#Chapter 17# An unexpected encounter

Priscilla and Amelia were coming out of the school gate after school hours ended. Priscilla scrolled through her phone as they walked and didn't notice the furious and burning eyes of Amelia.

"Priscilla, don't you think what you did today was uncalled for?" Amelia said, gazing scornfully at Priscilla.

"What did I do?" Priscilla asked, giggling away as she chatted with her phone.

"Really? So you still feel relaxed after disclosing Anna's address, like it were a free pie distributed to beggers?" Amelia rants.

Priscilla raised her head suddenly and locked eyes with Amelia.

"Was there anything wrong with that?" Priscilla asked and returned to her phone. Amelia forcefully dragged the phone from her, dragged her by her tie, and said,

"There isn't anything wrong with that? Wasn't it suspicious to you in any way why Anna's address was requested?

" Let go of me, Amelia. What's suspicious about it? She was absent. Couldn't that have been the main reason it was requested? Priscilla said, struggling to get Amelia's hand off her tie.

"Oh my God! How dumb are you, Priscilla? Is this the first time Anna has been absent from school? Sometimes she takes a week off from school, and no one cares about it. Is it now because she is absent only for today that Mrs. Miller suddenly became so caring? Didn't you notice the man in front of her is an officer?" Priscilla said it angrily.

Priscilla pushed Amelia away from her. She heard a sharp noise that came from the crashing of something on the floor. She looked down and saw that Amelia had dropped her phone accidentally after she pushed her.

"What is wrong with you, Amelia? You dropped my phone! Do you know how much that phone costs?" Priscilia yelled.

"Well, yes. It is not as costly as mine. Mine can get your dad a penthouse in California!" Amelia replied bluntly.

"Nice one on the exaggeration, Amelia." Priscilla said, clapping her hands and smiling.

"Now listen to me, you fool. There must be a reason Anna's mom didn't submit her house address to the school management when filling out Anna's application form. You know how well-behaved, respectable, popular, and prosperous she is, which means she must surely have enemies who are seeking her downfall. Revealing her house address carelessly is one way of endangering her life and Anna's. Don't you get it?" Amelia stated.

"Can you hear yourself speak, Amelia? You opened your righteous mouth and uttered that she is well-behaved and respected, and you still opened that same filthy mouth and said it was an officer who needs the address. If she is well-behaved and respectable,why would the officer come to her daughter's school to seek the address of her house? As far as I know, detectives do go out of their way to indirectly seek information about a suspect in a crime. If he had a good motive to get her address, he should have gone to her hospital and asked to see her in person. Now, he came to her daughter's school to get her house address, and I'm being asked if I know her house. Do you expect me to act dumb, like I know nothing? Listen to me carefully. I was taught to never hide evil deeds. I might not come from as rich a home as you and Anna, but I'm from a home where values are thought of. And you know what? Values are priceless, which means your father's money can't buy them." Priscilla boldly said that and bent down to pick up her phone. It had a little crack.

Ashley, Benedicta, and Bella were walking home together after school. Strolling down the quiet street of Handerson, they bumped into Priscilla and Amelia.

"There go the devil's accomplices." Benedicta said.

"It looks like they aren't on good terms." Ashley commented

Getting near the spot where Amelia and Priscilla stood, Bella snarked, which got the attention of Amelia.

"It looks like you have a sore on your throat." Amelia said this while walking straight towards Bella and standing right in front of her.

"What did Mrs. Miller ask you guys the other time at her office?" Amelia asked, stirring scornfully at Bella.

"What's with the close distance? Can you stay at least 3 feet away from me?" Bella asked, also looking at her with disdain.

"It looks like you both had a dispute." Ashley said, looking at Priscilla, who was already on the go.

"That doesn't sound like an answer to our question." Amelia said as she still stood in front of Bella.

"Gosh! Your breath stinks, Amelia. Stand back." Bella said, covering her nose.

Amelia got angry, pushed Bella out of the way, and walked out on them with her eyes blazing fire. They all laughed and went on their way.

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"Who is the officer who had the effrontery to arrest an underage without the consent of the child's parent?" Mrs. Parker shouted, storming into the police station with an old man dressed in a fine black suit.

"Good evening, Mrs. Parker. Please take your seat. Officer Gabriel said.

"Oh, please. Save your greetings. Where is my daughter?" She shouted.

"You'll need to calm down and listen to me, Mrs. Parker. Your daughter wasn't arrested. We only brought her here for a few questions, but she didn't cooperate with us. She kept blabbering and ranting since she got here; she slept off when she got tired." Officer Gabriel explained.

"That statement does not quench my curious mind. Why did you bring my daughter without my consent?" Mrs. Parker asked.

"Well, you and I know it would not be possible to get her here if I had taken your consent first. However, it's still the same. I called you immediately she was picked up from home. So, I did get your consent. Let's get down to the reason we are here." Officer Gabriel said.

Sergeant Courtney walked in with Anna, who was still looking groggy. She yawned and cleared her eyes with her palm. She became fully conscious in no time and noticed her mom walking towards her to embrace her.

"Are you alright? Did they hurt you?" Mrs. Parker asked Anna, placing her hands on Anna's cheek to observe her well-being."

"I'm fine, mom. These tyrants came to the house and took me under the offense of attempted murder." Anna said it harshly.

"What!! I thought you said my daughter wasn't arrested, and she was brought here for a few questions." Mrs. Parker said, facing Officer Gabriel.

"Well, it isn't your daughter who is actually needed for that offense. It's you, Mrs. Parker." Officer Nelson cuts in from the blues.

Mrs. Parker turned around to see the voice that replied to her and was shocked to see who it was. She couldn't believe her eyes.

"Was he not killed? How come he is alive??" These questions ran through her mind as she was held in shock. She suddenly began to shiver right on that spot.

"Surprised to see me?" Officer Nelson said this and smirked.