Chapter 4: The Message With My Name on It
The investigator held the paper between two gloved fingers.
*SHE WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO WIN.*
My name was written beneath it.
NIA CARTER.
For several seconds, I couldn't hear the sirens anymore. I couldn't hear the students whispering behind the police barricade or my father asking the investigator what the message meant.
All I could see were those six words.
Someone had planned for me to lose.
Someone had wanted something to happen after I won.
And Brianna had known.
"That's impossible," Vanessa whispered.
The investigator turned toward her.
"You said your daughter believed the device was supposed to scare someone. How do you know that?""
Vanessa clutched her handbag against her chest.
"Because she told me.""
"When?""
"This afternoon.""
My father stared at her.
"You knew Brianna was planning something at the school?""
"I didn't know about a fire!"" Vanessa snapped.
"I swear to you, I didn't know anything about a fire.""
The investigator's expression remained unreadable.
"Then tell us exactly what she said.""
Vanessa glanced at me.
For the first time in three years, she looked as if she was afraid of me.
Not angry with me.
Afraid.
"She said she wanted to teach Nia a lesson," Vanessa admitted.
"She said the judges would regret choosing the wrong girl.""
I took a step toward her.
"What lesson?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"You just said you knew about the device!""
"I knew she was planning something. I didn't know what it was.""
My father raised his voice.
"Vanessa, our daughter could have been killed tonight!""
"And mine could still be missing!"" she screamed back.
The investigator interrupted them.
"Both of you, please. We need to establish the facts before drawing conclusions.""
He turned to me.
"Nia, did you have any arguments with Brianna today?""
I almost laughed.
"She stole my costume.""
He glanced at the red fabric lying inside a clear evidence bag.
"That costume?""
"Yes. I spent three months making it. She took it this morning, and her mother helped her.""
Vanessa recoiled.
"Don't drag me into this!""
"You were standing in my bedroom when she shoved me," I replied.
"You told me to give her the costume.""
My father turned toward Vanessa slowly.
"You let Brianna do that?""
Vanessa opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
I continued before she could find another excuse.
"Then she came to the competition wearing my costume. When I won, she was standing by the stage entrance, looking at something behind the curtain. She smiled at me and said I'd regret humiliating her.""
The investigator made a note.
"Did she say anything else?""
I remembered Brianna's lips moving while I held the trophy.
It's almost time.
"She mouthed something at me. She said it was almost time.""
The investigator exchanged a glance with his colleague.
Then he asked, "Did you see her near the black equipment case?""
"No. But I saw her talking to a technician.""
"What did she ask him?""
"Whether everything was ready. She mentioned special effects.""
The investigator's pen stopped moving.
"Special effects?""
"Yes.""
He thanked me and stepped aside to speak with another officer.
My father wrapped his arm around my shoulders.
I could feel him shaking.
"Why didn't you tell me everything sooner?"" he whispered.
"I tried. I told you I thought she was planning something.""
"I know."" He closed his eyes briefly.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart.""
Those two words almost broke me.
For years, I'd been the quiet one in our house. The girl who swallowed her anger because she didn't want to make things harder for her father. The girl who accepted stolen clothes, cruel comments, and unfair rules because she believed keeping the peace was the same as keeping a family together.
Now my father was apologizing for not listening.
And I didn't know what to do with it.
A policewoman approached us.
"Mr. Carter, we'd like to take your daughter to the station to give a formal statement. You can accompany her.""
My father nodded.
"Of course.""
As we started toward the police vehicle, Vanessa grabbed my sleeve.
"Nia, wait.""
I turned.
Her eyes were red, but her voice was sharp.
"You need to tell them that Brianna would never deliberately hurt anyone.""
I stared at her hand gripping my costume.
"Let go.""
"She's your sister.""
"No. She's the girl who stole my work and helped create whatever happened tonight.""
"You don't understand what she's been through!""
Vanessa's grip tightened.
"She has always felt second best since I married your father. You've made her feel unwanted from the beginning.""
I looked at her in disbelief.
"She took my costume because she wanted it. She planned something because she wanted to punish me. Those were her choices.""
Vanessa's face twisted.
"You think you're so perfect because you won one little competition?""
"No," I said quietly.
"I think I deserved to keep something I made with my own hands.""
My father gently removed Vanessa's hand from my sleeve.
"That's enough.""
She looked at him.
"You're choosing her over us?""
"I'm choosing to find out what happened.""
He guided me toward the car.
As I climbed inside, I looked back once.
Vanessa stood beneath the flashing red lights, her expensive coat hanging open, her hands pressed against her mouth.
She looked smaller than I'd ever seen her.
But I couldn't feel sorry for her.
Not yet.
At the police station, I gave my statement in a small interview room that smelled of burnt coffee and disinfectant.
My father sat beside me while a detective named Morgan Lee recorded the details.
She asked about the costume, the argument at home, Brianna's behavior backstage, and the timer.
Then she asked something I hadn't expected.
"Nia, did anyone besides Brianna know you were entering the competition?""
I frowned.
"Everyone in my art class knew. I posted a sketch of the devil costume online a few weeks ago.""
"Did you mention when you would perform?""
"The school published the schedule.""
Detective Lee nodded.
"Did you receive any strange messages or threats before today?""
I shook my head.
Then I stopped.
"There was one thing.""
"What was it?""
"About a week ago, someone left an anonymous comment on my design post. They said, 'Let's see how proud you are when the whole school sees the real you.''"
My father turned toward me.
"You never told me that.""
"I thought it was just someone being mean.""
Detective Lee leaned forward.
"Do you still have the comment?""
"I think so. I haven't deleted the post.""
"Don't delete anything. We'll ask you to provide a screenshot.""
She closed her notebook.
"We're treating this as a serious incident. I want you to understand that the message found with the equipment doesn't prove who placed it there. We need evidence.""
I nodded.
"But what if Brianna did it?""
"Then we'll establish that through the investigation. Right now, we know someone interfered with equipment backstage, a fire occurred, and your name appeared on a note. We don't yet know the full connection.""
When the interview ended, my father and I sat in the station lobby.
He bought me a bottle of water from a vending machine. My fingers were still trembling too much to open it, so he twisted the cap for me.
"Your mother used to get nervous before every fashion show," he said suddenly.
I looked at him.
"She did?""
He smiled faintly.
"Terrified. She'd spend weeks preparing costumes, then spend the last hour convinced every stitch was wrong.""
I laughed weakly.
"That sounds familiar.""
"She never gave up, though."" He touched the edge of my bent wing.
"Neither did you.""
For a few minutes, we sat quietly.
Then his phone rang.
Vanessa's name appeared on the screen.
He answered.
"Have they found her?""
I watched his expression change.
"What do you mean, she's contacted you?""
He stood abruptly.
"Vanessa, don't delete anything. Don't answer her. Just tell me what she said.""
He listened.
Then he looked at me.
His face had gone pale.
"What did Brianna send you?"" he asked.
Vanessa's voice was faint through the phone.
My father closed his eyes.
"Send it to Detective Lee. Right now.""
He ended the call.
I stood.
"What happened?""
He hesitated.
"Dad.""
He looked at me.
"Your stepsister just sent your stepmother a message.""
"What did it say?""
He swallowed.
"She says she didn't start the fire.""
My chest tightened.
"Then who did?""
My father looked toward the detective's office.
"That's what we're going to find out.""
But before we could move, Detective Lee came through the door holding a printed screenshot.
"Nia," she said, "I need you to look at something.""
She placed the paper on the table.
It was a message sent from Brianna's account.
The timestamp was 6:03 p.m., just minutes before the competition results were announced.
The message read:
I did what you asked. I took the costume. I followed the instructions. But Nia still won.
Beneath it was a reply from an unknown number.
Then make sure she doesn't enjoy it.
And below that, Brianna had sent one final message.
You promised nobody would get hurt.
Detective Lee looked at me.
"Do you recognize the number?""
I shook my head.
She turned the paper toward my father.
"We're trying to identify the account owner.""
I stared at the screen capture until the words blurred.
Brianna hadn't acted alone.
Someone had been directing her.
Someone had wanted me to lose, and when I won anyway, they had escalated their plan.
Then Detective Lee pointed to the bottom of the screenshot.
"There's one more thing you should know.""
A second image had been attached to the message.
It showed my original Crimson Devil Princess costume hanging in a room I didn't recognize.
Someone had drawn a thick black circle around the bodice.
May you like
And beside it, written in red marker, were three words.
*CHECK INSIDE IT.*
