“I just wanted to check on you,” she says gently.
“I’m fine,” I lie.
She studies me for a second and then sits on the edge of my bed, smoothing the folds of her skirt. “Your father means well, you know.”
I cross my arms. “He doesn’t trust me or my judgement.”
“He doesn’t trust Ichabod,” she corrects. “And honestly, I don’t know what to believe.”
I sink onto the bed beside her. “I know Ichabod hasn’t done anything, Meredith.”
She puts a hand on my knee. “How can you be so sure, love?”
I hesitate, wanting to tell her the whole truth but unsure how to broach it again. It hadn’t gone so well downstairs. “I just am.”
Meredith tucks a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “I know you believe in him. But three people are dead, Katrina. The town is terrified.”
“He’s innocent.” I swallow hard. “And if he gets blamed, then the… real killer will still be out there.”
Meredith stands. “Just be safe, okay?”
I nod, but I know no-one in town is safe. Not with the Headless Horseman back.
Chatting with Meredith has calmed me slightly, but every time I think about my father falsely accusing Ichabod, my stomach clenches — especially after what I saw last night. Needing some air, I leave the manor house, slamming the heavy oak door behind me a bit harder than I intended.
The autumn air is crisp, biting against my heated skin as I march down the gravel path. My father’s words echo in my head, each one striking like a hammer. He’s wrong, and he could ruin an innocent man’s life if he feeds into the town gossip.
Lost in my thoughts, I nearly collide with Brom as he strides up the path. He steps back just in time, hands raised in defence. "Whoa, slow down there, Van Tassel. Where’s the fire?"
I exhale sharply. "I needed to get out of that house."
His expression shifts, a flicker of concern replacing his usual easygoing smirk. "I was actually just coming to see you. Thought you might need some company after... well, everything."
I fold my arms. "Everything what?"
Brom falls into step beside me, and we head towards town, our boots scuffing against the cobblestones. "Come on, Kat. You know what I mean. The rumours around town are getting worse."
I sigh. "Let me guess. You’re here to tell me to stay away from Ichabod too?"
Brom hesitates, rubbing the back of his neck. "Look, I know you don’t want to hear it, but... yeah. I think you should."
I stop walking, throwing my hands up in the air. "Not you as well!"
Brom looks resigned. "Kat…"
I stare into his eyes. Brom was the one who’d first brought the Headless Horseman up to me only those few short days ago. Would he believe me if I told him I knew what was really behind everything in this town?
“Why are you so quick to believe the rumours?” I ask. “A few days ago, you thought it was the Headless Horseman.” I let the sentence hang in the air between us, waiting.
Brom grimaces. "Oh, come on, Kat. I was joking around. You know, with Halloween coming up and everything. But this isn’t some stupid ghost story anymore. Three people are dead. That’s real. And I’ve heard they’re going to arrest him."
"What?" My stomach twists.
Brom nods. "The police chief wouldn’t do that without some solid evidence."
I shake my head. "No. No, they can’t. This is all wrong. Ichabod isn’t the killer, Brom."
Brom exhales through his nose, frustration creeping into his tone. "I know you like him, Kat, but how well do you even know him?"
