this interrogation. She had met Nathan two times, if that! She didn’t care about the boy, she had her own shit to deal with. So what if she was his neighbor, didn’t think that would make her subject #1. Sitting in the room, still in her scrubs, since she had to leave in the middle of the day she tapped her fingers on the table waiting to be asked, “Listen, I have to get to work can we start this already?”

are you aware that anything you say or do can be used against you in a court of law?

“Yes” she groaned out.

how did you know nathaniel beauchamp?

“I don’t know if I should say I knew him… I knew of him? He was my neighbor” she shrugged with a roll of her eyes.

what were you doing on the early morning of june 20th?

“At work. Like I should be now, and I assumed I would get asked this so here is my pay stubs and my check ins” she said throwing the paperwork on the table, as her dad always said ‘be good at your job, but have a great lawyer’.

when was the last time you heard from nathaniel? what were you two talking about?

“June 18th maybe? I don’t know the day, but the last thing we spoke about was me telling him not to park on my grass. He said okay, then we went on our way”.

do you know what nathaniel was doing on a broken road on cherry route?

“No, as I said I met him one to two times, and I didn’t care enough about the boy to get personal”.

do you know anyone who lives near 120 cherry route, where the body was found?

“No. Me and my boyfriend… ex boyfriend live on Main. I know random people on Cherry, but none close to me”.

do you know anyone who has been threatening the victim?

“Is this a fucking joke man? As I just said multiple times I didn’t know the boy. If I have friends that know him I was never told anything about the boy. Again, did not care about him”.

who could have done this?

“Listen, I don’t know. I think my sick patients need me more than this right now”.

why don’t you tell me what you think happened to nathaniel?

“I don’t think anything of him, ok. Listen… It is sad what happened to the boy, and my heart goes out to his friends and family. I have no clue”.

do you remember what you were doing on the night of december 17th in 2019?

“I’ll say working again, since that is all I ever do” that was a lie, but not to do with Nathaniel, but it was one of those nights where her and her ex got in a massive fight that led to other dramatics, but not with the boy.

are you aware that a couple was found dead in the same location as nathaniel on december 17th of 2019?

“I didn’t live here that long at that point, I knew no one here but my ex, and I can promise you neither of us were anywhere but home that night…”

do you believe these two cases may be related?

“I’m a doctor, not a lawyer alright. Want to give me their bodies I can look at that, but just thinking about it I can’t help”.

do you have any further concerns? if not, you’re free to leave.

As soon as he said that Alessandra stood up quickly and walked to the door, “I’m sorry I can’t be of help to you. I’m sorry this is happening in this town, and I hope you do find him. Next time could you not pull me from my shift though” she exclaimed.

Walking out and heading back to work she started to feel tears in her eyes. As she was asked so many questions all she could think about was Leo.