The Confession by R.L. Stine Read Free Book Online

footsteps. And then a scream.
    â€œHe’s dead!” someone squealed. A high, shrill voice. I didn’t recognize it at first.
    â€œHe’s dead!”
    And then another shrill voice. “She killed him!”
    â€œNoooo!” I screamed. I spun around. Off-balance. Dizzy.
    I turned to the high-pitched voices. And in theshadows behind the yellow alley light, I saw Artie and Chucky.
    Their red hair glowing dully, rising like flames over their pale faces. Their blue eyes wide with fear.
    â€œShe killed him!”
    â€œNo—wait!” I pleaded, stumbling, staggering to my feet. My legs so rubbery, shaking so hard. “Wait—!”
    â€œShe killed him! I saw her!”
    â€œCall the police!”
    â€œNo—please!” I started after them. “Artie! Chucky—no!”
    Another explosion of music as they pushed the door open. And disappeared back into the rink.
    Leaving the image of their startled eyes glowing in my mind.
    Leaving their shrill cries of horror in my ears.
    â€œNo—wait! I didn’t! I didn’t!” My panicked cries falling unheard to the concrete alley floor. “You’re wrong! You’re wrong! Wait—you’re wrong!”
    I didn’t do it, I told myself. I didn’t. I didn’t.
    The police will believe me, I decided.
    I know they will.

Chapter
    10

    â€œW e believe you,” Officer Reed said softly, leaning over his cluttered desk. He was a big bear of a man, with a red, round face and bushy gray eyebrows over small, round, bloodshot eyes. The glare of the overhead light reflected off his bald head. The collar of his blue uniform shirt was open. He pulled off his navy blue tie and tossed it onto the desk.
    â€œWe believe you. But we have to ask a lot of upsetting questions anyway.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Do you understand, Julie?”
    I nodded and glanced at my parents. They sat huddled close together on the other side of the policeman’s desk. Mom kept dabbing at tears in her eyes with a balled-up tissue. Dad had one arm around her shoulders as if holding her down.
    â€œI know we’ve been over everything twice before.But I need to go over it one more time,” Officer Reed said wearily. He mopped sweat off his bald head and forehead with the palm of his hand. “You see, it just doesn’t add up. It doesn’t make sense to me.”
    â€œBut I told you everything! What part doesn’t make sense?” I demanded. I clasped my hands tightly in my lap to keep them from shaking.
    Mom held my skate bag on her lap, shifting it from leg to leg. I wondered why she didn’t put it down on the floor.
    Even when you’re being questioned by the police about a murder, your mind wanders. I found myself thinking about Hillary. Wondering if she was enjoying the party.
    I tried to imagine how she would react when she heard about Al later tonight.
    Officer Reed rubbed his jaw. “What you told me makes sense, Julie. You came out of the skating rink and found the body in the alley. It’s the murder that doesn’t make sense.”
    I stared at him, swallowing hard. My mouth felt so dry. I took a long sip of water from the paper cup he had placed on the corner of his desk for me. The water was warm and tasted kind of sour. Or maybe that was just the taste in my mouth.
    â€œFor one thing, he wasn’t robbed,” Officer Reed continued. “He still had his wallet with about fifteen dollars in it.” He raised his bloodshot eyes to me. “He didn’t usually carry around large sums of money, did he?”
    â€œNo,” I replied softly. “Al was usually broke. He was always trying to borrow money from me.”
    My parents both stared at me. I was sorry I said it. I didn’t want them to start asking a lot of questions about why I loaned money to Al.
    Officer Reed rubbed his jaw again. “He wasn’t robbed. So why was he murdered?”
    â€œI